Pulley Keeps Falling Off

[mathbishop]

I have a singer 111w153.

The lower pulls keeps falling off no matter how tight I get the small allen bolt you see pictured.

Im sure I am missing something.

[TomG]

I'm not a pro at them and my 111W155 now has a servo motor, but that looks like a clutch motor with the clutch assembly missing. I don't think that is the right pulley. The motor shaft looks like a splined shaft with a threaded end that the clutch assembly would slide onto and screw down.

Maybe Wiz will check in. He's one of the pros.

[Sunnyside Scott]

I have a singer 111w153.

The lower pulls keeps falling off no matter how tight I get the small allen bolt you see pictured.

Im sure I am missing something.

While the pulley is off, verify that the set screw can tighten beyond the inner bore of the pulley.

I don't see a piece of key stock in your picture, does the shaft have a key way cut into it?

Scott

[mathbishop]

The pulley can definitely tighten down on the shaft, but there is no designated spot for it to be tighten down on. If that makes sense.

It was working just fine for a long time. Then I started it up today and encountered that problem fairly quickly.

[TomG]

I hate to say this, but I just zoomed in on that picture and I definately see a splined shaft and what looks like a threaded end.

How have you been controlling the speed?

[mathbishop]

Cant

I hate to say this, but I just zoomed in on that picture and I definately see a splined shaft and what looks like a threaded end.

How have you been controlling the speed?

Why do you "hate to say it"

I cant really control the speed of the machine very well with it being a clutch motor.

[TomG]

That answers that. When you or whoever screwed that set screw in, it probably grabbed into those threads. Look at them and you'll probably see indentations in the threads. When the pulley came loose, it may have galled the threads and also either damaged the set screw tip or rolled the aluminum of the inside of the hole over the tip. Like Scott said, it may not be going all the way through to grip as tight as it used to.

The clutch assembly that fits there has a pulley as part of the assembly. It has a lever that links to your foot treadle. The arm pushes a pin into the center of the motor shaft to engage that clutch.

All I can think of it to replace the motor with a good servo, or if you just want to use it like it was, make sure that set screw is not damaged and that it can go all the way into the shaft hole and possibly drill a small engagement hole in the shaft for the set screw to engage... BUT, you'll likely find that the shaft is hardened and may be hard to drill

Good luck

Just saw your last post after mine... How are you starting and stopping the motor? Am I missing something?

With a clutch motor, you should be able to feather the pedal to sew from almost a single stitch at a time to full out with some practice.

[mathbishop]

Im not sure im following you, from the looks of everything nothing seems to be damaged or stripped. Nothing screws in/onto the threaded part of the shaft. The pulley screw clamps down on the part before the threading.

Maybe im just being niave but it has got to be simpler than replacing the whole motor....,

[dirtclod]

If any of the threads still out past the pulley when it's on try putting a nut on the end to hold the pulley on.

[TomG]

I must be missing something. You need to reach out to one of the pros. I am just going by what I remember seeing when I took my Singer clutch motor apart once. Had to replace a cork ring.

My observations come from seeing nothing but threads and splines on the motor shaft and no keyway on either the pulley or the shaft.

I know there are motors with the clutch mechanism between the pulley and the motor body, but I am thinking they are all smooth on the motor side of the threads with a keyway and nut to secure them.

But like I said, I am in no way a pro at these.

[cottoncreek]

Maybe something did screw onto the threaded part of the shaft such as a jam nut which would be tightened after the set screw was tightened. Look around or under your machine to see if a nut you never before noticed is lying around.

[pcox]

You have an old singer clutch motor. The pulley you have is not correct for this motor/clutch setup. The pulley you need has splines that slide onto the splined shaft and a pair of jam nuts to hold it on. If you persist on running this pulley you will destroy the threads on the shaft if that has not already happened. I would guess that the threads have worn down and the pulley is not snug on the shaft allowing the pulley to wobble a little, working it's self loose. All of this type motor that I have seen are 3000 plus rpm which is not what you want to sew leather. You have 3 choices. Continue as you are not a good choice, or find the correct pulley, replace the motor/clutch unit.

[pcox]

these pictures may help. I think this is the same as yours. The rpm is 3,500 way too fast for leather work

[mathbishop]

The top pulley is giant so that helps with the crazy speed. Im going to see if I can track down the older pulley.

I have a feeling when the pulley fell off additional parts may have fell with it. Im gonna do some hunting for that as well

[oltoot]

Something I have noticed over time dealing with pulleys and belts in general, after all the good leads above are checked, if the first time the pulley came loose you didn't get it back in exact alignment with its opposing pulley, the force on it is tremendously increased, exacerbating any other issues. It is especially true if you dealing with two pulleys of diff size and then the smaller pulley takes the beating. Solution Sometimes: If the pulley/shaft allows, put the pulley back on without tightening then run things for just a bit allowing them to "find home" then carefully tighten to avoid moving. Unfortunately doesn't usually help if shaft or pulley are already damaged. Another thing I have learned about sewing machines (and other machinery) that resists efforts to 'tweak' it. If time allows walk away and do something else that you are sure you will succeed at then come back to it.

[Gregg From Keystone Sewing]

I had to save the original picture, open it in Photoshop, and lighten the image to see what is going on. Here is the pulley type with Singer part numbers. You should be able to find them pretty easily.

[Gregg From Keystone Sewing]

I had to save the original picture, open it in Photoshop, and lighten the image to see what is going on. Here is the pulley type with Singer part numbers. You should be able to find them pretty easily. My Dad when he started was 16 years old, and he rebuilt these 59 & 69 class motors for almost a year, not much else. He would press new bearings in, have the motors sent out to have them rewound, everything. This is all he did at his old shop where he worked for Danny Burg at Ace Sewing for his first year, he was there for about 15 years. Obviously, I'm taking it back a ways here, for sure. But, that's how old these motors are. BTW, you can guess what motor we have, still, up under our test bench, still.

[mathbishop]

This is great, do you know any good recourses where I might be able to buy the 4" pulley. Larger = Slower right?

-MB

[pcox]

Wrong. A larger motor pulley will speed your machine up.

[mathbishop]

Wrong. A larger motor pulley will speed your machine up.

Good to know, thanks

[mathbishop]

Im looking at this pulley here:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sewing-Machine-Parts-for-Singer-Motor-38-39-48-Splined-Pulley-876691-2-1-4-/290761977097

How does it stay secured to the splined shaft?

Thanks everyone for the helpful advice

[pcox]

The pulley slides on then there are 2 nuts that run on the threads and lock it on.