If you want to know how to change Singer sewing machine motor belt, consider two steps. This tutorial is applicable for motorized sewing machines, but we’ll also talk about changing the belts in treadle units. You’ll even learn tips about everything regarding the sewing machine belt.

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Speaking of Singer sewing machines, do you also know how to deconstruct them? We have a tutorial on how to remove a Singer sewing machine cover that you can check out as well.

How To Change Singer Sewing Machine Motor Belt Correctly

Step 1. Examine the belt

Study the Singer manual of the specific sewing machine; you have to know the dos and don’ts
Study and inspect the current belt of the motorized machine
Remember how the belt is threaded and where it is placed
Identify the pulley type of your sewing machine
Slip off the belt and measure its length with a ruler
Find out the correct belt placement by remembering the belt measurement to ⅛ inch

Step 2. Replace the belt

After removing the belt from its pulley, take off the balance wheel and spindle as well
Remove the bushing via the arm screw
Take out the belt from the area where you removed the bushing
Place the new belt onto the lower pulley
Have the belt through the housing and check if the machine will work without issues

How To Replace Belt On Singer Treadle Sewing Machine?

Read the manual of the specific treadle machine you have
Remember how the belt is fed through it
Have one belt end in the groove of the balance wheel
Check if the belt is under the bobbin winder before threading it through the lifter plate
Have at least 12 inches of the belt through the wood shield hole
For the other belt end, have it through the back of the lifter plate and into the belt guide
Place the belt between the band wheel and brace
Have the belt through the belt shifter so you can overlap the belt ends
Mark where they meet and cut it
Make a hole on one end of the belt that’s cut for the treadle belt hook
Attach the hook to the original end
Pinch the hook after you’re satisfied with the tension
Check how the machine operates

How Do You Tighten The Belt On A Singer Sewing Machine?

This tutorial is applicable to Singer 9920. If you own another model, search and follow its manual accordingly.

Motor belt tension

Remove the closure at the front and loosen the two screws
Move the motor up or down to adjust the motor belt tension
Tighten the screws slightly
Test the belt tension and adjust until the belt, so it doesn’t touch the casting or if it’s as flexible as 6mm when you apply pressure
Tighten the bolts securely once you’ve achieved the correct motor belt tension

Timing belt tension

Remove the front closure
Loose the screw to tighten the tension pullet bracket
Push the bracket so its edge is about 1mm higher than the casting
Tighten the screw you loosened
Check the timing of the upper and lower shaft as well as the hook timing

How Do You Change A Sewing Machine Belt?

Make sure the sewing machine is off and unplugged
Disengage the handwheel
Remove the screws on the back of the machine to easily take off the belt from the pulley
If removing the belt from the handwheel, turn the latter forward slowly
Turn the handwheel backward carefully when feeding in the belt
Check if the right side of the belt is facing out
Take down the belt into the motor pulley and slip it on
Check if the belt is flat without twists
Pull the belt to adjust its tightness
Push the motor to the position where the belt is the tightest to avoid it from slipping off once it slackens over time
Tighten the screws of the motor housing and recheck the belt slack
If the belt slacked around half an inch, you could replace the covers and screws
Check the needle if it’s moving via the handwheel
Test the sewing machine

Read about how to service a sewing machine for more maintenance tips.

Considerations When Changing A Sewing Machine Belt

Identify and use the correct sewing machine belt for your unit
Use a geared belt if the motor pulley is a toothed wheel while a non-geared belt is suitable if the pulley is smooth
Geared belts are not adjustable, while non-geared belts can be tightened and adjusted to lessen slack

When to change a sewing machine belt?

The sewing machine belt can get worn down over time. You will know that it needs replacement when the sewing machine itself stops working or there is a rubber smell when you’re sewing. First, however, determine what type of belt you need for the machine to avoid other issues.

Conclusion

And that’s it! To recap how to change Singer sewing machine motor belt, you only need to examine how it’s installed in your machine and use the correct type for replacement. The placement itself is self-explanatory, but you should also learn how to adjust it.

If you have more questions, please leave them below. Feel free to browse our blog for more sewing machine tutorials as well.