Singer 211 U166A walking foot problem

[NowhereMan01]

I have a Singer 211U166A that I got for free, including table, servo motor, bobbins, and needles. I'm completely new to sewing, and the machine was not working when I got it. Fortunately, a local repair guy got it going, and I was able to sew several things with it--not leather, but some very thick, heavy, multiple layers of cloth (mostly, sailing-related).

Yesterday, the bobbin got jammed, and my foot slipped, no doubt putting a lot of pressure on the drive, which resulted in a clunking noise, and a screw that connects to the reverse lever even fell off. I was able to replace the screw, but now the walking foot seems to not be walking. Specifically, the middle part of the walking foot stays pressed down on the fabric the entire cycle, and hence the cloth does not feed. I have posted a short video here:

 

 

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

[friquant]

Can the middle walking foot be raised by hand (with motor unplugged)?

Looks like the feed dog timing is also off. (Normally needle would be at bottom dead center, and the feed dog at maximum height, when the feed dog is halfway through its front to back stroke.)

Do you have a manual?

[NowhereMan01]

2 hours ago, friquant said:

Can the middle walking foot be raised by hand (with motor unplugged)?

Looks like the feed dog timing is also off. (Normally needle would be at bottom dead center, and the feed dog at maximum height, when the feed dog is halfway through its front to back stroke.)

Do you have a manual?

Thanks for the quick response.

I'm not sure what you mean by raising the middle foot "by hand", but everything seems very rigid, unless I turn the wheel. 

Yes, I do have the manual, which can be found here:

https://s3.amazonaws.com/a.teamworksales.com/SINGER+SERVICE+MANUALS/211U157A_165A_166A_566A.pdf

The only thing I've found in it that looks at all relevant is on p. 25, "ADJUSTMENT OF THE LIFTING ECCENTRIC AND THE LIFT OF THE ALTERNATING PRESSER FEET". If there is anything else in it that I should be looking at, LMK.

 

[friquant]

 

10 hours ago, NowhereMan01 said:

I'm not sure what you mean by raising the middle foot "by hand", but everything seems very rigid, unless I turn the wheel. 

that's good! Just wanted to check that the middle foot had not been disconnected from the driving apparati.

 

10 hours ago, NowhereMan01 said:

If there is anything else in it that I should be looking at, LMK.

Here's what I would check, in this order.

 

1. Page 13, "Reengage safety clutch". It's typical when the bobbin binds up for the safety clutch to trip. Make sure it's reengaged.
2. Page 13 "Reverse Feed Mechanism". You mentioned a screw came off. I would inspect the reverse feed to make sure all the parts are in place and moving properly.
3. Page 26, "Replacement of Arm Shaft Connection Belt". You don't need to remove the belt, but follow the instructions for verifying that the arm shaft (the one that the hand wheel bolts to) is in time with the hook shaft.
4. Page 24, "Feed Eccentric Adjustment". You need to get the feed dog so that it halfway through it's fore-aft stroke when the needle is at bottom dead center.
5. Page 23 and 24, "Feed Dog Adjustment". You want the feed dog to be at its highest point when the needle is at bottom dead center
6. Page 25, "Lifting Eccentric and Alternating Presser Feet".

 

 

 

[NowhereMan01]

6 hours ago, friquant said:

 

that's good! Just wanted to check that the middle foot had not been disconnected from the driving apparati.

 

Here's what I would check, in this order.

...

3. Page 26, "Replacement of Arm Shaft Connection Belt". You don't need to remove the belt, but follow the instructions for verifying that the arm shaft (the one that the hand wheel bolts to) is in time with the hook shaft.

...

I think this solved the problem! Many, many thanks.

I believe that what happened is that when it jammed (and I accidentally hit full throttle) the belt slipped. Now that I have aligned the "lower pulley" with "setting mark A" (as per page 26), it seems to be walking again.

We have a heat wave here, and I don't feel like thoroughly testing it at the moment, but once I get around to it (which might take a week or so), I'll post here again, just to confirm...

[friquant]

4 hours ago, NowhereMan01 said:

I believe that what happened is that when it jammed (and I accidentally hit full throttle) the belt slipped. Now that I have aligned the "lower pulley" with "setting mark A" (as per page 26), it seems to be walking again.

That's great!

Ideally the safety clutch would trip before the belt slips, so on some cold October night you may want to investigate how to get the safety clutch to disengage under load.

Figure 65 (page 26) shows a style of safety clutch that is unfamiliar to me. I think you adjust those three screws coming out the side to set how easily the clutch trips. 

[NowhereMan01]

It looks like I spoke too soon.

It did seem to "walk", so I tried adjusting the stitch length (still without thread, just trying to get a bigger "step"), and when turning the wheel with the button pressed, it seemed to have no resistance, and the results were very flaky. Sometimes it would walk more-or-less as expected, sometimes almost not at all, and sometimes it would even go in reverse (without the reverse lever pressed). So I started looking at the "Feed eccentric adjustment" on p. 24 of the manual, and that thing in the 2nd picture slid out of place, and doesn't seem to be attached to anything. Is it supposed to be like that?

[friquant]

Oh I see.. The feed eccentric slid about 1.25 inches to the right, exposing the actual cam lobe.

Based on the manual page 24, "Feed Eccentric Adjustment", I think you are to slide the feed eccentric to the left so the cam lobe goes inside the pushrod, then apply your chosen amount of pressure to the left to compress the "feed driving eccentric adjusting disc spring" to achieve your chosen amount of spring pressure. Then tighten what appears to be set screws in the collar that holds the spring.

[NowhereMan01]

I actually removed the set screws that hold the spring in place, and it was a bit of a pain to get that put back together (had to compress the spring with wires). But, I don't think that has anything to do with the issue. The "eccentric" piece slides freely in either direction, so I can slide it back into place. But, when the rod turns (for example, when I turn the wheel by hand), the rod does not "grab" (or engage?) the "feed eccentric" piece at all, so it is not even possible to rotate it into position for the stitch-length button to be pressed.

[CowboyBob]

10 minutes ago, NowhereMan01 said:

I actually removed the set screws that hold the spring in place, and it was a bit of a pain to get that put back together (had to compress the spring with wires). But, I don't think that has anything to do with the issue. The "eccentric" piece slides freely in either direction, so I can slide it back into place. But, when the rod turns (for example, when I turn the wheel by hand), the rod does not "grab" (or engage?) the "feed eccentric" piece at all, so it is not even possible to rotate it into position for the stitch-length button to be pressed.

Put the screw for the eccentric, marked S on the eccentric into the slot (or V on the shaft)once you get it pushed to the left where it belongs & tighten the screw should get it feeding again.