I have a JUKI DDL 8300N with a tension problem. The tension thread goes about 10 stitches and then makes a loop and then continues. I've tried rethreading, but nothing seems to work.

Tally Girl

• 1134 Answers
• Posted on Dec 02, 2011

SOURCE: the bottom thread of stitch loops severly. I have checked and rethreaded, change dtop and bottom tension till the cows come home and nothing I've tried makes a difference.

if you are getting loops on the side its from the top thread not being tensioned enough to hold it firm as the needle goes down through the fabric. Either top tension device is broken or its gunked up with fluff or dye particles. If you can access the tension discs to clean them, then try this first. Turn top tension to zero, then "Floss" betwen the discs with the selvage edge of a clean piece of waste cotton fabric - if it comes out with black gunk on the edge, then do it again until it is clean. You can moisten the fabric edge with some denatured alcohol to aid cleaning if it seems really gunked up. Black and dark coloured threads often shed dye particles, and cheap thread will be quite "hairy" this adds to the gunk. Its a good idea to clean the tension discs out regularly, along with cleaning the bobbin area and oiling the designated oiling points (although many new machines now have oiling wicks for the technician, and may not have marked points for you to oil. However cleaning is still very important if this is your type of machine. Textile fibres absorb oil, and ultimately "felts" up into a lump that affects performance of the moving parts.

Once you have cleaned it, turn dial back to 4 or 5, normal setting, then thread up from spool to just above the needle with the presser foot raised, then lower presser foot and tug downwards on the thread; it should be firm to pull. If this is still not happening, take it for a service, the spring in the tension device may have broken.