I have used your video many times over the years to fix my 1034d sergers. I like them because they are cheap and I can fix a lot of the problems. We use them for our business. Just back to fix something today. The timing is a very common issue, the motors also die after awhile. Easy to replace motor, but Brother doesn't sell them to the public any more. I recently learned you don't need to unscrew the two bolts on the handle to get the front panel cover off, just loosen the screw on the two little thread guide bars for the lower looper on the bottom front and then remove the screw to the right of it and the cover pops off. Just pop it back in gently with your fingers at the top to reassemble. Just wanted to say thank you for making this video, it's saved me a ton of money and time. P.S. my sewing machine repair guy isn't very nice either. He charges an arm and a leg and it takes weeks to get your machine back. Cheaper to just buy another machine.
Hi Seth, thank you so much for producing this video. I am a 62 year old grandmom, not at all mechanically inclined, and I am in the process of fixing my 1034d to bring it back to usefulness after it died on me in the middle of a 1200 mask production project. I ended up purchasing a new serger (Janome) but I was determined to get the 1034d back to life in my spare time. My husband gave me calipers this morning so that I can make the adjustments you instruct. We also noticed that the presser foot had burrs on it that were probably causing catching of thread and making things worse. The upper looper has to be replaced (a hammer may or may not have been involved in that issue...lol). I asked the Janome dealer how much it would cost for him to repair my Brother and when he asked how much I paid for it I told him and he said it wasn't worth it. So I will get to the bottom of this and get it back working thanks to you and all the other you tubers who are kind enough to share their knowledge with others. Thanks again!
5 years later and I had the EXACT SAME PROBLEM!! I felt like I was going insane cause every other tutorial was just saying “rethread the machine” and I did like 50 times. You’re a life saver!! Don’t go too wild with the heavy fabrics I’ve learned because it will lead to this, but now I know how to fix it!!
Dude…you saved the entire ball ache of what you mentioned at the start of your video (calling Brother maintenance services, forking out to have the machine sent in for repair), and I was just about to press BUY NOW for a new replacement machine on Amazon.. as I was ready to throw my Brother Overlocker against the wall since it stopped working/stitching properly for a week now. Then I stumbled across this video. And hey presto… I did exactly like you demonstrated.. and my Overlocker is running completely normal again. You legend mate, thank you!!
The best one for fixing my Serger’s problem! I didn’t know my machine’s not sewing correctly problem was timing issue until I ran into this video. Many videos there were just saying it’s threading problem. Thanks a lot!
Great video! The timing principles apply to other sergers as well. I bought a White Speedylock at a yard sale for $5. The timing was off so it did not sew at all. By watching your video, I learned where the upper looper was supposed to be when the needles were at their apex. I removed the bottom of the serger and adjusted the hex set screw on the arm that controlled the upper looper. It sews perfectly now! Thanks!
Thank you... I spent hours trying to figure out what was wrong with my serger after hitting a few layers of thick fleece... I was looking to replace it after seeing how far the nearest repair shop was and the cost and wait time.... Glad I stumbled on this video and in about 30 mins I was back up and running... Thanks again
I have a 1634d, it skipped timing yesterday sadly. Even though it’s within the Brother one year warranty I just didn’t have the time to go through them. After watching your video I was able to fix the machine myself! I don’t have a caliper, however I do have a second serger, so I was able to look at that one and see where my loopers were as they passed by each other and use that to adjust them on the messed up machine. Worked like a charm! Thank you VERY much! You just saved me so much hassle!
Thanks for this! I'm in the middle of bridal alterations and this saved me so much struggle! Without my serger, I'd need to do countless yards of narrow hem on a standard machine. And on delicate, slippery fabric, that would have been such hard work. Much appreciated!!
Thanks for this very informative video. My daughter got the Brother 1034d serger for Christmas and within a day it was no longer working due to a timing problem. After watching your video I was able to fix it. This saved me a lot of time and money. Thanks!
You are the man! As others have stated, "you just saved me $200!" Your Upper looper explanation was perfection! I have had my Brother 1034D since 2017, and has served me well. I was at fault running wool blanket material that was way too thick for it. I'm a moose with everything and up until now, my 1034 has been abused and has never failed. Works like new again and I owe it all to you. THANK YOU!
i've been dealing with this same issue for over a year....finally i find out what the problem is and how to fix it in the same video! you have no idea how frustrating this was...or maybe you do lol... thank you so much you've helped me tremendously!
Yup, one and done. One hour old and I thought it was completely broken. But thanks to you and a $5.00 set of metric Allen wrenches, my serger is up and running again!!!! Thank you!!!!
I knocked the timing off this serger on a pair of jeans. Figured I had to throw it away because repair is more than the machine. I watched your video and fixed it in 5 minutes. Thank you so much!! My upper looper wasn't picking up the left needle. I took off the front cover and pushed the looper over as far as it would go when the needles are in the highest position. The hex key you use to change the needles is the same hex to move the looper. I vacuumed the inside too.
I cannot thank you enough for posting this. I was so pissed when I found out that it costs 70% the price of the machine to have someone fix it. I had a lower looper timing issue. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!
Glad it helped. The good news is that if you manage not to clog it with thick fabric (which is how mine and many others got bungled) it seems to stay in time pretty well after that. The other thing that I figured out is that if you break one thread, you need to rethread the entire thing. You'll never get it working again otherwise.
Thank you! I followed your directions and got my serger working! I was not ready to replace it after only 1 year! I got it fixed quickly and I'm back to work! Thanks again!
