Juki LU-563 floating stitch lever

[keithski122]

Hi, new member here.For my job as an auto upholsterer I use a juki 563, I've always fiddled with little knowledge to try to improve things.Yesterday using a video from this site I set the stitch length indicator, the needle bar position and the feed dog.Stitching is much improved as quite often the thread was catching underneath (looked like the timing of needle to hook was out).However now as I'm sewing the reverse lever moves up and down, looking on here I see it can do it if the spring is loose but this is being physically moved by something.i ran out of time yesterday to look into it and was wondering if any of you knowledgeable people on here may have any idea what I should be looking for.

Many thanks, Keith.

Great site by the way.

[Uwe]

Don't run it under motor power until you figure this out. Chances are, that some part is touching something it shouldn't touch during the stitch cycle. If the part that is supposed to move stops moving, oftentimes something else start moving (or breaking) to compensate. Take the belt off the hand wheel, remove the thread, lift the presser feet and slowly turn it over by hand towards you. Take note of any tightness or increased resistance - then check moving parts at the point in the cycle. Double check your feed dog movement to make sure it doesn't touch the front or back of the throat plate (or underneath). Also check the foot lift linkage where it goes from outside to inside on the back of the head - sometimes that linkage arm touches the casting/housing after an adjustment, causing a bind. 

Edited July 2, 2016 by Uwe

[Wizcrafts]

The floating stitch lever was a problem on the early LU-563s. It happened to mine and one I ordered for an associate. The dealers had to do something to the internal springs to stop this from happening. The floating lever results in shortening stitch lengths, which get worse at higher speeds.

[keithski122]

Thanks for the replies.

It too late I've already run it on the motor.It actually works well apart from the lever moving, previously I had a problem that if I stopped and turned the material or adjusted it (ie doing a diamond stitch and turning at the end of the line) it seemed as if the hook missed the needle and would jam underneath, doesn't seem to do it now.Sometimes if you stop with the needle up its almost like the needle bar drops back and cause things to jam.I also had some reverse lever movement before, just a twitch when going through thick materials.

I've adjusted the machine according to Uwe's video.Foot adjustment was done but I would get a clonk so moved backed to origional position I think.Stitch length disc was moved as was needle bar from about 6mm to 8.5mm(using 8.5mm drill bit) then adjust needle plate to suit.I've seen you mention in a previous thread about weak reverse spring the spring did not seem tight however if you hold the reverse lever up it still moved, you can feel something physically moving it.After looking at a few videos and studying how things work I will have another fiddle tomorrow and report back on how I get on.

[Tulsaman]

Oh how many hours and days I've spent trying to time these machines over the 45 years..I've been sewing.. I'm lucky now in the last 11 yrs there is a top 2 generation sewing machine sales and mechanic who for $70 will come and time out a machine.. Last episode I was sewing about 9 layers of heavy upholstery leather and drove the needle bar up out of time. ...on my Juki 1510n-7... worth the $70.. I kept working while he was at the machine..

Edited July 4, 2016 by Tulsaman

[Darren Brosowski]

Could be as simple as the feed dog rubbing on the needle plate.

Check that the spring on the stitch lever is secure and not floating around

 

[keithski122]

Fixed this fault really easily today.As I was winding a fresh bobbin the reverse lever was falpping up and down so I held it down slightly to stop it moving, thought to myself "this has cured the fault".I adjust the reverse lever upper  stop a few mm and the lever is now still while sewing.Forward and reverse both seem fine, so I might readjust the needle and hook timing next so its spot on.

[spenzher]

I'm having this issue with my juki 341 as well. The reverse lever ticks just a little. I believe it has to do with the sliding reverse mechanism (see video). This tick started when I adjusted the stitch dial to lengthen the stitches. It's most prominent when I'm at the max length. The dial is just a screw that moves the reverse lever slightly down which decreases stitch length.

