Loose Y-axis Ultimaker Original - How to fix?

[lara-d 0]

Oh man! My Y-axis is loose.

It can shift in it's socket.

This didn't happen before and I can only seem to find instructions that apply on the Ultimaker2.

When screwing off the endcap of the axis rod you can easily see the distance.

During prints you can hear a sudden 'THUNK' and the entire print is shifted by a small offset.

The kit was pre-assembled and as far as I know the encasing is still as tight as can be...

I filmed the movement in the rod as well as the distance visible inside the bearing.

 

 

Any help would be really welcome!

Greets, Lara

 

[Dim3nsioneer 557]

There are some improved end cap designs on Youmagine or Thingiverse using screws to fix the rods.

However, my personal recommendation ist this one:

Fix them as they are fixed on the UM2, with spacers going around the rod and fixed by the (outermost) pulleys (for anybody interested: check the UM2 assembly https://github.com/Ultimaker/Ultimaker2/blob/master/um2%20assembly%20manual%20V1.1%20_english.pdf?raw=trueon pages 15-17). For having the right length of the spacers, you have to adjust everything and then measure the distances (which is actually a bit a pain). And then print them. I did that recently on an UMO with great success. The spacers are just cylinders with 8.6mm inner diameter and 0.8mm wall thickness (model sizes, already compensated for the usual rubberband effect of PLA).

The spacers should be ROUND. So for printing them maybe you have to do some quick-fix of the rod at one end (chewing-gum, washers, whatever seems suitable for just one print... )

remark for UM2 users: replacing the standard spacers by printed ones with adjusted length helps to get rid of belts which wear out at the pulleys.