My Brother EX660 'froze up'. The wheel wouldn't turn at all. My husband took it apart, oiled and cleaned it and it worked fine. I have since moved on to a Brother SQ9000. I am in the middle of my second quilt with it and it 'froze up'. I recognized the sound before it happened (remembering the same sound when it happened to the EX660) so I slowed my stitching to a crawl. I saw it stop. The wheel wouldn't turn. Husband wasn't home so I thought it through, what can I do to get back in business. I remembered him oiling the needle holder rod when he did the EX660.
Out comes the oil can. I removed the needle, flipped the machine upside down. Dripped oil onto the rod and let the oil slide into the machine (down the rod). In a minute or so I tried to turn the wheel. It was loose as a goose. No problem. So I have added this step to my routine (every now and then).
Disclaimer: I am not telling you to do it. I am telling you it worked for me. :thumbup:

Thanks for the tip!

I have that machine. When I saw your dilemma I looked all through my book and went online. The book does not mention oiling at all and online it says "do not oil the bobbin case or put any oil in any holes". They didn't say anything about taking it apart and oiling the needle bar. Good call, girl! Saved yourself some money! I'll remember this if mine freezes up!

I have been putting 1 drop of oil in the bobbin ?race? everytime I change the bobbin. I am not getting lint buildup so I expect it is oil soaked somewhere in the machine. Tom will get it out when he cleans it, someday or when I have trouble, which ever comes first. Once I paid Walmart $129. for it I figured it is mine and if I want to play the most it will cost me is $129. They are easy to break apart. Just have to take all the screws out and pop the two sides apart. Can't pull the motor end sides to far away from each other because the inside wires run from one side to the other. I haven't put oil on any of the plastic. I think I am not supposed to do that. :lol:

You're funny! I paid $199 for mine a month ago. The price has gone up. :roll:

Bernie, I grabbed mine when they closed the fabric department. It was on clearance. I snatched it up!

Oh Dorthy....are you still around? I tried to PM but your mail box is full. Still loving my SQ9000 and your tips have saved me alot of grief.
Forever grateful
dee

This message is old but I wanted to say thanks as the same thing happened to me a few weeks ago. Now its not like I don't have other machines to use but we want what we want and at that time I wanted that machine to finish up the project I was on. I took the whole machine apart and of course found fuzzies where I didn't even realize they could go, cleaned it all up, oiled where I thought I should and got it all put back together and still didn't sound right, then I remembered your tip and it worked, so huge thank-you.

I tried to take my Brother apart by removing all the screws and got hung up when I could not "pop" the sides open. Could you take a picture where to "pop" it apart?? Thank you.

Pat if i remember correctly and when I can get in the sewing rm I will look for sure but I think there was 1 tiny screw underneath the machine, on the needlebar side, that holds it up from opening. Be very careful when opening as all the wires for the computer side will still be attached.