Need Help With Adler 167-373

[Dave84]

Purchased an Adler 167-373 and am loving it! Runs smooth, sews through anything. I do custom clothing with leather and denim and needed a real machine for pants and jackets, plus it was time to step up to heavier thread than my Viking Emerald 118 allowed.

I'm having one issue with belt loops on denim. When looking at the picture attached, when I start at the top, I backstitch with no issue and run down the loop. When I come to the end of the belt loop and cross the overlap onto the waist piece, the machine stops walking the material through, this part is circled in red. The needle does keep stitching and I can reverse, I just cannot go any more further forward. At this point I'm transitioning from four layers to two layers.

Secondly, while I wait for the previous owner who tuned up the machine to send me his copy of a more thorough manual than the 12 page one I've seen online, how can I adjust for when I get the bobbin thread coming through to the top of the material on two layers? on three or more layers, the thread is perfectly centered. I've tried the top thread tension, nothing. I've tried the top knob to put tension on the top foot, nothing.

Appreciate the help guys, this site helped me make my decision and I can tell your all into the craft.

-Dave

[Uwe]

It may have to do with the shape of your presser feet or how high your presser feet lift while they walk. I can't really tell much from the tiny photo you posted.

Consider using a presser foot like the KP-267Q by Kwok Hing if you have big steps in material height to climb over:

If adjusting your upper thread tension does not allow you to get the bobbin thread pulled down then you may have to increase your bobbin thread tension.

There's a Service manual for the Durkopp Adler 67 series, but it's in German (you can always copy and paste sections into Google translate and hope for the best). The only real difference between the 67 and the 167 series is the larger hook/bobbin size in the 167, as far as I know.

If you get a more detailed manual from the owner than the Durkopp Adler 167 User Manual with 12 pages in 5 languages, please help us get it posted online. I'll be happy to scan it for you.

Edited February 18, 2016 by Uwe

[Dave84]

I'm not too sure about the condition of the feet, but they have no knicks and move freely. It's odd, only happens when the material changes from thick to thin, both feet just stop walking. When doing straight stitches the 3, 4 layers, no issues. Love the machine either way.

[Uwe]

The outer foot needs the inner foot to press against the material in order to lift up. If the step down is too high, the inner foot may not press against the bottom and prevent the outer foot from lifting up. This would cause them to appear to stop walking.

There is an adjustment on the back of the machine that allows you to change how high the feet lift up as they walk. Set that to the highest lift it allows and see if it helps.

The actuator needs to be at the top of the slot for maximum foot lift as they walk. Many folks people have this at the top and never change it.

Inner and outer feet should also lift the same amount as they walk. Check the service manual if that's not the case.

Edited February 19, 2016 by Uwe

[Bugstruck]

If the feet are not lifting the same amount (almost certain they are not as I had the same issue with my 67) then what Uwe said is occuring. Here is what I did and I don't have a manual but it worked well. Put the actiator adjustment in the center of it's adjustment range. Then look at Uwe's photo. See the two screws on the shaft just above the actuator? Leave them alone and move to the two screws at the opposite end of that shaft. That is where you ultimately make the adjustment. First though, drop the presser foot and turn the handwheel until the center foot is at the bottom of the stroke and hard against the feed dog. Then turn the hand wheel until the center foot is at the top of the stroke and make note of the he maximum rise distance of the center foot. Now you are ready to adjust.

Move the center foot back to the bottom of the stroke and leave the handwheel position alone (parked] for ths entire process. Loosen the two screws I noted at the opposite end of that shaft above and don't panic when the center foot dances off the feed dog and that linkage comes free and moves. Now put pressure on the (now free) linkage arm to move the center (inner) foot tight against the feed dog. At the the same time have the sloted screwdriver close and raise the outer walking foot/ presser foot up using the presser lift lever........to a distance above the needle or dog plate that equals the center (inner) foot lift height you noted earlier. What you are doing is holding the inner foot tight against the feed dog via the loose linkage arm and raising the outer foot above the lowest position a distance equal (you can eyeball this adjustment) to the inner foot rise. You will figure out how to do noth with one hand to free the other hand to tighten those shaft clamp screws. Now you can check it to see if the inner and outer feet are raising an equal distance.

Took me a couple of trys. Then try that jeans loop decent. Problem should be solved.

[Dave84]

Good Morning everyone, I haven't used my Adler in a year and never did receive that "thorough manual" from the seller.  Whatya gunna do...I'm going to contact him tomorrow for an issue I'm having now but hope some of you may be able to help with a new issue I'm having.  From the first try yesterday, whenever I'm going to sew my thread keeps sliding out of the needle hole and everything is getting jammed just under the presser foot plate, if that's what its called.  I think the top thread is getting hooked with the bobbin area, not too sure where but looks like under the cradle for the bobbin.  I can't get one stitch without this happening.  I've tried both my poly and nylon thread, leather and canvas needles and keeps happening.  does this issue sound familiar? I oiled my machine, attempted to set the tension at different settings.  I though it was a tension problem, but every time I tighten the tensioner, it feels like the thread is too taught.  When I loosen it so the thread pulls through similarly to my Husquavarna table top machine, I still have the same problem.

[brmax]

I think while holding the thread at the needle when, take-up lever is at top you can pull a good amount of slack to hold stoutly for starting off the stitch seam. 

Keeping a good amount of that thread in hand on this machine when starting should help. Most times i try to have this slack and also to have the needle buried in the material works really well. Hope that can help, i am finding in listening around here that no matter, they all have their own likes these machines. 

Good day

Floyd

[Dave84]

Thanks for the advice Floyd.  I've already attempted that thinking I'd need to guide it to stat, but the top thread just gets pulled right out of my fingers and right back out the needle hole.  It seems like once the needle goes down, the top thread is getting caught inside and just pulled out, then everything bunches.

[brmax]

Im not twenty anymore but found on a couple machines here with slick thread. The winding around my hand is required and if it pulls i go to or it breaks!

i found the ptfe thread a real bear and then the replacement to poly with not a bit of adjustment its like easy as holding a new piece of pie, mmm yep

Floyd

[Aven]

Dave84, did you ever receive the larger manual?  I just picked up an Adler 167 and I'm not finding anything other than the 12 multilingual user manual and the one in German.  Und mein Deutsch ist schrecklich.  I hoping you can point me towards a better manual that's in English.