Singer 403A tension

 Lisa A. wrote:
"My new-to-me 403a tension dial with numbers just spins. The nut does not have any pin to fit in the holes on the dial. Is there a pin on the nut on your machine, to hold the numbered dial in place? I wonder if mine has a broken or wrong part."

No Lisa your nut is not broken.  It does not have a pin in it.

The tension numbers are adjustable.  Yours spins, perhaps because you are missing other parts?  Does the nut have a set screw like this?   Does it have the chrome collar?

 Perhaps the set screw is just loose or the nut is adjusted too loosely to keep the numbered dial from spinning.

In order to "set" the numbered dial you do need to loosen the set screw and remove the chrome collar.  Loosen the nut just  until the numbered dial spins easily.  Turn the numbered dial to the desired setting ( I like to use 4 for the perfect stitch when I am "stitching in" a machine) and while carefully holding the dial at your selected setting, tighten the nut so that it is secure against the numbered dial.  Then replace the chrome collar and tighten the set screw.

Singer 403 tension assembly

I have read on some of the sewing machine repair forums that taking the tension assembly apart is rarely necessary.  I then read on Jenny's Sew Classic blog that she always takes the tension assembly apart. I like that.  For me it is fun and challenging to dis-assemble the tension assembly, clean it all up, polish the discs  and re-assemble it.

All clean and shiny and tightened way down. 

If you want a very good, one picture description of how to re-assemble this, go to the files in http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vintagesingers/  and look under 401 tension assembly.  Very nicely done.  I did not take the stud and the tension release pin out when I cleaned these parts.  Probably I should have.....

Do you wonder what the blue tape is all about?  At first I did not realize that the face plate simply lifted off.