I'm faced with the reality that this machine isn't powerful enough to do what I want it to. That's why my sewing was getting hung up in the teeth. Big disappointment. 😫 There is a repair shop near me. I think I'll try them. Your videos does give hope that it can be fixed. Thanks.🙂
I really thought I’d need to buy a new serger after jamming up the loopers with layers of heavy fabric. I used this video and saved a lot of time and money. My machine is working again.Thanks!!! I
i was sitting here thinking i was doing something wrong... when it was this the whole freakin time!!! you saved me not only a ton of money and time but my hair from being pulled out in frustration!! thank you thank you!!!
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and information! You saved my wife and I a bunch of money that we would have paid to restore the timing on her serger. Now she doesn’t have to be without her machine for two weeks while someone else works on it. Your video instructions were “spot on”.
OMG, thank you so much. I broke the upper looper completely off of my Brother serger and had to order another one from Walmart. I just got it in the mail today and was able to fix my machine by using your instructions! Thanks again
..i was desperated and ....ta-daaaa ..it works ! Although i've got my brand new gritzner 788, it didn't turn the handwheel at all. A little oil at and around the arm and ...ready to do my projects. You make the life easier for who doesn't have any knlowledge at all of technics and mechanics. You make my day! Thank you for your guidance.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! Worked perfectly! I was in a state of panic, as my upper looper was not catching my thread on the left thread after getting the upper looper caught in some fabric. I was dreading having to put out a bunch of money to get it fixed, and you saved me!
Thank you! I have a Brother 1034DX which I assumed was the same as the 1034D just a slightly different outer appearance, but it is not. I've had it for 3 years and put it through hell. I clean lint and oil it every 2 days (I run it sometimes 8-10 hours a day 😬) and it finally started locking up. I took it apart to clean and oil the inside instead of just the part under the knife, and my loopers were hitting each other. The upper looper wasn't quite in the center of the needles, it was maybe 3 or 4mm off. The adjustment point was different than the 1034D, there's a hex screw on the first axle, but then all the way to the right, there is a wheel that turns and has a front and back piece. If you turn the hand wheel you'll see both the front and back pieces of the wheel have 2 hex screws each. I'm not sure which was which, so I loosened all 4. But it worked! Put the needles at the highest position, loosen the hex screw at the first axle, then loosen the ones on the wheel. They're very tight, I thought I was going to break my tool. The looper should just drop down and you can easily adjust it (hold the hand wheel still so the needle is still at the highest point). The hard part is holding the looper still while you re-tighten the screws because the ones on the wheel may or may not be facing up. After the timing fix and some much-needed oil, it's almost as good as new!
Although this was not exactly my issue, the explanation and video of proper operation of all of the parts clued me into what was wrong on my machine and I was able to fix it easily!
I wrecked my machine's timing sewing denim that was too thick and couldn't take my machine to a repair person because of Covid. Now it works again, so thanks! I can finish my lockdown projects!
Seriously, thank you for this video! I am using it as I type this to dial my serger 1034D back into timing, as it is clearly out. I also love your candid responses about Brother and the certified repair place because it is so relatable! I'll update this reply once I am finished timing. Sadly, the chaining fork on my machine broke (made me realize how far out of time my machine was). So I'll have to wait for that to arrive tomorrow before a final update. But again, thank you so very much!
SETH!!!!!! Thank you so much for sharing about this hunk of junk as you call it! I was having issues with mine not looping and have been in tears trying to figure out what to do, I run a small business and was going to have to take it to service center with a lead time of 3 weeks and who knows how much the fee wouldve been! Cannot thank you enough for this tutorial, and I hope this helps someone else!
UPDATE! It has now seized, going to try to follow your remaining instructions the rod. Fingers crossed this works permanently. If you have any other resolutions of this would love if you shared.
Thank you so much for this video! I'd already spent $150 on a service to fix this for it to go out again within 5mins of use, so back to service guy and then it was out again after 5mins of use.... this machine is sooooo weak and will only do super light material sadly. My old HuskeyLock I had for 20yrs sewed anything and everything and I wish I hadn't sold it as you described it, this Lock 1034D is a hunk of c.....p!! Anyways, your video helped me fix the looping in 10mins and I can continue to fix it until I get a better machine. Thanks again!
Thank you for sharing your information. I have the same brother 1034D serger and I just bought it and the upper and lower loop was stuck together. I'm getting ready to fix the machine with your info! Again, thank you!
Thank you. Mine just quit sewing and I was going to try to take it somewhere to have it fixed. $175 dollars is a little too much for a 45 min repair. So here goes. I hope it works.
Thank you so freaking much, my niece and nephew always liked to adjust my dials and i forgot to adjust them before i sewed and it jacked up my machine so this will be super helpful when i have time to fix it😩✨💛 you’rea life saver
This video and really the comments too, were helpful to fix my serger. My issue was similar, but not because of the needle. It was because I had somehow broken the 'tines' off the bottom plate under the pressure foot. The thread loops around them. I never even noticed them before, but I must have broken them when I had yanked on a caught piece of fabric. (I am going to be much more patient in the future!) Anyway, that could be an issue for others, so I thought I would share. I had to order a replacement plate and we are back in business!
Back to my serger trying to fix the timing after replacing the upper looper. At least I know now how the loopers should be positioned to work correctly. Thank you for your video.
Thank you very much! Although I did not repair a Brother Serger machine. The principal of the repair method is spot on. And the fact that you're not a sucker for the merchant punishment is definitely FTW(For The Win).
I had 30 minutes of sewing before things started to not work right, but what do I expect from a $200 serger? Timing is off and it has been quite a while since I worked with real industrial sergers. Thank you for explaining this well.
