IS YOUR BELT TOO TIGHT? Sewing Machine Belts Cont'd. Installing a New Belt & Adjusting Belt Tension

[@briarrose5208]

Me again. The lady with the 1958-ish Japanese Premier Deluxe 200. My universal 13” black rubber belt from Amazon arrived. I installed it like you showed on your video and tested tension by running the machine, starting off slow then starting off fast. No slipping at any speed. Thank you soooo much. You saved me a five week wait and the sewing center probably would have charged big bucks. This belt cost me $7.71.

[@VintageSewingMachineGarage]

Congrats on getting your machine back to running. Yes, once you know how to adjust the belts, they really are simple devices; at least on vintage models!!

[@veronicaleong9082]

​@@VintageSewingMachineGarageAlllllllllllll😂😂😂😂 x

[@lisareed5669]

I caught you! I'm so proud of myself! Self-teaching with your channel and taking apart machines. I'm so happy I'm learning, and I owe a lot to you!

[@VintageSewingMachineGarage]

Wonderful!

[@kiminnes1238]

Thanks! You helped me realize the little washer behind my clutch knob was backwards! I’ve been struggling with this machine for a while. It’ll stitch then not stitch, even though the pulley keeps moving. Hopefully this gets it back to functioning all the time!

[@suemcnaughton3671]

Thank you! I finally got my belt on after watching your video.

[@turkizno]

ditto, grandma and I could not comprehend there is a dang screw to bring the motor up!

[@stephaniejames5757]

Thank you so much for this. I was at my wit's end. I had had my machine serviced not too long ago, and when I looked at the belt, it had oil on from the man who serviced it using too much oil. I just didn't want to spend more money on my old machine when I had just done so a few months ago.

[@VintageSewingMachineGarage]

You are welcome!

[@carolbrooks4598]

Thank you so much! I just changed the belt on my 99K-13 successfully thanks to your clear video!

[@VintageSewingMachineGarage]

Excellent!

[@briarrose5208]

Thank you so much! My vintage Japanese Premier has been working overtime making face masks. I noticed the motor racing (?) and I checked the belt and sure enough, it's shot. I took it to my local sewing shop. He didn't have a 13" belt, didn't know when or if he could get one. I had thought, as long as it's in the shop I might as well get it serviced, it's been 10 years. He said I would have to leave it for FIVE WEEKS!!! So I thought maybe I can DIY. I found a universal belt on Amazon that had good reviews, and thanks to your video, now I know how to install it and make sure the tension is right. And of course I can oil the machine myself. I was so sad. Now I feel confident and happy I can get this done and get back to making masks in days, not weeks.

[@paulinesingh7885]

Thanks very much for this video... it helps me alot....❤🙏

[@gretaanders8251]

Thank you for the informative video! I do have a question, that might just be me being a complete novice with sewing machines. I just got a 99-13, and I installed the new belt (correctly, I believe, thanks to your video), but I find when I have the washer and crank knob where it has to be to screw back into the hand wheel, the belt is no longer aligned with the bobbin threader and the machine does not run. Conversely, when they are aligned and the machine runs readily, the hand wheel is too far out for the crank knob to screw back in. There must be something I'm missing here- I would really appreciate it if you might know what is going on here

[@sarag1158]

I just put the belt on my serger way too tight. Thank you so much

[@VintageSewingMachineGarage]

Glad it helped!

[@lizwilliams6176]

Great video!

[@VintageSewingMachineGarage]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@catdee9981]

Hello! Thank you so very much! This solved the problem puttung the belt back on. Now, when I run the machine's motor has smoke coming of it. I think I know the answer but, what does this mean? Hoping for an easy fix. Cat

[@VintageSewingMachineGarage]

That can happen for lots of different reasons. Sometimes, old dust can burn when the motor is run, but BE SURE to have the motor, light, speed controller, and all cords inspected. Fixing them is not especially difficult or costly, but it is imperative that you ensure it is safe to use before doing so.

[@jessicaglover5416]

Can you help me with locating the belt on a 1948 15J-91? I'm not sure if that's even the problem...I know nothing about vintage machines but recently acquired one. The motor works and the wheel turns, but the needle will not move at all. Please help!!

[@jassica13]

I have the same problem. I got vintage singer 237

[@ramonakearns2101]

Can I use a 15-90 sewing motor belt on a 15-91? Also my motor doesn't have a notch on the back of it. How can I attach the belt?

[@pamelaleitman9305]

What size belt do I use though? 128 k vintage singer sewing machine.Thank you In advance.

[@michaelmendez8516]

I was hoping you help answer a question seeing how there are 4 comments. Just need to know how to size the belt.

[@LilyoftheValeyrising]

I would buy a belt according to what model you have. They are usually sold that way. Some sellers on Amazon have the size, so I see where you might have your idea from. If you don’t know the model and make I would tie a string in place of the belt and cut it off and measure that. Just beware that the position of the motor, since it’s adjustable, may affect your measurements. Also there are websites for dating and identifying old singer machines. Just google that.

