Prairie Quilter Posted September 11, 2012 Report Share Posted September 11, 2012 I had some unexpected tension problems this past weekend – I hope someone might have some ideas about what was going on. I was stitching along, with everything looking normal, nice even stitches, and all of a sudden my top thread broke. No fraying or shredding – just a sudden break. This would happen time and again; didn’t matter if I was stitching in a straight line or changing direction. At one point after a sudden break I pulled on the top thread and could barely budge it. My immediate thought was that the thread was snagged on a rough spot on the cone, but it wasn’t. The thread path from the cone to the tension disks was completely loose. After playing around with the top tension I realized that even major adjustments to the tension knob didn’t seem to make any change to the feel of my pull on the thread. I moved the thread free of the disks and I could pull it through the rest of the path without any problem. Put it back between the disks and it was as tight as can be, even after I loosened the disks so they weren’t touching each other. How could that be? I tightened the disks as much as possible and then loosened them back to where they should be and then unthreaded and re-threaded the machine and that seemed to help …. but I’m wondering if this is going to keep happening. Do I need a new tension assembly? It just seemed so peculiar, and a real PITA. Has anyone else experienced this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CindyT Posted September 11, 2012 Report Share Posted September 11, 2012 I had a similar problem with mine last week, but it ended up being a SMALL stray thread stuck in between the disks AND the thread was catching at the bottom of the cone against the laser light cord every so many rounds of coming off the cone. I hope you're able to get an answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnCavanaugh Posted September 11, 2012 Report Share Posted September 11, 2012 Mary, Sorry that you are struggling with tension! It sounds like somewhere along the thread path, that thread was out of where it should have been. When you make huge changes in the tension assembly but don't see an impact at the needle, the first step is indeed to unthread the machine completely and start over. Sometimes the problem is obvious, like thread catching on the cone. Sometimes it's more subtle, like having the thread suddenly loop completely around the rear thread guide or the tension spring by the tensioner. It is very hard to see that. As for the tension assembly questions, here are some things to check before deciding if you need to replace it: 1. pull the thread through the eye of the needle and toward the throat of the machine while watching the wire "check spring" next to the tensioner. It should pull down to about 9:00 with thread pressure, and then rebound to a resting spot of about 11:00. If it comes down a lot farther, or not at all, the spring may need adjustment or replacement. 2. Stand at the front of the machine and look between the side of the machine and the first tension disk closest to the machine. You'll see the slot in which the spring travels. Make sure the spring moves freely up and down inside that slot. 3. Separate the tension disks and blow some compressed air between them to dislodge any lint or dirt. I have attached a file that shows how to adjust the tension assembly and replace it if necessary. However, sudden "tight" tension is probably not related to a malfunction in the assembly itself. Symptoms of a tension assembly issue would be inconsistent tension and the inability to find balanced tension (typically caused when the larger spring that presses against the disks wears out and loses its resilience). Also, if the check spring wears out or is not properly adjusted, you'll see random thread loops on top. The spring tugs each stitch tight when the take up lever draws up the thread, so a weak spring will result in a loose stitch. Let us know if you continue to encounter issues! Tension control disassembly & maintenance.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmcclannan Posted September 12, 2012 Report Share Posted September 12, 2012 I printed this out for my trouble shooting notes. Thanks, Dawn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prairie Quilter Posted September 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2012 Thanks, Dawn! I blew more compressed air between the disks and made sure the spring was moving freely. Things seemed quite a bit better tonight - no thread breaks - YAY! I've got your document saved for the day when I do need to disassemble the tension assembly! I appreciate your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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