201k clutch slipping

[chrisash]

Hi

My 201 has started slipping the clutch for no obvious reason sewing fabric

I have taken the wheel off removed the clutch plate, cleaned and removed any muck and replaced, but still the same problem motro slipping on many occassions without reason and then works ok for a while

Clutch release works as normal for running bobbin

Clutch ring did not appear to have much ware when taken out

[Wizcrafts]

Is it possible that your belt is slipping, not the clutch?

[Trevor Baret]

Wizcrafts beat me to the same suggestion...

Check the tension of the belt.  Too loose and it slips.

After a long time of use, the belt becomes polished with wear, and starts slipping.  You could try some violin bow rosin (from any musical instrument shop) on the belt to make it "sticky".  Hold a piece of rosin against the working surface of the belt and run the machine for 10 seconds or so.  If gentle pressure with the rosin stops the belt from moving, then the tension is probably too low.  Use a feather light touch (not a pun on the very popular singer domestic machine name) with the rosin so that it rubs gently on the belt.  The pressure can be slowly increased as the belt gets "stickier" and the friction softens the rosin.

[kgg]

You mentioned you removed the clutch (stop motion ring) and cleaned it. I have two other suggestions to add that you may also check. Is the screw in the knob screwed in far enough to only allow the small knob of the wheel to have movement between two of the three exterior tabs on the stop motion ring (clutch ring) and are the interior taps facing the knob not the machine. If the screw isn't in far enough the exterior tab of the clutch ring could ride over it and if the inter taps of the clutch ring are facing towards the machine it will spin as soon as there is enough needle / material resistance.

kgg

[Tejas]

Here is a cached link to the TFSR sewing machine manual that includes Singer 201, and that might be helpful. The manual is also available elsewhere for a fee.

http://web.archive.org/web/20160403015721/http://www.tfsr.org/publications/technical_information/sewing_machine_manual/

You might want to download all chapters before the cache disappears.

[chrisash]

Thanks folk especially Tejas

Actually I did notice the wheel turning before i asked so was not the tension but the clutch ring in 180 degrees out, fooled me as the clutch still switched off for bobbin winding and sewed some of the time

Now with the clutch ring cleaned and replaced the correct way its runs well even tried a 4 layer 1.5 chrome and all ok with 69 and even single1.5mm veg tan, though only really used for fabric now

Dam machines seem to run better if you follow the makers directions rather high a