A tensioner for my 3/4 size WW
 

Unfortunalty this little cutie came with a bent up tensioner, so I've been watching for one.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps9920c353.jpg

And now I have one!

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psd3524212.jpg

Ok - so I had to buy the whole machine to get it - but the machine came with an original manual, and those are hard to find and rarely go cheap! So I figure I bought the manual and got the machine for the cost of shipping.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps2725c87a.jpg

And while this machine was quite well packed, not quite good enough to withstand being dropped on the end - so the back knob of the flywheel and the bobbin winder got broke. At least it wasn't dropped on it's nose, where the parts I needed are!

I have a Singer 500 that isn't holding the tension....I was thinking of getting a new tension dial, but when looking on line, there doesn't seem to have any that look like mine. Is this a good idea? Is it hard to do? Does any one have one to sell? I've had the machine looked at by several repair people and no one can fix it!?!?!?

The Singer 500 tension can be rebuilt - you will need the manual and be sure you have all the parts. Be VERY careful to put things in the right order and in the right direction. It could be a good time to replace the springs while you are at it. It is likely something is in there in the wrong order or the wrong direction now. I don't like rebuilding them - they take a while. It is worth the effort though. I realize I told someone else on here to just replace their tension but there is no repair manual for that machine. The 500 does have a service manual.

PM me; I have one that I am parting out.

Cathy,
Was the bent top tension complete? If so couldn't you straighten the shaft? I've done that before with decent results.


JoAnn,
Parting out a 500 ...... ewwwww the poor machine. My #1 500 came to me missing parts. I brought it back to life.
I know, the parts had to come from somewhere. It this case the LSMG.

Bette,
The 500 tension is not overly complicated. I've watched your posts about this machine for a while and for the life of me I don't understand why those you took it too can't get it squared away. Maybe they think it's an International Farm All tractor rather than a sewing machine.

Just remember that if you do replace the tension unit, there are adjustments needed to make it work right.

Joe

Joe, This one is not bent,(the bent one is on a different machine, I got mixed up) only missing several parts. Since I have a full size one, I knew exactly what I needed. Unfortunately the diameter of the pin is a bit different than what Singer uses, so I could not use one of them.

I'm 100% for parting out some machines. It's the only way to get the majority of them working again.

I am in agreement. and at least I know it wasn't a good one being parted out

Yeah I know. I'm a hypocrite about that. I won't part out a machine, but I turn a blind eye when I by parts to fix 'em.

I just tease those that do part them out. Gotta get my jollies somehow .... :)

Joe