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Debbie:
I have the same problem .. I am continuously replacing the plastic tracks. My distributor told me no one else seems to be having that problem - they obviously lied! I am interested in getting metal tracks. Please share the name and source of the product. Thanks in advance. Paula

Replace wooden tracks with metal on Original GQM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RebeccaG (Post 7469020)

I know this is an old post, but for any one searching I thought I would add what I am doing. I have the grace frame and it has the wooden tracks. I did go to a machine shop that cut the 1/4 inch steel rods for me. There are two kinds of steel heat rolled and cold rolled. I purchased the cold rolled steel and it is a lot more expensive than what others have posted they purchased theirs for. It ended up costing me $30 for 2 rods for the track and 2 for the carriage.
They fit my carriage fine. But my wooden track the 1/4 in rods slide to deep down. I will purchase some type of cord, nylon rope or something to set below the rod. That way my carriage wheels will not hit the wooden track.

I was recently gifted what I think is the original GQM. It came with a video cassette dated 2002 on the case. The video essentially was kind of an ad for the machine. There was no other documentation. The Grace Company was only moderately helpful in figuring anything out. They no longer support the original frame and they were most interested in selling me a new frame. They did finally direct me to the resource section of their website and told me they thought I likely had the Original based on the date on the video. I downloaded instructions and they seem to correspond to the frame I've acquired.

This frame has a wooden tracking system. The tracks are an inch wide. They have three little bumps, one on each edge and one in the middle. The carriage wheels roll on the middle "bumps". The track is in several sections of differing lengths so they can be configured for queen or twin serup. The track sits in a one inch wide groves on each side of the table.

There is at least on section of track that is missing. I would like to replace the tracks with metal as many of you have done, but I'm wondering how this could be done in my case. There are no grooves I can see to put the steel rods. Any help is appreciated. I will try to attach a photo is I can figure out how to do it.

Photo upload keeps failing.

Grace frames replacement tracks

So happy I found this thread! My carriage tracks cracked in less than 2 years. I have hardly used the quilt frame! I saw that Debbie B. replaced hers with 1/4 metal rod on someone else's suggestion. I'm going to try that too! Luckily I work in a machine shop and have easy access to bar stock. I will also try the clothesline under the rod to keep it from settling too far in on my Pinnacle frame. Sew, sew happy!!!!

Pinnacle frame replacement track

replying to an old post about replacing the track on a Grace pinnacle frame with a 1/4” stainless steel rod….did it work on your pinnacle frame? I am having the same problem and would like to replace with metal. It’s difficult enough to change them once but to have to change them yearly sure takes the fun out of quilting.

Try McMaster Carr they have them

I have a Pfaff Next Generation frame... has anyone replaced the plastic track with the metal rods?

I replaced my Grace Pro frame with metal tracks years ago but of course I can't remember what the stuff is called. I also had to bump up the poles as they would bow. Replaced them with galvanized poles put over the original poles with screws. Worked like a charm. I sold this setup years ago but it served me well with the updated track and poles.

Trying to vsualize

I have the SR2 frame..only had it a few months as I bought it and the Block Rockit 14+ used. I’ve been having skipped stitches horizontally and have ordered new encoders but I’m also curious about replacing the plastic track with metal. But I can’t visualize what this metal would look like. The plastic track slides down over the metal rails so how would another piece of metal work? Also, do any of you know if you can upgrade the track and carriage on the SR2 to the dual track? Does the frame track need to be a dual track or just the carriage that holds my machine? Thanks in advance.