TOTALLY AGREED, "A Hunk a Junk!"😂Thanks for the video. I'm going to attempt to fix mine; but in the mean time, I just bought a New Brother "Strong & Tough!"💪🏼Prayerfully it LAST longer; than the 1034D.❤👑
I'm glad it helped. Mine is still going strong after this repair (and the replaced part for the thing I broke during the repair, lol). We don't sew a ton, but I do use this once a month or so. Made my kid some custom wind pants for hiking and biking with it the other day.
@@SethJayson I am a repair person, but not a Brother rep. I see these typed of problems with pretty much every brand. It should have been a warranty repair if it was that new.
I regret buying this royal POS so much... Having major timing issues here, after less than a couple hours of run time, myself. Thank you for posting this. Feel like I didn't waste my money as horribly as I thought I did.
Mine's run pretty flawlessly since getting everything re-specced. The other MAIN LAW for this one seems to be that if you break a thread, you must pull them all and redo them all in proper order. You can't just fix one and have things work out. Maybe that's obvious to others, but it wasn't to me, at first. (Probably in bold in the users' guide, for all I know.)
@@SethJayson I super appreciate you taking the time to post the video. Waiting to buy some calipers for accurate measurement and then going to time mine. Thanks again!
glad it helped. I wish it were more clear, really, but since mine has NOT broken down in the years since I did this fix, I haven't had to open it up to re-do, thus no new video. I really think this is a one and done fix b/c the part aren't tight enough from the manufacturer.
very clear and helpful thanks! the grub screws on my machine are SO TIGHT that i broke the alan key trying to get them open!! I am sure this solution will fix the problem once i eventually get them open though, thanks!!
Wow. Since I think the timing gets knocked out of whack by *loose* grub screws, then if the timing's off, they never got it right to start with? Maybe give those things a spritz of lube and let them sit overnight or a day until you can buy a new set of hex wrenches!
Dude, you saved the day with this video. I was using my 1034D and lifted the foot while I was sewing and jammed it up so that the upper looper was hitting things and brought my machine to a screeching halt. I heard that Brother warranty wasn't for shit on this machine because it's for the most part a throw away machine as far as they are concerned. When I mention it to people that work at Joanne's they sort of give me that look like "what a piece of shit". LOL Anyway, I was able to follow some of your verbal instructions and put the timing back in order and get it working again by myself. If you don't have it timed just right parts will collide with each other. I almost thought I had bent some of the parts when I jammed up my machine. But after taking it most of the way apart and timing it the best I could, it didn't collide any more. Thanks again.
glad it helped. I actually broke the cast piece one time putting it back together (and cut my hand open!) because the little spacing washer fell out and it overtightened. That was a $10 replacement before I fixed it. I retimed the entire thing with a service manual I found online. No problems since.
@@SethJayson I looked briefly for a service manual in case I need to do what you did but so far no luck finding one. Do you have the link to the service manual?
@@wwjeepdaddy I can't remember where I dug it up. Possibly here via Bing search. I don't vouch for the source! elektrotanya.com/brother_homelock_1034d_sewing-machine.zip/download.html
NOTE: If this does not fix your serger timing, there is one other likely culprit, relatively easy to fix. If it seems like tightening the bolt on the upper looper arm doesn't resolve the issue, or only for a short time, then this is probably the problem to address. In short, the rod that rotates and moves the upper looper arm can be loose. To fix it: Remove the BOTTOM black cover and look for the rod that moves the upper looper. It has a coupling on it that has 2 hex keys. Tighten these so it doesn't have any play. THEN, redo the steps in the video. If this still doesn't fix it, then you will need to acquire the shop manual and go through a laborious process of checking and resetting about a dozen different pieces, some of them to tolerances of 0.8mm - 1.2mm, for example. It requires a ton more disassembly and some feeler gauges and a lot more time. I did it to mine because I had to (since I broke the looper arm over-tightening it because the washer to prevent that had fallen out).
This helped me fix the timing on my M343D. The only video I found helpful. The only thing is that I couldn't adjust the lower looper as it seems to be a bit more complicated on the M343D but it works so all good for now. Thanks a lot
Thank you for making this video! I am going to attempt to fix the timing on my 1634D(which I had not been able to get any help from calling Brother either).
Very helpful, I was also able to download the service manual for a 929D and it has all the tolerances and instructions laid out very thoroughly. You can buy gauge tools on ebay too. Mine has the problem where it travels fowards and backwardsn on the rod that holds the lowerlooper fixing screw, making the upper and lower loopers crash into each other, even now and again I have to adjust it.
Thank you Seth... Your video was very informative and it was real kind of you to share your knowledge.... It helped me a lot to get my serger lower looper corrected.
Glad it continues to help people. Ours has been running fine for a long time now. I think the problem with the low-end brothers is that sometimes those bolts aren't sufficiently tightened at the factory so the first time you punch into something thick, they slip and get out of alignment.
Thank you so much for this!!! I normally am not a fix it myself kinda girl, but I got in there with my screwdriver and Allen wrench and totally kicked that sewing machines butt right back into gear!!!
I have a 1034dx I bought it last week and it doing what you show in the beginning of your video I threatened it correctly it works for a little while and lose threat what she'll I do before I take it back
For some reason after I followed this video precisely my serger won't create the chain of threads. It's frustrating! I want to pull all my hair out. Why won't it create the damn chain!
