Troubleshooting Brakes on Standard Floor and Wolf Looms

Brake Won't Hold

Inspect the brake hub (you don’t need to remove it to do this). If the hub is grooved, the cable will not hold properly. Most often grooves will appear at either edge where the hub butts up against the hub flanges.

If you find grooves, the brake hub needs to be replaced. A loom serial number is needed to order a new hub. You will find the number pressed into the wood on either the castle side or the front cross brace above the treadles. Older looms will need a complete brake hub kit, newer looms will usually need a brake hub only.

Nothing Happens When the Brake Release Is Pressed

If you press on the brake release pedal and nothing happens, it is probably one of two reasons: the cable is too loose and needs to be tightened, or the brake cable is binding. To tighten the cable on Standard Floor looms, tighten the turnbuckle attached to the back beam.

On Wolf Looms, tighten the brake bar eye bolt. You can check to see if the brake cable is crossing over itself and is binding. Most often this is caused by a grooved brake hub (see previous paragraph). If this is the case, the brake hub needs to be replaced.

The Warp Doesn’t Advance

If you attempt to advance the warp using the ratchet advance lever on the front beam, and nothing happens, check to see that the ratchet dog is engaged. You may find that the ratchet dog has flipped backwards into the castle area.

Warp Advances During Weaving

If your warp is constantly advancing while you are weaving, the brake is not holding and the cable needs to be tightened. Tighten the brake cable by turning the turnbuckle on Standard Floor Looms or the brake bar eyebolt on Wolf Looms to snug up the cable.

If the cable is still not holding, check the brake hub. If the hub is grooved, the brake will not hold properly. To fix, replace the brake hub.