Ever since I got this Hobart 140 a year or so ago, I've ALWAYS had trouble getting the wire to feed. It will work perfectly for a pass or two, and then I have to spend 10 minutes getting it to feed again.

I'm using a the Hobart 140 with a Miller M10 gun I bought from a guy on here, but the gun was new. The switch in the H10 gun it came with never worked right, and the M10 is supposed to be a direct replacement.

The issue is, the feed wheel doesn't feed the wire. The wheel just spins and spins against the wire even when tightened down way tighter than it needs to be. I've tightened the adjustment to the point where the wire is smashed into ribbon.

There are 2 grooves on the feed wheel for different size wires, tried both. Used a mixture of .025, .030, and .035 flux and solid cored wires. The tips are always changed to the correct size when I change wire size.

I'm out of ideas and sick of trying to get it to work consistently. What should I try next?

First thing I would look for is a liner issue or for the spool to be WAY to tight.

Forgot to mention in the first post, the spool is NOT tight. I've been putting them in about as loose as they will go without unwinding themselves.

This could be a liner issue. When I pull wire through by hand there is some resistance (as expected) but being an inexperienced welder, I'm not sure what is "normal".

Try cleaning the feed roller with some solvent. It might have oil or other crap on it preventing it from getting good traction.

I will try cleaning up the wheel and see if it helps any.

I think the liner just might be the issue. After looking them up, it appears that liners come in different sizes for different wire sizes. :laughing:

I was completely un-aware that the liner needs to be changed out when changing from a .023" to .030 diameter wire. Are you guys really changing the liner every time you change wire size?

This isn't really guaranteed to be the problem since I'm not sure which liner these M10 guns come fitted with from the factory.

Will the wire feed with the tip off? If no, remove the gun from the feed roller assembly, but leave it plugged in and try that to see if it feeds without the gun.

I have tried removing the tip and it is not the problem.

I just looked up the M-10 gun on Miller's site and it appears the gun is set up to run .030 to .035" wire. I won't be 100% sure the gun I got has the same liner, but it sounds like this isn't the issue either.

You don't need to change the liner for every size. You really should't have to worry about liner size until you get into .045 wire, then usually again at 1/16".

Will the wire feed with the tip off? If no, remove the gun from the feed roller assembly, but leave it plugged in and try that to see if it feeds without the gun.

I missed the second part of your comment when I read through the first time. Good advice, I will try this tomorrow. At least it will isolate the problem to either being the gun/liner or the spool/feed wheel.

You don't need to change the liner for every size. You really should't have to worry about liner size until you get into .045 wire, then usually again at 1/16".

The only thing that struck my brain when reading about liners sizes was the fact that Miller makes a .023" liner. I highly doubt I've got that in mine, but I will double check in the morning.

I've never removed the liner from the gun. How tightly does the wire fit in the liner?

What wire are you using? Flux core or solid?

If you're using flux core, you might be smashing the wire with the feed roller being too tight.

What i do to help things out is I take a close pin and rap the top part in felt between the jaws and load it with marvel mystery oil and clamp the oiled close pin around the wire b4 it goes to the roller to lube the wire and clean it. My manual says not to spray solvent to clean the roller it can get into the roller drive and mess with it but clean it up as stated. What I did one on a cheapo 110v welder when all else failed and it worked for me BUT may not for you is I took the roller out in desperation and sand blasted the surface and washed it up and reinstalled and work from that time on. Check the tension on the roller also. ED

This may not apply as I have never seen your welder, but a lot of wire fed machines have a brass guide on the side of the feed rollers closest to the wire spool. The wire is threaded though the brass guide, then between the rolls, then to the gun. With lots of use, I have seen the brass guide with a groove cut in it, as well as packed with rust and debris from contaminated wire. These guides are replaceable and should not cost a lot of money. You can easily pull it out and inspect it.

Might be a stupid question, but is the spool on correctly. If you install it with the wire coming off the top side, instead of the bottom, you may have issues.

Wire occasionally comes from the factory spooled badly and can cause feed issues. It sounds like you have tried different diameter wires, so that is not likely the issue.

The liner is the #1 most likely candidate as said above. If the wire gets any metallic dust in it, it may do exactly what you are describing. The moment you strike an arc with the welder there is a EM field created around and inside the lead. If there are lots of little metal particles they will immediately align themselves with the field and could cause extra drag that is not there when pulling the wire by hand or feeding with no arc. Also, it is not that out of the ordinary to have a small piece of wire broken and inside the liner, causing problems. Does it feed better if you pull the lead out perfectly straight? If the lead got rolled over, or driven over, then the liner can get crushed as well.

A new liner is not expensive, nor is it difficult to install. Any name brand manufacturer should include directions. I always swap liners when I have feed trouble, and go from there.