Thanks for this video. Still messing with my lower looper. First it was knocking in to my upper looper, now I’ve adjusted it as you described but I think the 18.5 measurement is still off as it won’t chain. I need a better tool to measure. I think this is my last Brother. I was sewing light jersey fabric when I clearly heard it go out of balance. My last Brother is sitting in the corner. Same problem. I could understand it if I was sewing heavy difficult fabrics, but I wasn’t, either time. Any recommendations for a sturdy serger?
A lot of times you don't really have to touch the loopers, but I think what happens more commonly is the needle bar shifts position (gets shoved upward) and that's what throws off the timing. Just fix the needle bar height and it usually will fix it right up
Yup, needle height can do it, but my machine was completely screwed up, and so are many Brothers, and I think the culprit is the insufficient torque on the bar that moves the lower looper.
Hi mate! Wow ur video is great!!! I did fix my old 1034d and I jumped on a 3034d for 50$ sure I was ready for the challenge of fixing it... well to my surprise is totally different how to move upper and lower looper... is there any chance you can address me to a forum or technical stuff I can read about? Tia and thanks for sharing it knowledge with us 😊
You can do it. Mine was a mess but has worked fine ever since. I think they come from the factory slightly loose, and after re-timing and tightening, I've had no problems.
Emman Mach For me this is an amazing machine, I make doll clothes and I’m using this machine for about 10 years, it was the only time that it gave me problems but I solved it and now it works perfectly, I am happy with the quality and the price.
Awesome video! I was able to fix the timing on my machine, however now i hear a "clicking" sound every time I sew. I noticed when I run a chain without the presser foot, I don't hear it. But as soon as I put the presser foot back on, the clicking sound comes back. I'm sure something is hitting the presser foot but i'm not sure what. Have any ideas/tips?
Thank you.. Ive had my Toyota 23 years... first time it's had a timing issue 😒 The right hand needle is not stitching.. the other three threads are perfect...any handing hints?
I'm no expert. I do know that on mine, anytime one thread goes bad, the entire 4-threading process needs to be followed. If it's still not working, timing / clearance isn't right on something, and you'll need a shop manual and feeler gauges to get it right.
great video. 1 question does the needles go infront of the lower looper when the needles go down? My serger (singer pro 5) has so much room I don't know to place it in front of the needles or back? It seems the needle are supposed to go closest to me but I'm not sure.
Hey thanks for this video and youre so right this machine is kind of cheap ive fixed this machine about 3 times already i think i might just look into getting. A serger from another company and i hate that.
That's typical, from what I hear. I wonder if maybe these come from the factory with some of the retention screws under-torqued, and they come loose easily, or if it's just that we beginners screw up by trying to serge hard/thick material (or both).
Seth Jayson maybe you can help me. The piston holding the upper looper on my machine is completely loose. It just drops with a Big Bang through every rotation. What do you think I should do?
I was able to move the top looper to where it’s suppose to be when the needles reach their apex. But now my top looper is hitting the presser foot. Any tips to fix this?
My lower looper touches my right needle slightly. I already checked my needles to make sure they are all the way up and changed needles a couple of times. Does that mean my lower looper is out of time?
I have used your video many times over the years to fix my 1034d sergers. I like them because they are cheap and I can fix a lot of the problems. We use them for our business. Just back to fix something today. The timing is a very common issue, the motors also die after awhile. Easy to replace motor, but Brother doesn't sell them to the public any more. I recently learned you don't need to unscrew the two bolts on the handle to get the front panel cover off, just loosen the screw on the two little thread guide bars for the lower looper on the bottom front and then remove the screw to the right of it and the cover pops off. Just pop it back in gently with your fingers at the top to reassemble. Just wanted to say thank you for making this video, it's saved me a ton of money and time. P.S. my sewing machine repair guy isn't very nice either. He charges an arm and a leg and it takes weeks to get your machine back. Cheaper to just buy another machine.
Hi Seth, thank you so much for producing this video. I am a 62 year old grandmom, not at all mechanically inclined, and I am in the process of fixing my 1034d to bring it back to usefulness after it died on me in the middle of a 1200 mask production project. I ended up purchasing a new serger (Janome) but I was determined to get the 1034d back to life in my spare time. My husband gave me calipers this morning so that I can make the adjustments you instruct. We also noticed that the presser foot had burrs on it that were probably causing catching of thread and making things worse. The upper looper has to be replaced (a hammer may or may not have been involved in that issue...lol). I asked the Janome dealer how much it would cost for him to repair my Brother and when he asked how much I paid for it I told him and he said it wasn't worth it. So I will get to the bottom of this and get it back working thanks to you and all the other you tubers who are kind enough to share their knowledge with others. Thanks again!
At leastbthe repair man was honest that’s a good man right there!
5 years later and I had the EXACT SAME PROBLEM!! I felt like I was going insane cause every other tutorial was just saying “rethread the machine” and I did like 50 times. You’re a life saver!! Don’t go too wild with the heavy fabrics I’ve learned because it will lead to this, but now I know how to fix it!!
Everybody is claiming to know how to do it by pointing and talking but i havent seen one person on RUclips actually show the process. Thanks btw
That would be real helpful... like why video AFTER you fix it
Dude…you saved the entire ball ache of what you mentioned at the start of your video (calling Brother maintenance services, forking out to have the machine sent in for repair), and I was just about to press BUY NOW for a new replacement machine on Amazon.. as I was ready to throw my Brother Overlocker against the wall since it stopped working/stitching properly for a week now. Then I stumbled across this video. And hey presto… I did exactly like you demonstrated.. and my Overlocker is running completely normal again. You legend mate, thank you!!
Sssh. I DID throw mine out, then retrieved it from the dumpster, from among the dogshit bags and all, to fix it as you see.
