UL not tracking straight

[Cumberland Highpower]

Today I threaded up a UL that I have kept for many years as a spare.  Sews great, beautiful stitch, etc.  I went over it adjusting/tightening checking everything, timing etc.  

Seems to have an issue I can't seem to fully correct though....It does not track in a straight line, rather pushing the work to the left as it operates.   I actually have to use a bit of force to keep it against the guide......And end up fighting the machine a bit. More than on any other machine I have.

I checked the needle/awl bar, it appears to be feeding very squarely relative to the rest of the machine.  Presser foot force isn't excessive. I checked the needle plate for flatness and the fit of the presser foot against it.  Even went so far as to hone them together under presser foot pressure.  They're airtight mates. I had initially thought perhaps an out of square presser foot was the culprit. 

The amount of work deflection stays constant regardless of what stitch spacing i set, same as well regardless of running nylon or poly.

I cannot seem to find any adjustments to correct for this deflection, anyone that operates a UL have any ideas? 

 

 

[Wizcrafts]

If I recall correctly, the needle is attached to a mounting bracket (aka: Needle Bar) that has rods on the front and back. The rods fit into a moving housing that has small 4 sided screws to secure them. It is possible to install the rods out of forward/backward equal alignment and still operate the feed. This would account for the left pull of the needle bar. Also, as unlikely as it may be, the needle bar housing could in theory be bent from a bad jam, like if the needle misses the hole on the way up and pushes up the leather, or worse, hits the throat plate. While a thinner (e.g., #1,2,3) needle would give before the needle bar, that might not be the case is someone used a very large needle, like a #5 or #6, to sew something very thick and dense with #554 thread.

I mention the needle deflection because it happened to me more times that Carter has Little Liver Pills!

[Cumberland Highpower]

Wiz thanks for the ideas.  I spent most of the afternoon going over it, and somewhat to my surprise I fixed the problem.

I had torn this machine down and adjusted/timed it years ago and went over it again when setting it back up.   The whole problem was just a minor adjustment in the feed timing.  Minor as in almost nothing. I guess the needle was flexing just a little too much before the presser foot would lift. I could hardly notice it earlier.

[Wizcrafts]

1 hour ago, Cumberland Highpower said:

I guess the needle was flexing just a little too much before the presser foot would lift

Always try to use at least a #3 needle, or #4, if possible, when sewing heavy stacks or harness leather. The thicker needles experience less flexing. Use a correspondingly one size larger awl..