[@CO-kd6sd]

Could you tell me where one can get that exact motor? I bought one for my 201K and I can't get it to sit straight like that. It ends up being tilted somewhat.

[@CAPEBRETONCHICKEE]

I bought a singer belt n it is too big how do I know the size

[@ramonakearns2101]

My 15-91 doesn't have a notch to attach the belt onto. How can I attach the motor belt 🤔

[@VintageSewingMachineGarage]

Your machine does not use belts. It is gear driven. It is not practical to convert it to belt use either. The hand wheel of your machine has no groove and the motor will not work with a belt.

[@ramonakearns2101]

@@VintageSewingMachineGarage thanks for responding

[@SuperGokuSon]

The engineer in me wants to make a belt bracket visualize a vehicles serpentine belt tensioner but without the tension that would push the belt down in a fashion that would make an S with bearings that will not increase drag and won't increase tension but make the belt contact the pully more on the motor side so that it can be loose and have more contact surfaces on the motor pully

[@VintageSewingMachineGarage]

Well, its true that belt tension matters quite a bit. If a belt is too loose, it won't grip the hand wheel enough for the friction it needs to turn the machine ( a hand wheel is a pulley when you get down to it ). If the belt is too tight, it can stress the motor and greatly shorten its life. I have found that industrial sewing machines are more amenable to altering their speed with changing pulley sizes.

[@SuperGokuSon]

@@VintageSewingMachineGarage I was thinking along the lines of not really changing the belt tension but changing the contact of the belt on the motor so that it is not stressing the motor out as far as having too much tension pulling the shaft in One Direction but yet bending the belt in a manner that would make it wrap around the pool anymore and have a greater touch pattern on the actual pulley wheel this can easily be done with a a bolt for the bearing on it that the belt can write on it would simply move the belt around the pulley a little bit more you could still adjust the tension of the belt to be loose but have greater contact of the belt on the motor pulley this something that was implemented in vehicles without having tension for belt. This would cause the belt to contact the pulley more without adding tension this would make the grip of the motor on the Belt greater without as much tension. It's just something that I was thinking of that would be good for the motor to not wear out as fast and not allowed to slip

[@charlottelawrence5039]

What belt would I need for 700 deluxe good housekeeper machine it had rotted and I couln’measure it but it did have grooves on one side and smooth on the other hopefully you can tell me what to

[@VintageSewingMachineGarage]

I don't have a reference for belt sizing on that specific machine. Generic branded sewing machine belt replacements for these should be easy to find. If you don't have the old one to measure, the next idea is to take some cotten string or twine and wrap it around the hand wheel looping over to the pulley on the machine's motor. This 'might' given you an approximate length for the belt you need. Also, there is a slight range for belt sizing since you can adjust the height of the motor against the machine body with the bracket that it uses to attach to the machine. This is the same bracket that you use to adjust the belt's tension. Ebay, online sewing suppliers often sell these belts. The belts will likely be found in a sort of amber/orange color most often and have little 'lugs' on them on the side that touches the hand wheel and pulley.

[@charlottelawrence5039]

Thank you 😊

[@charlottelawrence5039]

@@VintageSewingMachineGarage Thank you and I did get a belt !

[@jassica13]

I have Stella 237 From Singer . Motor is working.. foot padel ok when we are filling bobbin but does not make stitches. But m I doing wrong ?. Please help 🙏

[@VintageSewingMachineGarage]

It could be many things, but since your bobbin winding is working but no stitches, I'm assuming that your needle bar is not moving? If that is the case, I would take a look at your clutch knob at the center of the hand wheel to ensure that it (and the washer behind it) are properly seated/installed.

[@rhondamercado7527]

I couldn’t tell how you put the washer on the handwheel, do the little notches come out toward you or are they facing inside toward the machine. Guessing that makes a difference but all the videos that I’ve seen so far, no one specifically says one way or the other.

[@VintageSewingMachineGarage]

On "most" vintage machines, the notches face outward.

[@michaelmendez8516]

What size belt did you use or how do you measure it to purchase one

[@homegrownSEOhio]

Amazon has lots and a co “vintage sewing machine parts”

[@sappymammal]

Is there any way to convert old friction machines to belt driven?

[@VintageSewingMachineGarage]

Hello. Not to my knowledge. This is due to the fact that friction machines have hand wheels but those hand wheels have no groove for a belt. Fortunately, new replacement reproduction rubber pulleys can be purchased for very little and installed on vintage friction based machines.

[@bluemoon455]

@@VintageSewingMachineGarage Hi, I really appreciated this video. This comment here was especially useful! I have a Majestic (White rotary) friction sewing machine with a pulley that is worn out. I think I found one that would work. But I am thinking about replacing the motor, since it is from 1927. Is there anything about friction machine motors that is different? I can't find anything about this online. Thanks!

[@courtneyhughes8162]

Hello! My band keeps snapping, should I adjust the height or could it be the bands I’m purchasing? Thank you 😊