The best one for fixing my Serger’s problem! I didn’t know my machine’s not sewing correctly problem was timing issue until I ran into this video. Many videos there were just saying it’s threading problem. Thanks a lot!
Great video! The timing principles apply to other sergers as well. I bought a White Speedylock at a yard sale for $5. The timing was off so it did not sew at all. By watching your video, I learned where the upper looper was supposed to be when the needles were at their apex. I removed the bottom of the serger and adjusted the hex set screw on the arm that controlled the upper looper. It sews perfectly now! Thanks!
No need to curse to show it prove a point, otherwise good.
Ummmmm...who cursed......🤔
Thank you... I spent hours trying to figure out what was wrong with my serger after hitting a few layers of thick fleece... I was looking to replace it after seeing how far the nearest repair shop was and the cost and wait time.... Glad I stumbled on this video and in about 30 mins I was back up and running...
Thanks again
I have a 1634d, it skipped timing yesterday sadly. Even though it’s within the Brother one year warranty I just didn’t have the time to go through them. After watching your video I was able to fix the machine myself! I don’t have a caliper, however I do have a second serger, so I was able to look at that one and see where my loopers were as they passed by each other and use that to adjust them on the messed up machine. Worked like a charm!
Thank you VERY much! You just saved me so much hassle!
This was very helpful, thanks! One small note: on the 1034d we have, the lower looper bolt is 8mm (not the 10mm mentioned in the video)
Yes I learned that the hard way. Went out and bought a 10 mm that was too big. Thanks for the correction and thanks for the video
Thanks for the info on the 8mm screw. It was very informative and saved me time..
Thanks!
Thanks for this! I'm in the middle of bridal alterations and this saved me so much struggle! Without my serger, I'd need to do countless yards of narrow hem on a standard machine. And on delicate, slippery fabric, that would have been such hard work. Much appreciated!!
Thanks for this very informative video. My daughter got the Brother 1034d serger for Christmas and within a day it was no longer working due to a timing problem. After watching your video I was able to fix it. This saved me a lot of time and money. Thanks!
Love it! Awesome. Ours still works great. I think they come a bit loose from the factory.
You are the man! As others have stated, "you just saved me $200!" Your Upper looper explanation was perfection! I have had my Brother 1034D since 2017, and has served me well. I was at fault running wool blanket material that was way too thick for it. I'm a moose with everything and up until now, my 1034 has been abused and has never failed. Works like new again and I owe it all to you. THANK YOU!
i've been dealing with this same issue for over a year....finally i find out what the problem is and how to fix it in the same video! you have no idea how frustrating this was...or maybe you do lol... thank you so much you've helped me tremendously!
Yup, one and done. One hour old and I thought it was completely broken. But thanks to you and a $5.00 set of metric Allen wrenches, my serger is up and running again!!!! Thank you!!!!
I knocked the timing off this serger on a pair of jeans. Figured I had to throw it away because repair is more than the machine. I watched your video and fixed it in 5 minutes. Thank you so much!! My upper looper wasn't picking up the left needle. I took off the front cover and pushed the looper over as far as it would go when the needles are in the highest position. The hex key you use to change the needles is the same hex to move the looper. I vacuumed the inside too.
I cannot thank you enough for posting this. I was so pissed when I found out that it costs 70% the price of the machine to have someone fix it. I had a lower looper timing issue. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!
Glad it helped. The good news is that if you manage not to clog it with thick fabric (which is how mine and many others got bungled) it seems to stay in time pretty well after that. The other thing that I figured out is that if you break one thread, you need to rethread the entire thing. You'll never get it working again otherwise.
Thank you! I followed your directions and got my serger working! I was not ready to replace it after only 1 year! I got it fixed quickly and I'm back to work! Thanks again!
I'm faced with the reality that this machine isn't powerful enough to do what I want it to. That's why my sewing was getting hung up in the teeth. Big disappointment. 😫 There is a repair shop near me. I think I'll try them. Your videos does give hope that it can be fixed. Thanks.🙂
I really thought I’d need to buy a new serger after jamming up the loopers with layers of heavy fabric. I used this video and saved a lot of time and money. My machine is working again.Thanks!!! I
I will be trying this as I did the same.
i was sitting here thinking i was doing something wrong... when it was this the whole freakin time!!! you saved me not only a ton of money and time but my hair from being pulled out in frustration!! thank you thank you!!!
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and information! You saved my wife and I a bunch of money that we would have paid to restore the timing on her serger. Now she doesn’t have to be without her machine for two weeks while someone else works on it. Your video instructions were “spot on”.
I've been very frustrated trying to get an old serger to work and not only was this video very helpful it was also very cathartic. Thank you!
OMG, thank you so much. I broke the upper looper completely off of my Brother serger and had to order another one from Walmart. I just got it in the mail today and was able to fix my machine by using your instructions! Thanks again
..i was desperated and ....ta-daaaa ..it works ! Although i've got my brand new gritzner 788, it didn't turn the handwheel at all. A little oil at and around the arm and ...ready to do my projects. You make the life easier for who doesn't have any knlowledge at all of technics and mechanics. You make my day! Thank you for your guidance.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! Worked perfectly! I was in a state of panic, as my upper looper was not catching my thread on the left thread after getting the upper looper caught in some fabric. I was dreading having to put out a bunch of money to get it fixed, and you saved me!
Thank you! I have a Brother 1034DX which I assumed was the same as the 1034D just a slightly different outer appearance, but it is not.
I've had it for 3 years and put it through hell.
