Balance wheel doesn't turn

Yes this is normal especialy with heavier fabrics. It allows more control so you build up speed gently. It is also related the limited power of the motor.

You really should clean and oil/grease the entire thing. Dust, lint, old oil and grease can harden making your machine not run properly. Another thing that may be causing you issues is dried up and gunked up grease on some inner gears. Take off as many access panels as you can and use a tooth brush to remove yellowed dry grease from gears, replace the grease with one made for sewing machines. Lightly grease... just a little dab will do it. Turn the machine by hand to work the grease around the gears.


Make sure it's out of bobbin winding mode. Do you remember if you had had to replace the motor belt or had to take the hand wheel off for some reason?

Take the hand wheel off and look for a funny looking lock washer (typically has ears on the outside of the washer and two fingers pointing toward the center of the washer that fits into two grooves) The two fingers are slightly angled... the angled fingers should be pointing OUTWARD when you put it on. This seems counter intuitive but it must be inserted this way for your machine to work correctly. Put it back together and see if it works.

I like to use Liquid Wrench for especially stubborn machines that have been sitting. Don't use WD40 it will free up rusty things but you have to wipe it down well and re-oil. Liquid Wrench is petroleum spirits (kerosene) and graphite, much better for the machine in the long run.

Good luck.

if the sewing machine repair shop knew the machine needed a clutch
adjustment, then why didn't they fix it. or if they said they did & it's not
fixed, I'd call them & ask them why the machine is still doing the same
as it did?

try changing the needle
rethread the machine top & bobbin
clean under the needle plate & in the bobbine area for loose threads or lint
and if turning off the machine & turning it back on doesn't help
then the machine may have to be checked

try oiling the machine, since you took the machine apart oil it, use only sewing machine oil, usually you can get it at a fabric store or I think wal mart sells some too.
oil the machine,, let it set for a couple of hours,, put paper towel or old towels under neath the machine because of the oil dripping
then try to turn the handwheel back & forth,, putting slight pressure but not heavy,, DO NOT FORCE IT
if it doesn't break loose oil it again & let it set another couple of hours
then try to turn the handwheel again like before
if that doesn't work then get a can of penetrating oil, & use that,, then wait a couple of minutes & try the hand wheel again & after it breaks loose then be sure to oil it again.
let me know if it helps you

if you try to regulate the tension & it doesn't respond then the tension dial may need to be replaced

Sounds as though you have thread caught up inside the racer. You can try removing the boobin the turning the balance wheel back just a little to see if you can see a tail of thread caught up around the racer. Dont force the wheel or you can mess up the timing which is a major repair.

hi, when the balance wheel is difficult to turn, the machine is letting you know there's a problem, it may only be minor but minor problems are easier to fix than big problem & less costly
since it's a baby lock esante I would really suggest that the machine needs to be checked by a repair technican, that can give the machine the check up it needs

try some wd 40, spray it on the area of the take up lever & let it set for at least 10 minutes then with the hand wheel on the right hand side slowly move the hand wheel toward you & if it still doesn't move re spray again & wait again then try the hand wheel again to move toward you eventually it should start to break loose if it's just stuck.
since you pruchased it at a estate sale, there not much telling when the machine was serviced last
if the spraying doesn't work, consider having it serviced