How Tight Should My Belts Be?

[@3DPrintscape]

I hope you found this overview helpful! If you have any questions or would like other tips/tricks, just let me know in the comments.

[@koosy2987]

If the belt sounds like Jimi Hendrix, it's just right..Stop tensioning it when it starts sounding like Van Halen.

[@3DPrintscape]

Hi. Those are good examples, thanks for sharing.

[@mochibelly5152]

Great video :-) unsure if it is worth mentioning but depending on the placement of the bed or hotend the belt may feel more loose/tight than it actually is. If you move the hot end all the way to the left it will feel looser so worth finding a reference point on where you are going feel the tension from. This could be why people are over tightning.

[@3DPrintscape]

Hi. Thanks for the feedback and ya great point. If possible, the carriage or bed should be in the middle when doing the test.

[@slicedpage]

It is all in the Twang. I am getting layer shift and I bet it is the belts. I have not touched them since 2020. Thank you, Sir

[@3DPrintscape]

You're Welcome

[@MrSpazbomb]

Thanks for going into specifics. Hopefully I can find my sweet spot. My belts got knocked loose and now they're at a point where I can print a small test just fine but when it comes to large prints I get obvious shifting.

[@3DPrintscape]

Glad to help

[@ArcanePath360]

Finally! someone who talks about the actual tension. Been adjusting mine and still getting a bit of VFA. Layer lines look even but just trying to get that last big of fine tuning. Looks like my X was still a little bit loose. I've now copied your tension pluck sound. Thanks. My belt on the Y was too tight as a split started to form on one side.

[@3DPrintscape]

Hi. Thanks for the feedback, im glad i was able to help.

[@advocatus360]

You're doing good work here. Thank you for sharing

[@3DPrintscape]

Hi. Thanks for the feedback :)

[@AndrewAHayes]

Some people have been using guitar tuner apps to tension their belts in a uniform manner, I dont know which note they are using but I dont see anything wrong with that method

[@3DPrintscape]

Hi. That's an interesting approach and should work just fine assuming the note they are tuning to matches the printers needs.

[@SP4CEBAR]

Great advice, best video I've seen so far on this topic, thank you!

[@3DPrintscape]

You’re welcome

[@fabiocarra1997]

i got my first ender 3 pro couple weeks ago this will be really usefull, thanks!

[@3DPrintscape]

Glad it helped!

[@GuruByNature]

Rob, Less artifacts will show when a belt is tensioned to the point that the pluck you speak of is producing a hertz frequency of 150-175. This can be tested with several note finder apps on both IOS and Android. I am sure you will agree that movement is much smoother when rollers and belts are “not to tight”. Rollers should be able to spin with your fingers in place against the 2040 or 4040 aluminum profile. If I am going to have some rollers tighter than others it would be the ones on the Z axis near the Z rod. Especially if it is not a dual Z srod crew. Less drag on the free floating side is paramount! A perfectly straight x gantry once obtained and secured will prove long lasting. Less artifacts and smoother layer lines will result even under a microscope. The fact that most all belts consist of rubber and strands of wire means that once the slack point is made, only a small amount of tension should be applied after that. Thanks for all you do, I feel a bit odd telling an OG these discoveries, though what it is worth I have an extensive engineering background and have been blessed to afford the time in that last year to devote my every day (and night) to obtaining absolute perfection on 3 machines which I have built. Hey while I am at it, I want to share something with you concerning the fact that aluminum extrusion profile does in fact collapse fairly easy, over time with the tightening of the m5x45 bolts. This is problematic in two specific areas, 1. Maintaining equal distance from left Z rail to right Z rail both bottom distance and top distance. The top will be difficult to achieve in the case of an older, over tightened machine. Even more critical is the fact that the Y axis being the bed runs on a single 4040 extrusion which is mounted also to a single 4040 extrusion, to make matters even worse is that the bittom 4040 is cut/notched out so to mount together. I have seen several machines where the m5x45 has squeezed the profile making it impossible to maintain bed level integrity. I have a resolution for this issue and whether present or not make one HELLOFA difference. I would love to share this with you because I can’t believe it has not been addressed yet. When I tell you that my machines are on point, I can 100% of the time hit start and walk away from it. Printing directly on Borosilicate glass with a flawless first layer and print EVERY time! To add to this I rarely if ever have to adjust. With the solution that I speak of, a small bump or moving the machine will not affect said performance in any way. How is it that I can speak with you?

[@3DPrintscape]

Hi. You can reach out to me on discord. The server invite is in the video description.

[@CryptoPivot]

@@3DPrintscape You never answer it seems.

[@3DPrintscape]

@@CryptoPivot I am on discord a decent bit and answer when I can. There are also other mods and members that answer questions as well.

[@CryptoPivot]

@@3DPrintscape It was not a question. Forget it.

[@3DPrintscape]

@@CryptoPivot Sorry, i do what i can with the time i have.

[@XCF33t]

Just what I needed. Thanks!

[@3DPrintscape]

You're Welcome

[@Rsm583]

Thoughts of Marlin performing home X 3 times in a row and referencing the time to a baseline to complete the task to help determine if the belt needs to be adjusted? Imagine a feature called "check belts" where it autohome 3 times in a row and compare to a baseline to determine if any adjustments are needed? Silly or practical concept?