I clean lint and oil it every 2 days (I run it sometimes 8-10 hours a day 😬) and it finally started locking up. I took it apart to clean and oil the inside instead of just the part under the knife, and my loopers were hitting each other.
The upper looper wasn't quite in the center of the needles, it was maybe 3 or 4mm off.
The adjustment point was different than the 1034D, there's a hex screw on the first axle, but then all the way to the right, there is a wheel that turns and has a front and back piece. If you turn the hand wheel you'll see both the front and back pieces of the wheel have 2 hex screws each. I'm not sure which was which, so I loosened all 4. But it worked!
Put the needles at the highest position, loosen the hex screw at the first axle, then loosen the ones on the wheel. They're very tight, I thought I was going to break my tool. The looper should just drop down and you can easily adjust it (hold the hand wheel still so the needle is still at the highest point). The hard part is holding the looper still while you re-tighten the screws because the ones on the wheel may or may not be facing up.
After the timing fix and some much-needed oil, it's almost as good as new!
Thanks for saving my wife this evening. Told her we are going to fix this F…ing machine and boom it’s running.
😂😂
Although this was not exactly my issue, the explanation and video of proper operation of all of the parts clued me into what was wrong on my machine and I was able to fix it easily!
I wrecked my machine's timing sewing denim that was too thick and couldn't take my machine to a repair person because of Covid. Now it works again, so thanks! I can finish my lockdown projects!
awesome. Gotta be REALLY careful with those thicker fabrics. I think it was denim (and my wife) that originally knocked mine out of time.
I realize this is 2.5 years old, but still excellent info. Thanks!
Seriously, thank you for this video! I am using it as I type this to dial my serger 1034D back into timing, as it is clearly out. I also love your candid responses about Brother and the certified repair place because it is so relatable! I'll update this reply once I am finished timing. Sadly, the chaining fork on my machine broke (made me realize how far out of time my machine was). So I'll have to wait for that to arrive tomorrow before a final update. But again, thank you so very much!
SETH!!!!!! Thank you so much for sharing about this hunk of junk as you call it! I was having issues with mine not looping and have been in tears trying to figure out what to do, I run a small business and was going to have to take it to service center with a lead time of 3 weeks and who knows how much the fee wouldve been! Cannot thank you enough for this tutorial, and I hope this helps someone else!
UPDATE! It has now seized, going to try to follow your remaining instructions the rod. Fingers crossed this works permanently. If you have any other resolutions of this would love if you shared.
Thank you so much for this video! I'd already spent $150 on a service to fix this for it to go out again within 5mins of use, so back to service guy and then it was out again after 5mins of use.... this machine is sooooo weak and will only do super light material sadly. My old HuskeyLock I had for 20yrs sewed anything and everything and I wish I hadn't sold it as you described it, this Lock 1034D is a hunk of c.....p!! Anyways, your video helped me fix the looping in 10mins and I can continue to fix it until I get a better machine. Thanks again!
Thank you for sharing your information. I have the same brother 1034D serger and I just bought it and the upper and lower loop was stuck together. I'm getting ready to fix the machine with your info! Again, thank you!
Thank you. Mine just quit sewing and I was going to try to take it somewhere to have it fixed. $175 dollars is a little too much for a 45 min repair. So here goes. I hope it works.
Thank you so freaking much, my niece and nephew always liked to adjust my dials and i forgot to adjust them before i sewed and it jacked up my machine so this will be super helpful when i have time to fix it😩✨💛 you’rea life saver
This video and really the comments too, were helpful to fix my serger. My issue was similar, but not because of the needle. It was because I had somehow broken the 'tines' off the bottom plate under the pressure foot. The thread loops around them. I never even noticed them before, but I must have broken them when I had yanked on a caught piece of fabric. (I am going to be much more patient in the future!) Anyway, that could be an issue for others, so I thought I would share. I had to order a replacement plate and we are back in business!
Back to my serger trying to fix the timing after replacing the upper looper. At least I know now how the loopers should be positioned to work correctly. Thank you for your video.
Thank you for saving my life. I was about to jump a bridge and I did it with your video and feeling success thank you!!
Thank you very much! Although I did not repair a Brother Serger machine. The principal of the repair method is spot on. And the fact that you're not a sucker for the merchant punishment is definitely FTW(For The Win).
I had 30 minutes of sewing before things started to not work right, but what do I expect from a $200 serger? Timing is off and it has been quite a while since I worked with real industrial sergers. Thank you for explaining this well.
TOTALLY AGREED, "A Hunk a Junk!"😂Thanks for the video. I'm going to attempt to fix mine; but in the mean time, I just bought a New Brother "Strong & Tough!"💪🏼Prayerfully it LAST longer; than the 1034D.❤👑
Thank you! I rethread like 20x before I found your video and fixed the issue.
You just saved my fricken life man 😭😭😭. Even I dummy like myself was able to fix the timing.
I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to make and post this. You saved me a lot of time, frustration, and money!
I'm glad it helped. Mine is still going strong after this repair (and the replaced part for the thing I broke during the repair, lol). We don't sew a ton, but I do use this once a month or so. Made my kid some custom wind pants for hiking and biking with it the other day.
@@SethJayson I am a repair person, but not a Brother rep. I see these typed of problems with pretty much every brand. It should have been a warranty repair if it was that new.
I regret buying this royal POS so much... Having major timing issues here, after less than a couple hours of run time, myself. Thank you for posting this. Feel like I didn't waste my money as horribly as I thought I did.
