Simpson Maxidry and Minimax Dryer Parts: Belts and Fixes That Keep Them Running

Quick answer: Belts and repair parts for Simpson Maxidry and Minimax dryers are still available in Australia. There are three separate belt listings — one naming the Maxidry 1000S, 1000P, 1200S and 1200P; a twin pack naming the Maxidry 361, 362, 367, 452, 456, 457, 505 and 512; and one naming the Minimax 10, 10S and 150 — and each belt suits only the models its listing names. Door catches, idler pulleys, foam lint filters, rear drum support kits and run capacitors for Simpson dryers of this era are also still sold. If you are not sure which model is in your laundry, send a photo of the machine or its model sticker through the Oz Appliance Spares Part Finder and we will match the part for you.

Last updated September 2026

Why these machines are worth fixing

If there is a Maxidry or Minimax in your laundry, there is a fair chance it has been there longer than the car has been in the driveway. Simpson built these dryers to a plainly mechanical recipe — a motor, a belt, a heater, a timer — and that recipe is exactly why so many of them are still working decades on. It is also why, when one does stop, the fault is rarely a mystery and almost never fatal.

The same handful of wear items accounts for most breakdowns, and every one of them costs a fraction of a new machine — most of the parts on this page sit in the ten-to-forty-dollar range. Compare that with replacing a dryer that still has a sound motor, a sound drum and nothing wrong beyond a stretched belt or a broken door catch. There are no circuit boards in these machines to fail and nothing that demands specialist tools; the usual repair is a panel off, a part swapped, a panel back on.

A dryer that has worked for twenty or thirty years has earned its belt. This page is about giving it one.

The models this page covers

This page covers the Simpson Maxidry and Minimax vented dryer families. The belt listings name the following models, and closely related models exist — confirm via the Part Finder if yours is not listed.

Note the pattern: three groups, three belts. The 1000/1200-series Maxidry, the 361–512 Maxidry group and the Minimax each have their own belt listing, and other Simpson families again — the Sirocco, for one — have their own. A belt is only right for your dryer if the listing names your model; never assume a belt crosses between families, whatever it looks like.

Parts by symptom

Start with what the dryer is doing. The product links go to the exact listings; the guides walk through the diagnosis so you do not buy a part you do not need.

Symptom	Likely part	Guide
Squeal on start-up or while running; drum turns but clothes stay damp	The fan belt for your family: Maxidry 1000S/1000P/1200S/1200P heavy-duty fan belt, Maxidry 361–512 fan belt twin pack or Minimax 10/10S/150 heavy-duty fan belt	Simpson dryer not spinning: the fan belt
Drum will not turn and the motor hums	A belt that has snapped or come off; a seized Simpson dryer idler pulley can also stop the show	Drum won’t turn, motor hums
Rumbling, rattling or grinding as the drum spins	Simpson dryer rear spigot and support kit; a worn idler pulley makes a similar noise	Simpson dryer drum bearing noise
Door pops open mid-cycle or will not stay shut	Simpson dryer door catch and striker bracket assembly	Simpson dryer door won’t latch
Runs but there is no heat	Work through the guide first; on dryers this age the Simpson 8uF run capacitor is a known wear item	Dryer not heating but spinning
Musty smell, lint escaping, loads taking longer every winter	Simpson dryer foam lint filter	Dryer takes too long to dry

If your model number does not appear on any of the three belt listings above, there is also a general Simpson dryer fan belt listing — but do not guess between them. Run your model through the which dryer belt fits my model guide or the Part Finder and order what comes back confirmed.

The door catch, idler pulley, lint filter, rear support kit and run capacitor are parts for Simpson dryers of this era generally rather than Maxidry- or Minimax-only listings, so it is worth a quick check through the Part Finder before ordering those too.

Fitting it yourself

These are honest machines to work on. On most models a Phillips screwdriver gets a panel off, and from there the belt path, idler and drum supports are in plain view — how to replace a dryer belt covers the belt job step by step, and the Simpson vented dryer repair guide gives you the lay of the whole cabinet. Since most of the wear items are cheap, many owners renew the belt, filter and catch together while the machine is open — the Simpson dryer full service kit guide shows that approach. The one non-negotiable: unplug the dryer at the wall before you undo a single screw, and if the machine is wall-mounted, get a second pair of hands to lift it down first.

Can’t find your model?

On dryers this age the model sticker is usually on the rim of the drum opening — open the door and check around the edge — or on the rear panel, and after a few decades of heat it is often faded or missing. The fascia is your friend: “Maxidry” or “Minimax” is printed on the front panel of these machines, and that name plus a photo of the control panel is usually enough to pin the model down.

The guide to finding any appliance model number lists every place a sticker hides, and how to identify an old dryer with no model sticker deals with the faded-sticker problem head on. If you can read the number, put it into the Find Your Model tool, or browse the full range through the Simpson parts search. Otherwise, photograph the fascia, the open door and the old part itself and send the lot through the Part Finder — old Simpsons are exactly what it is built for.

Related guides: dryer spare parts guide

FAQ

Do Simpson Maxidry and Minimax dryers use the same belt?

No. The Maxidry 1000/1200 series, the Maxidry 361–512 group and the Minimax 10/10S/150 each have their own belt listing, and the right one for your dryer is the listing that names your model. Belts from different Simpson families can look similar, but looks are not fitment — never swap between listings.

Which belt fits a Simpson Maxidry 1200P?

The Maxidry heavy-duty fan belt listing that names the 1000P, 1200P, 1200S and 1000S. If your Maxidry is in the 361–512 group instead, it takes the twin-pack listing for that group. When in doubt, confirm the model through the Part Finder before ordering.

The belt for my Maxidry 452 comes as a twin pack — do I need both?

You fit one; the second is a spare for the shelf. On a machine you intend to keep running for years, having the next belt on hand simply means the next change takes an afternoon cuppa instead of a wait for the post.

My Minimax runs but the clothes stay cold — what do I need?

Work through the dryer not heating but spinning guide before buying anything, because “no heat” has more than one cause. On dryers this age the run capacitor is a known wear item, and for anything the guide points to beyond that, send your model through the Part Finder and we will track down the part.

Is a Simpson Maxidry from the 1990s worth repairing?

Almost always. The faults that stop these machines are small — a belt, a catch, a filter — and the parts cost a fraction of any replacement dryer. As long as the motor and drum are sound, a repair puts the machine back to doing what it has done for decades, with nothing newly complicated to fail next.