MakerGear Forum

I was making a print and then heard the printer making a bad skipping sound. I went to look, and the filament was tangled on the spool. I untangled it, but now I can't get the printer to work again - it skips when feeding.

I took apart the feed system and cannot find any clogs or binding. I noticed that if I hold onto the feed gear, it skips easily. Does this mean that the stepper is bad? Maybe the filament tangle broke it? Or do I just need to turn up the current setting on the board even though I never touched the board in years? One clue is that sometimes even with no stress on the gear (for example, when it is taken apart), it will get stuck between steps and just vibrate all by itself without rotating.

Please see video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mrTMfl-Lus

The extruder gear reduction has most likely given out . Time to take it apart. You can order the replacement parts.from makergear.

I took off the gearbox and wanted to ask if this is how this pinion is supposed to look, or if half of it is sheared off:



Just spinning the removed gearbox, that spins freely and the cogs look ok under a stereo microscope.

Assuming this pinion has broken cogs, is that brazed on and I would need to order a new stepper with that pinion on it, or an entire new steeper/gearbox assembly?

Yeah that is beyond wasted... the teeth are suppose to run the full length of the gear.

The gears are held on with a certain loctite (MG recommended Loctite 609 or better) but it's probably easiest to just get a whole new motor.

Pinion ordered. I was able to remove the bad one with pliers and heat gun. Thanks.