Mine's run pretty flawlessly since getting everything re-specced. The other MAIN LAW for this one seems to be that if you break a thread, you must pull them all and redo them all in proper order. You can't just fix one and have things work out. Maybe that's obvious to others, but it wasn't to me, at first. (Probably in bold in the users' guide, for all I know.)
@@SethJayson I super appreciate you taking the time to post the video. Waiting to buy some calipers for accurate measurement and then going to time mine. Thanks again!
Pro tip: Buy the DIGITAL calipers. Very hard to see the old-school ones, and prone to visual errors even when you know how to use them.
This is the best video I have come across yet, super clear in what you need to do, thank you.
glad it helped. I wish it were more clear, really, but since mine has NOT broken down in the years since I did this fix, I haven't had to open it up to re-do, thus no new video. I really think this is a one and done fix b/c the part aren't tight enough from the manufacturer.
Thank you, I managed to sort out my machine when I was on the verge of buying a new one! I feel empowered 😁
Love it. Glad my rambling has helped. Understanding the basics is the real hurdle.
very clear and helpful thanks! the grub screws on my machine are SO TIGHT that i broke the alan key trying to get them open!! I am sure this solution will fix the problem once i eventually get them open though, thanks!!
Wow. Since I think the timing gets knocked out of whack by *loose* grub screws, then if the timing's off, they never got it right to start with? Maybe give those things a spritz of lube and let them sit overnight or a day until you can buy a new set of hex wrenches!
Dude, you saved the day with this video. I was using my 1034D and lifted the foot while I was sewing and jammed it up so that the upper looper was hitting things and brought my machine to a screeching halt. I heard that Brother warranty wasn't for shit on this machine because it's for the most part a throw away machine as far as they are concerned. When I mention it to people that work at Joanne's they sort of give me that look like "what a piece of shit". LOL Anyway, I was able to follow some of your verbal instructions and put the timing back in order and get it working again by myself. If you don't have it timed just right parts will collide with each other. I almost thought I had bent some of the parts when I jammed up my machine. But after taking it most of the way apart and timing it the best I could, it didn't collide any more. Thanks again.
glad it helped. I actually broke the cast piece one time putting it back together (and cut my hand open!) because the little spacing washer fell out and it overtightened. That was a $10 replacement before I fixed it. I retimed the entire thing with a service manual I found online. No problems since.
@@SethJayson I looked briefly for a service manual in case I need to do what you did but so far no luck finding one. Do you have the link to the service manual?
@@wwjeepdaddy I can't remember where I dug it up. Possibly here via Bing search. I don't vouch for the source! elektrotanya.com/brother_homelock_1034d_sewing-machine.zip/download.html
NOTE: If this does not fix your serger timing, there is one other likely culprit, relatively easy to fix. If it seems like tightening the bolt on the upper looper arm doesn't resolve the issue, or only for a short time, then this is probably the problem to address. In short, the rod that rotates and moves the upper looper arm can be loose. To fix it: Remove the BOTTOM black cover and look for the rod that moves the upper looper. It has a coupling on it that has 2 hex keys. Tighten these so it doesn't have any play. THEN, redo the steps in the video. If this still doesn't fix it, then you will need to acquire the shop manual and go through a laborious process of checking and resetting about a dozen different pieces, some of them to tolerances of 0.8mm - 1.2mm, for example. It requires a ton more disassembly and some feeler gauges and a lot more time. I did it to mine because I had to (since I broke the looper arm over-tightening it because the washer to prevent that had fallen out).
Hi Jason, my upper looper keeps getting stuck. Any advise on this. Thanks in advance
I've had mine for 8 years! It's actually not a bad machine for the money, being all metal inside. But yes I have had timing problems before :-(
Thanks for the helpful video. I only mentioned the Sash Fabric video because the lighting is great.
Hi Seth, Your video saved my life at work today and I fixed my overlocker watching your video!! Thank you :)
I'm glad my fairly lousy video could be a help.
This helped me fix the timing on my M343D. The only video I found helpful. The only thing is that I couldn't adjust the lower looper as it seems to be a bit more complicated on the M343D but it works so all good for now. Thanks a lot
Thank you for making this video! I am going to attempt to fix the timing on my 1634D(which I had not been able to get any help from calling Brother either).
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Was in the middle of an order and things went pear shaped. Serger issues now fixed.
Very helpful, I was also able to download the service manual for a 929D and it has all the tolerances and instructions laid out very thoroughly. You can buy gauge tools on ebay too. Mine has the problem where it travels fowards and backwardsn on the rod that holds the lowerlooper fixing screw, making the upper and lower loopers crash into each other, even now and again I have to adjust it.
Thank you Seth... Your video was very informative and it was real kind of you to share your knowledge.... It helped me a lot to get my serger lower looper corrected.
Glad it continues to help people. Ours has been running fine for a long time now. I think the problem with the low-end brothers is that sometimes those bolts aren't sufficiently tightened at the factory so the first time you punch into something thick, they slip and get out of alignment.
Thank you so much for this!!! I normally am not a fix it myself kinda girl, but I got in there with my screwdriver and Allen wrench and totally kicked that sewing machines butt right back into gear!!!
Wow. That worked exactly how you said it would! Thank you for sharing!
Totally convinced me to take it to the repair barn
I just ordered and received a 10mm wrench from Amazon but it’s an 8mm? 🤣🤣🤣 otherwise this video is a lifesaver! Thank you!
Thank you for saving me from a frustrating evening!
Thank you for this very detailed and well explained video! I truly appreciate your time and efforts in creating it. 😊
This is fantastic. Excellent tips and highly entertaining. Saved me a $100 servicing. Thanks!