The reason there is a .023 liner is because, although it will feed through the .030-.035 liner, it is more likely to bind in the larger liner. .023 wire does not feed exceptionally well with a "push" type wire feeder.

Later,
Jason

This may not apply as I have never seen your welder, but a lot of wire fed machines have a brass guide on the side of the feed rollers closest to the wire spool. The wire is threaded though the brass guide, then between the rolls, then to the gun. With lots of use, I have seen the brass guide with a groove cut in it, as well as packed with rust and debris from contaminated wire. These guides are replaceable and should not cost a lot of money. You can easily pull it out and inspect it.

I'm not completely sure whether the welder has a brass guide in the feeding mechanism or not. Even if it does, it shouldn't be worn out. I've had it for a year or so, but I'd guess less than 2 pounds of wire through it.

Might be a stupid question, but is the spool on correctly. If you install it with the wire coming off the top side, instead of the bottom, you may have issues.

Spool is installed correctly, with the wire feeding from the bottom of the roll.

Wire occasionally comes from the factory spooled badly and can cause feed issues. It sounds like you have tried different diameter wires, so that is not likely the issue.

Correct, doesn't seem to matter which roll I use. It happens with them all.

The liner is the #1 most likely candidate as said above. If the wire gets any metallic dust in it, it may do exactly what you are describing. The moment you strike an arc with the welder there is a EM field created around and inside the lead. If there are lots of little metal particles they will immediately align themselves with the field and could cause extra drag that is not there when pulling the wire by hand or feeding with no arc. Also, it is not that out of the ordinary to have a small piece of wire broken and inside the liner, causing problems. Does it feed better if you pull the lead out perfectly straight? If the lead got rolled over, or driven over, then the liner can get crushed as well.

A new liner is not expensive, nor is it difficult to install. Any name brand manufacturer should include directions. I always swap liners when I have feed trouble, and go from there.

The liner DOES appear to be the problem in this case. Today I investigated a little further after giving up on a jam last night, and it took me pulling about as hard as I could with a pair of pliers to slide the remaining wire out of the liner.

I didn't see exactly how the liner comes out of the gun, but I have a feeling it is what is causing the problem. Looks like I should order a .030" replacement liner and hope it does the trick!

Thanks Jason.

I would replace it with .035" liner soyou can use .030 and .035

check the roller tension wheel, open the side pull the trigger and see if it slips or jumps...i had a friend replace every part and he had the tension too loose also check the grooves they are labeled for wire diameter...

The liner will be secured to the back end of the gun. Usually a hex fitting, loosen it to remove the liner. Some also have a set screw at the diffuser to secure that end.

Ive noticed from winding the gun up over and over sometimes twists my liner removeing it and blowing it out with air forces out debris i reinstall and have good use

I have a hobart handler 135 and i had to get them to send me a new feed motor after having it a year or so no problems since

I use a felt luber and some stuff made just for the welding wire luber it was about 4 dollars for a metal squirt can of the lub and a 1.00 for the lube pad


Oh and my M10 gun you take the whole stinger cable out of the machine by removing the tumbscrew

Then there is a hex fitting that you unscrew do so with the stinger layed out straight the liner comes out of the machine end not the gun end

I've been fighting the same problem with my Hobart Handler 140, I've had this machine for about 9 or 10 yrs and I've replaced the liner, that didn't help, gone thru everthing mentioned so far no help.
What I do notice is this issue is heat related, if I give the gun a chance to cool it will weld good again for awhile, also if I dip the nozzle in nozzle dip that this speeds the cooling process. The longer I let stuff cool off the longer I can weld with out having to let stuff cool off. I've been doing quite a bit of welding lately and I'm getting frustrated enough that I'm considering buying a 212 Miller machine, I've used these and 252 machines with no problems. I'd buy one right now if I had the extra money.
I use only solid core wire mostly .030 diameter. with the correct sized tip for the wire being used.
I do use the lube pads mentioned above and this seems to help, I occasionally pull the guide roller and clean the grooves with brake cleaner spray I also clean the top roller at the same time.

I have a hobart handler 135 and i had to get them to send me a new feed motor after having it a year or so no problems since



just ordered one for my miller 210... take the roller tensioner loose, like you would when you replace the wire... if the feed roler, the bottom one is loose, like up and down, then that is your problem... there should be no play at all and tightening the rollers down all the way will barely correct the problem, eventually getting near impossible to feed at all.... hope this helps...

It's interesting to hear that I'm not the only one having the same issue issue with the same welder. I didn't even realize that they'd been around that long....I thought the 140 had replaced the 135 somewhat recently.

I'm going to try a new liner in mine and see if that helps out. It does almost seem like mine is heat related too but I'd never thought about it that way. It always works right when I turn it on and do the first pass, but during or after that first pass it always seems to give me trouble. We'll see what a new liner does for me.

