Service Tip of the Day: Easy Adjustments to Wheels
July 30, 2012For many years, APQS machines' unique track system has helped quilters glide across the quilts instead of chugging down a track filled with dirt, pins and debris. However, even these wheels need adjustment from time to time to give you great performance (Note--Bliss systems require no adjustment).
Your machine will work best when your carriage and sewing head wheels work together to give you smooth movement.
Let's begin with the sewing head. Stand at the rear (pantograph side) of your sewing head. Look at the sewing head axles on the right side of the sewing head. Locate the two adjusting cams (these are on top of the axles, directly above the wheels on the right side--in fact, the mounting bolt for each wheel on the right side travels up through the wheel, then the axle and then into the cam.)
For machines with adjusting cams on the sewing head, note the cam itself has a hole in top that is not centered on the cam. Find the part of the cam where the hole is closest to the outer edge of the cam. Mark this narrow spot with a marker.
Once you have that "narrow spot" marked on the two cams, the rest is easy! The closer you move that narrow section to the carriage rail where the wheel rubs, the TIGHTER the wheel will be.
Our "factory setting" for the sewing head cams points that narrow part toward5 o’clock on if you view the cams from the rear of the table. That's just about as loose as the sewing head cams can be - 3 o’clock would be as loose as possible and 9 o’clock would be as tight as possible. Keep the sewing head on the "looser side" for most applications. Set them both to 5 o’clock, for example.
Now move to the front of the machine and look down at the two wheels attached to your carriage front - these wheels travel along the long front rail of your table.
Locate the narrow spot on these two cams as well. "Factory setting" on the carriage cams runs a bit tighter than the sewing head so that your machine doesn't wobble of "fishtail" at the back. When viewed from the front, set these cams to about 9:00 on a clock face to start. This is half-way between as loose as possible and as tight as possible (remember that the closer you aim that narrow part of the cam toward the rail the wheel rubs on, the tighter the wheel will be).
Use a 9/16-inch wrench to change the cam setting, then hold it in place at the new setting and tighten the gold bolt under the wheel you're working on with a 7/16-inch wrench.
You'll find more detailed information in your manual about adjusting your wheels. But you can always contact us for help, too--that's what we are here for!
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