I have a 1034dx I bought it last week and it doing what you show in the beginning of your video I threatened it correctly it works for a little while and lose threat what she'll I do before I take it back
After watching this video accouple times I was able to get my serger working perfectly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks!
Thank you! I was able to fix my issue adjusting the lower looper like you suggested. I also want to add I had to use an 8 mm wrench instead of a 10.
I might have misremembered which size it was, but at least still commonly available.
Glad this has helped so many people.
My mom got a used 1034d and the timing is off a local place quoted us 200 to fix. Ridiculous.
For some reason after I followed this video precisely my serger won't create the chain of threads. It's frustrating! I want to pull all my hair out. Why won't it create the damn chain!
Terrific. Great explanation. Hope I never need this info but now my machine is not such a mystery to me. Loved this video? 45 min, you're wonderful!
Thanks for this video. Still messing with my lower looper. First it was knocking in to my upper looper, now I’ve adjusted it as you described but I think the 18.5 measurement is still off as it won’t chain. I need a better tool to measure. I think this is my last Brother. I was sewing light jersey fabric when I clearly heard it go out of balance. My last Brother is sitting in the corner. Same problem. I could understand it if I was sewing heavy difficult fabrics, but I wasn’t, either time. Any recommendations for a sturdy serger?
I have the exact same problem. Have you been able to fix it? If not, what serger do you have now? Thanks so much!
A lot of times you don't really have to touch the loopers, but I think what happens more commonly is the needle bar shifts position (gets shoved upward) and that's what throws off the timing. Just fix the needle bar height and it usually will fix it right up
Yup, needle height can do it, but my machine was completely screwed up, and so are many Brothers, and I think the culprit is the insufficient torque on the bar that moves the lower looper.
Thank you soooo much for this video! It helped me save a LOT of money! I was able to troubleshoot and fix my 1034d on my own😊👍🏾
Hi mate! Wow ur video is great!!! I did fix my old 1034d and I jumped on a 3034d for 50$ sure I was ready for the challenge of fixing it... well to my surprise is totally different how to move upper and lower looper... is there any chance you can address me to a forum or technical stuff I can read about? Tia and thanks for sharing it knowledge with us 😊
no idea on that 3034
Thanks for your video!! It will be a big help figuring out what is wrong with my Juki (not quite the same, but close). Love your comments, too.
Thank you for the video...I have my serger in about 4 pieces right now and have probably added about 20 views to this video! 🤣 Thank you so much!
You can do it. Mine was a mess but has worked fine ever since. I think they come from the factory slightly loose, and after re-timing and tightening, I've had no problems.
Worked for me Thank you so much...bunged mine up on some heavy denim (stupid) but your video saved me time and money.
Greg
Thank you so very much for doing this video. This was my exact problem. Your solution worked. What a life saver.
My brother 1034d is working now, thank you so much for this video.
this brother is so crap, i spend more time fixing it then using... :(
Emman Mach For me this is an amazing machine, I make doll clothes and I’m using this machine for about 10 years, it was the only time that it gave me problems but I solved it and now it works perfectly, I am happy with the quality and the price.
You are a godsend! Thanks so much for posting this!
Absolutely great information. I got my serger going.
Awesome video! I was able to fix the timing on my machine, however now i hear a "clicking" sound every time I sew. I noticed when I run a chain without the presser foot, I don't hear it. But as soon as I put the presser foot back on, the clicking sound comes back. I'm sure something is hitting the presser foot but i'm not sure what. Have any ideas/tips?
That is great information. I just bought one of these. It's good information to have. Thank you
Thank you. Saved me from buying machine number 4 this year
You are amazing! I just fixed my machine! Thank you so much!!!
You just saved me money and for that I thank you. It works now 🙌🏽
Thank you.. Ive had my Toyota 23 years... first time it's had a timing issue 😒
The right hand needle is not stitching.. the other three threads are perfect...any handing hints?
I'm no expert. I do know that on mine, anytime one thread goes bad, the entire 4-threading process needs to be followed. If it's still not working, timing / clearance isn't right on something, and you'll need a shop manual and feeler gauges to get it right.
This made my day and saved me some money, 🙏🏻 thanks
OMG thank you so much! You just saved me something like $200!
great video. 1 question does the needles go infront of the lower looper when the needles go down? My serger (singer pro 5) has so much room I don't know to place it in front of the needles or back? It seems the needle are supposed to go closest to me but I'm not sure.
Thanks so much. This was very helpful. You’re right about some service providers are🤬!
Hey thanks for this video and youre so right this machine is kind of cheap ive fixed this machine about 3 times already i think i might just look into getting. A serger from another company and i hate that.
This is exactly what happened to mine. I’ve only used it for about two hours.
That's typical, from what I hear. I wonder if maybe these come from the factory with some of the retention screws under-torqued, and they come loose easily, or if it's just that we beginners screw up by trying to serge hard/thick material (or both).
Seth Jayson maybe you can help me. The piston holding the upper looper on my machine is completely loose. It just drops with a Big Bang through every rotation. What do you think I should do?
Nevermind, I think your comment down below answers my question. Thank you!
bless you... this was driving me nuts
Thank you so much for this video. It help me a lot! Very well explained!
I was able to move the top looper to where it’s suppose to be when the needles reach their apex. But now my top looper is hitting the presser foot. Any tips to fix this?
Thank you for sharing I’ll try this I guess when I get more tools 😩😩😩
My lower looper touches my right needle slightly. I already checked my needles to make sure they are all the way up and changed needles a couple of times. Does that mean my lower looper is out of time?
Mine too that's why I'm here have you f is it?