Silver Needle

We just cleaned and greased the recent 301 purchase. It has a little knock when it runs. DH said there is play in the nylon/composite gear that meshes with the vertical gear. What repair needs to be made? Will it hurt anything to run it like this?

Would you recommend purchasing a repair manual? We did download the instruction manual and print it. Where would you recommend getting the manual from?

cabbagepatchkid

You can probably find a 301 Adjuster's Manual on eBay. I didn't think that the 301 had any nylon gears in it. Good luck with solving the problem. The 301 is a wonderful machine.

Tink's Mom

I think the 301 still had metal gears...
The repair of replacing the gears and all the rest is pretty extensive...you may want to see what kind of charge a repair man wants.

Candace

Are you sure it's a 301? I don't know of any nylon gears in my 301. It's an all metal, belt driven, metal geared machine...

jlhmnj

I think it's where the motor gear meets the handwheel gear.

Jon

Silver Needle

Yes, Jon that is exactly where it is. You can move the hand wheel back and forth a little before anything engages. We are desiring to learn to do repair on all kinds of vintage machines. Possibly as side business to our long arm quilting business for DH after he retires from farming. So we want to purchase whatever training/service manuals we need for the ones we have and begin the learning process.

xxxxxxxxxx

the gear at the hand wheel is a fiber gear ,, clean very well and grease.. it must be wore now anyway,, so no you won't make it worst..

Candace

Yes, there's no nylon gears, it must be the fiber gear. You can buy a replacement.

Mitch's mom

There is supposed to be play in the fiber gear on the hand wheel. It is there to prevent excess stress on the gear as the motor starts. If there is a knock something still isn't clean or oiled/greased. Sometimes all an old machine needs is an over night rest for the new oil to work its way in; the next day the machine will be quiet as a mouse.

J Miller

Our 401A has the same gear set up. There is what feels like a spring loaded part in it that cushions the sudden start of the gears as Mitch's mom says. The owners manual says to grease this gear with the Singer lube. I greased ours with Tri-Lube grease.
Your owners manual will tell you where to lube the machine. There is a lot of places on the older ones that need oil and a few that need grease.

In the online sites that sell parts I've not seen the fiber gear for sale any more. Only the plastic replacement. And some of the places have that marked as discontinued.

My suggestion is to remove the hand wheel, clean and inspect that gear and the cushioning parts then if everything is good, lube it and reinstall it.

If the gear is damaged, now would be a good time to get a replacement for it.

Joe