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Adjusting The Tension:
If the tension was properly working at one time or another before having to repair it, it's a pretty safe bet that adjusting will not be
necessary. These come preset from the factory, and should not require adjusting.
Common problems are the plastic part on the tension stud breaking, allowing the check
spring to loose proper return pressure, the discs are full of crude, or rusted up, and finally the
check spring itself was damaged. These items have been corrected with the above
procedures, so actually the machine should be ready for use again. However, should you
need to adjust the tension, Fig 1 arrow shows the adjusting screw. With the arm top cover
off the machine, turn the tension dial to zero (0).
1.
Thread the machine to the discs, ensure you don't hold the arm top cover as to
activate the releasing mechanism, Fig 1 circled
2.
Gently pull on the thread at the zero setting, and start turning the dial to 5. You
should feel a gradual increase in resistance as you pull the thread
If I recall, we use to tie the presser foot to the thread, and at 0, the presser foot would slowly, with a little resistance, drop towards the
floor. At a setting of 1 on the dial, the foot would stop.
Again, do not adjust until you have actually tired the machine for proper stitching. It is very possible there are other things wrong
with the machine that is affecting stitch quality. Needle to hook timing could be incorrect, feed timing could be incorrect, or the hook
or needle plate are damaged from needle nicks. If you ever broke a needle while sewing, there is a chance it burred the hook point.
These items are covered my other repair guides, as well as the factory manual. If you need to get deeper into the machine, I strongly
suggest looking at the timing guide first, then followed by the full service manuals available. The factory guide has a good section on
the theory of how the tension works as well.
TIP
Before assembling the arm top cover and putting the machine back together, I have one other tip for you, sort of a bonus if you will.
Another problem area I've found is the lower thread guide. Over a period of time, it gets full of all sorts of gunk, and checking it out
is well worth the time spent doing so. Just a word of caution, these units are easily broken, so do take care while working with it.
1.
Turn the pressure dial to "Darn" or "Zero", fig 1
2.
Loosen the setscrew shown in fig 2, and work the presser bar unit downward, working the thread guide with it
3.
When lower enough, turn the unit counter clockwise to clear the needle bar, and slip off the presser bar guide
4.
Remove the screw shown in fig 3
5.
Slide the unit open, fig 4
6.
Fig 4 arrowed is usually where you will
find a bunch of gunk built up. Clean it
out and reassemble in reverse order
7.
When pushing the unit back underneath
the machine casting, ensure you get the
presser bar guide good and snug. The
thread guide shouldn't wobble around a
great deal, if at all
Fig 1
Fig 3
5
Fig 1
Fig 2
Fig 4
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