If it is heat related, check your ground clamp. Remove the cable lug and the wire entirely from the clamp. Inspect for oxidation and scorch marks. Check the ground clamp pads, be sure they aren't pitted and corroded. Next time a feed issue develops, feel the ground cable, near the clamp and near the welder. Is it hot at either end. If it is, the hot end is likely the problem end.

Good luck,
Jason

Not sure if someone said this, but you're changing the tip with different wire sizes right?

Liners get kinked very easily. Its the reason the old man would yell at you if you ever welded in school and wrapped up the gun and hoses tight or had a sharp bend in one. I would try the liner again. A large liner should work fine for smaller wire but if you use a large wire liner you will need to make sure the gun and tube is very strait when you initially feed wire through it.

For what it's worth. I purchased the same welder about 2 years ago, and have had no issues at all with it. However when I asked the salesman to honestly tell me if the machine had any known issues, he admitted that the 140 seems to go through liners or cables more than other machines. He explained it as the whole cable assembly being very sustible to damage when coiled or bent around on itself or even in a moderate arc. He said I should I should use caution even when winding the cable up for the night. Hope it helps. :)

If it is heat related, check your ground clamp. Remove the cable lug and the wire entirely from the clamp. Inspect for oxidation and scorch marks. Check the ground clamp pads, be sure they aren't pitted and corroded. Next time a feed issue develops, feel the ground cable, near the clamp and near the welder. Is it hot at either end. If it is, the hot end is likely the problem end.

Good luck,
Jason

I think Jason is on to something here, I pulled the ground clamp off the cable and bolted the cable directly to the frame I was welding on yesterday and I had no feed problem. I guess it's time to go buy a new clamp.
Seems to me I did replace it several years ago but I'm not sure.

Thanks Jason!

I only suggested it based on past experience. I hunted for a feed issue with my MM251 for about 6 months before I grabbed the ground clamp one day and found it hot as hell. Most of my welding is done on a table, and I rarely pull the clamp off, so I never noticed it. Mine, the cheap ass sheet metal clamp was nearly completely burned through by the lug. I replaced it with a heavy brass clamp, and it was well worth the extra money. No connection problems since.

Later,
Jason

Well...........

You guys that suggested the liner were right on. Picked a new one up today, and it just works like it should. Never thought I'd say that one.

I looked at the old liner carefully and couldn't find anything wrong with it visually. No kinks or anything obvious. Just didn't work.

Thanks for all the help. :smokin:

Hey stud! when you changed size did you change the drive roll? most drive rolls I have seen have grooves for 030 and 023. You gotta change it or it won't feed worth sheet!
:D

There are 2 grooves on the feed wheel for different size wires, tried both. Used a mixture of .025, .030, and .035 flux and solid cored wires. The tips are always changed to the correct size when I change wire size.

Hey stud! when you changed size did you change the drive roll? most drive rolls I have seen have grooves for 030 and 023. You gotta change it or it won't feed worth sheet!
:D

Read much?

newp:flipoff2:

I HAD THAT SAME ISSUE,,,( i know i'm kinda late) but i found out that it was the 10lb spool that made it slow,,wnt back to the 2 lb and problem solved

Having the same issue with mine, and I've tired everything here except for replacing the liner.

Been driving me nuts and ruined my last project from not being able to weld it worth a damn.

Gonna give it a try.

I HAD THAT SAME ISSUE,,,( i know i'm kinda late) but i found out that it was the 10lb spool that made it slow,,wnt back to the 2 lb and problem solved

If this is what solved your problem, I think you have problems somewhere else and/or the welder feed motor is having problems. Generally, the larger rolls (10-12 lb rolls) will feed better than the small 2 lb. rolls. Any chance the large roll roll was not precision wound?

quick note on this I go through about 1 liner every year is that about right??

say 40lbs each??

got anew liner today ..smooooth as butta

as far as the drive wheel IDK

Something that I dont think has been mentioned....

Those drive rollers DO wear out.

Ive had more than 80lbs of .03 flux core through my Lincoln 135+. Still running on the original liner. But I have replaced the drive roller once.

Something that I dont think has been mentioned....

Those drive rollers DO wear out.

Ive had more than 80lbs of .03 flux core through my Lincoln 135+. Still running on the original liner. But I have replaced the drive roller once.

I have taken the wheels off and sand blasted and it regained its working order. worth a try. ED

Feed problems #1 is most times the liner. rule of thumb you should be able pull the wire out, contact tip removed between thumb and index finger.

If you need a pliers it is time to change .

Like others be careful of bending or kinking the gun cable to hard. Not going to use the welder or feeder for awhile pull the wire out.

Another thing is drive roll tension , the wire should slip when pushing against your hand. In this case tighter is not better. Also the brake should be adjusted to just keep the wire from spooling when the trigger is released.

Ground clamps why are people so cheap. They are a vital part of the welding process Keep them clean replace when needed:shaking: