Oh that is bad. I love my 403 a lot, too. I would be heart broken. Have you got a good schematic of the tension in front of you?

Tammi did a really good video about how to put together the 201 tension. If you can go to her web page and watch it may help with the spring end of things. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzFX...AyBQ2l-Mzkw7ew she has a couple videos on Utube

I have taken my 401s tension apart several dozen times ,I have 2 and I bought one for my mom ,I have pics but cant figure out how to attach them ,Im on my phone ,but Ill try to explain .You will have the check spring, three tension disks will fit on the post sandwiched between the check spring ends .Then you put on the tension disk thing that looks like it has a post that fits into the hole in the thread guide ,next you put the back part of the dial ,after that you sgould have a beehive spring that fits inside put the big part in first. Then you hve a washer that goes over that ,it will have a little arm off the side of it. I put mine at 11 oclock if you imagine the face of a clock .Then put the numbered cap on make sure the ring in the front of it is still on (lol mine falls out) dont forget to put your check screw back in or it will fall back apart (ask me how I know ) and if you need the pics ,how do I attach them ? I hope this helps .

check this site go down until you see 401/403 tension adjustment.

http://sewing-machines.blogspot.com/

do you know, after you put this assembly, back in the machine body, you then adjust the tension on that take up spring ?

They tell you how in that site, but there not saying why you do it. This is when they say, put a screw driver in the split stud and rotate it to any position you want

Thanks again everyone. sorry I didn't respond sooner. The site seemed to be down, or maybe I was just out of bandwidth yesterday. I can't work on the machine today. I have to go to town. But, tomorrow, I'll be back at it. I love this machine and miss sewing on it.

Miriam, yes, I do have a schematic and I think that I have all the parts, but maybe not. I may just end up buying a new tension set up on Ebay, just to find out if one of my little parts is worn, or missing. I've taken this tension apart many times over they years. I should know how to do it blindfolded. I don't understand why I'm having such a hard time with it. It's probably something really dumb and obvious. I'll check out all of your website suggestions. :)

~ Cindy

I don't think you will like the replacement tension. Is the set screw holding the tension in place loose or missing? Have you tried getting a new tension spring? I'm wondering if you have had any luck getting it to work. Can you shoot a picture of the tension parts that you have?

Miriam...thanks so much for sticking with me on this. (((Miriam))) first, I've been having problems getting on the site. I'll have to email the admin to see what's up about that. so, I haven't been able to respond to you until now.

(I'm really NOT that technically challenged...honest.)

I'll take out the 403A again and take pix and describe what I'm doing. It's obviously something wrong...LOL.

I shall return!!!! Hopefully. :D

~ Cindy

Ok let's see if I can post a different link to that site: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guYToL6Gegs
see if that is better - she has a couple other videos as well and a blog.
I suspect I know what you are doing wrong but it would be harder for me to describe than for you to discover on her video.

Thanks for that video, Miriam. It's very good. I also went to her website and I see that she has one on rebuilding the 403A tension. I'm going to watch that as well. I'll report back when I get the machine out this afternoon and have another go at it.

~ Cindy

I'd like to hear how you make out when you try to follow the video, Cindy! I think it's your trouble that finally made me get off my behind and film that and the other 2 videos on the Slants the other day. Those 3 only went up on Tuesday so it's good that you went up there this week.