My theory right now is that the dial can be adjusted too far so that one of the levers connected to the sliding mechanism is pushing beyond its designed range so it starts going in a weird direction. My other is that there is a bind somewhere between the rocker shaft lever (the one that moves the top feeds/needle bar back and forth) and the reverse slider bar. I noticed the lever only moves at each end of travel from the slider. The tick also stops if the stitches are shorter, so the angle where the slider is at definitely matters.

Still figuring it out. I'm wondering if I could remove one of the levers to see which one is causing it. My machine is timed and has been sewing correctly with this issue so I'm hesitant to start doing that. I've also removed the feed dog/needle when diagnosing. 

 

 

Edited December 13, 2016 by spenzher

[brmax]

I would sure be interested in a engineers manual for the 1341, I'm not sure that its the same manual with what you could use for the 341.

I just haven't got around yet ordering one, my ops manual is slacking on any great info for this. It may be an option using another model for the upper part settings with yours also.

 

good day

Floyd

[spenzher]

10 hours ago, brmax said:

I would sure be interested in a engineers manual for the 1341, I'm not sure that its the same manual with what you could use for the 341.

I just haven't got around yet ordering one, my ops manual is slacking on any great info for this. It may be an option using another model for the upper part settings with yours also.

 

good day

Floyd

Floyd,

I got an engineers manual for the 341 from Uwe, but I don't think it says anything about the issue at hand. I'll post it for reference. 

Juki_LS-341N_Engineers_Manual.pdf

[Gregg From Keystone Sewing]

On 7/5/2016 at 2:42 PM, Darren Brosowski said:

Could be as simple as the feed dog rubbing on the needle plate.

Check that the spring on the stitch lever is secure and not floating around

 

This is what I would look for 1st, feeder is bumping something.

[spenzher]

So, I've been tackling this issue still for a while. I've tinkered with everything I could and don't really have a definitive answer. Everything is in spec, it sews perfect, but the reverse lever still has some wiggle when I sew from like 5 to 6 (on the dial, is like 5.5 to 4.5 sitches per inch, max stitch length) . I know the dial indicator can be adjusted too far where the feed dogs will hit the sides, so I've adjusted it so it won't. I can also hold it from moving without any ill effects. The spring is definitely weaker the more the lever can travel upward. 

[sandyt]

I had the same problem a few times. Don't recall the solution and wich machines though. 

In my case it was something like the stitch lever being ofset. The eccentric wasn't set properly. At the end off the feed motion the lever would jump up a little bit, like going in reverse a small bit. Adjusting the lever corrected this issue if I remember correctly. 

Hope this helps.

Sandy.

[spenzher]

2 hours ago, sandyt said:

I had the same problem a few times. Don't recall the solution and wich machines though. 

In my case it was something like the stitch lever being ofset. The eccentric wasn't set properly. At the end off the feed motion the lever would jump up a little bit, like going in reverse a small bit. Adjusting the lever corrected this issue if I remember correctly. 

Hope this helps.

Sandy.

Sandy, 

Thanks for the suggestions. How was the lever offset? Like the vertical position it was in? And which eccentric? 

Thanks, 

Spencer

[Wizcrafts]

I had the same problem on an LU-563 I used to own. Apparently, the stitch lever is held down with a spring. If the spring wears out the lever will float as you increase the speed. Contact a Juki dealer for help and a new spring.

[sjharumph]

Old thread I know but if it helps someone the way it helped me...    New to me Juki LUH-521.   Adjusted stitch length to max and reverse lever started jumping w/ machine making noisy tick.    No tick or jumping when adjusted to 'normal' stitch length.  Took Uwe's advise and removed belt, turned slowly by hand and found the issue.   User side of Feed dog hitting machine casing.    Ground off enough of feed dog to clear the casing when set at max stitch length.    Now it's smooth sewing w/ any stitch length I want.    Ground enough material to allow for higher feed dog adjustment if ever needed.