haylillan

the top tension dial of my 301 im assuming moves while im sewing from vibration, is there anyway to correct this? makes a mess of stitches if dont keep my eye on it. also have another ? should i grease plastic gears in bottom of a singer 513 stylist ? there are about 6 gears. thanks for any help.

J Miller

To tighten up the top tension you'll need to take the knob off and using a screw driver spread the two halves of the shaft apart to make it tighter in the knob. If you're careful with the details you can do this without disturbing the tension adjustment.

All the plastic geared Singers I've had go through my hands either had a white grease on the plastic gears, or no grease.
I use Tri-Flow grease on mine, but Singer is selling a white gear lube for them. Not sure were to say to look for it, but it does exist.

Joe

miriam

It could be that the tension post isn't tightened down - does the whole thing turn?

haylillan

i got out my fw and when i raise the presser foot the tension releases but not on the 301 which ive had 1 1/2 yrs it sewed well so dont know if was always that way or just started messing up. the pin in tension just sits there i tried adjusting it ,it will move if i push on it. it will sew a nice stitch but i would like for it to be right. yes the whole mess turns.

miriam

If the whole mess turns you need to tighten it. Then make the adjustments. You may need to go to: http://www.tfsr.org/publications/tec...achine_manual/ to figure it all out. I would pull the whole thing out, clean it and put it back together per manual. I know that specific machine isn't there but look for a tension like it - the hard part is knowing how to set the spring and what screws to tighten to set the pin and the tension barrel then to adjust it.

ArchaicArcane

I agree with Miriam. I think you'll find that "Servicing" the tensioner is going to fix both problems. If the tensioner as a whole is moving, it's likely sitting too far toward you as well, which means the pin on the back isn't far enough back to get pushed by the presser bar lever when you raise it.

There's a set screw, inside the door that holds the whole tensioner in.

I guess I should try to do that upper tensioner service tutorial sooner rather than later.

Thanks Joe, I think I knew to do what you mentioned, but for some reason it hadn't filtered into my consciousness yet. I have the same problem with a 301 here. The only issue outstanding on it. I was just using painters tape til I "remembered" what to do.

Windblown

Please do AArcane,
I need all the info on 301's mine runs fairly good but I need to take the tension apart to clean it up, but it scares me to death much more complicated that the 66 and 99 that I have worked on.

ArchaicArcane

It's not that much more complex than the 99. In fact, if you have the numbered dial on the 99, it's pretty much the same. Miriam is right, the hardest parts is the spring placement. That's true on the 99 too.

I know there was a step by step someone posted not too long ago that was good as well. mysewingmachineobsession maybe?

edit: Yes: http://mysewingmachineobsession.blog...-assembly.html

haylillan

i think now tha i've had the tension apart the spring is bad the tail is mashed down or the spring is wrong, so ordered a new one thanks every one

ArchaicArcane

Which spring? The bee hive or the check spring?