[@3DPrintscape]

Hi. Thats an interesting thought. If there was a set time to complete some of the movements that would deviate enough if the belt is too loose or too tight, that could work. Im just not sure if its that precise.

[@lawryl296]

I've snapped at least 2 belts tensioning with the Allen wrench. Honestly now if I was going to retension my belts I have spares on hand otherwise I've been left down for days waiting for new ones

[@headerahelix]

Aren't you dramatically warping your belts by tightening so much they're at risk of snapping? Have you measured your prints for size accuracy?

[@lawryl296]

@@headerahelix prints are accurately sized within 0.01 of a mm so am happy enough In saying that I believe I had some faulty belts from creality as the gates belt I have no has been running beautifully

[@3DPrintscape]

Hi. Sorry to hear that, i havent had any issues with getting anywhere snapping the belt.

[@peerrucke2599]

did you ever encounter the problem, that the y-axes starts "rattling"..as soon as the extruder travels a little faster, theres vibration and rattling? On Ender 3s1? I tried all kinds of tension on the lower wheel with the excenter-screw. Sometimes it seems perfect for 1-2 hours, but on a longer print the rattling increases over time. Its so frustrating, i got the X-ax perfect meanwhile, the Y only has 1 wheel and still i cant manage to let that extruder travel silently.

[@3DPrintscape]

Hi. I havent had that issue. Is the printer level and is everything else tight?

[@peerrucke2599]

@@3DPrintscape yes everything is leveled, also prints look fine. Its just i can hear a lot of stress is created on the rails and wheels. The longer the print takes, the more the rails start to vibrate on sudden movements. Already decreased travel and travel acceleration.

[@3DPrintscape]

@@peerrucke2599 Something seems off for sure.

[@Dr_PeeWee]

​@@peerrucke2599 I was just having this problem the other night on my Ender 3 S1 Pro. The first thing I look at on your bed is the v-groove wheels themselves. They like to collect a lot of dust under there for some reason. I cleaned my v-groove rollers then adjusted the tension on the v-groove rollers. Then I adjusted belt tension. While I was at it I checked the other v-groove rollers and left side V groove rollers we're loose and also the threaded brass bearing surface for the Z axis was loose on both sides. I was having a menstrual bowl with first layer lines and constant misalignment and noticed that during leveling the smallest bump or anything could cause a change in the resistance on my paper. After adjusting all of this stuff I went through all of the leveling steps and have had the best results since I got the printer

[@Etj1013]

I've been seeing these weird....things....whenever I print the cube. If I am looking at it straight on it looks perfect, but if I tilt it just right I can see some extremely noticeable lines/ridges running up the entire print. Would this be caused by the belt or something else?

[@3DPrintscape]

Hi. Its hard to say without a picture but if they are always in the same spot it could be from something on your track or a damaged wheel.

[@Etj1013]

@@3DPrintscape going from memory it's basically in the same spots every time

[@3DPrintscape]

@@Etj1013 I would look at the track and wheels. I had a small dent in a wheel that caused a similar issue.

[@Etj1013]

@@3DPrintscape i'll take a look when I got home. Thank you!

[@ValVanni]

My ender 3 pro doesn't have a space to put the Allen wrench in to apply tension, its just the belt exposed -- is that normal?

[@3DPrintscape]

Hi. You should be able to put something small between the two parts to stretch out the belt a bit.

[@david_tm]

Man your shirt really messes with the youtube compression, at least when at 4k lol

[@3DPrintscape]

Hi. Thats funny, didnt really think about it.

[@armani007E55]

This is great! Thank you for creating this content. Question. For the rollers how tight should those be? Tks!

[@3DPrintscape]

Hi. Thanks for the feedback. If your talking the rollers the belt run on they should be tight enough to not move side to side but loose enough that they are not restricted from rolling freely.

[@armani007E55]

@@3DPrintscape Got it! thanks!

[@schlomoshekelstein908]

I tighten mine down until the nut bottoms out on the housing lol. i'm pretty sure you can't get these shitty little belts tight enough. i don't know how people are breaking theres. i'm adding washers as shims to get even more tension lol

[@3DPrintscape]

Hi. Ive come close to snapping one with the belt tension kit i have. They are cheaply made, so it doesnt surprise me that it happens.

[@mmar4281990]

Can you print the belt out of tpu?

[@3DPrintscape]

Hi. Im not sure, never tried. I think you would be able to but im not sure how long it would last.

[@schlomoshekelstein908]

they'll stretch.... just use leather shoe strings and make a belt

[@Elgordis_]

Thank you

[@3DPrintscape]

You're welcome

[@FedeCocina]

Take care people, I overtight mine and it ended up breaking.

[@3DPrintscape]

Hi. Sorry to hear that. It important that the belt be tight, but you dont want to over tighten it.

[@BillyBonesYT]

just tight enough so you dont sufficate but it keeps the clothes on.

[@3DPrintscape]

Yup, that sounds about right lol.

[@jordanmccallong6212]

just snapped my x and y belt

[@3DPrintscape]

Hi. Was it during printing or when tightening them? Ive never had a belt snap when adjusting the tightness. Were they old or worn down?

[@snailtrail1779]

i have the same ender printer

[@3DPrintscape]

Cool, how do you like it?

[@snailtrail1779]

@@3DPrintscape it was very help full thanks

[@cheapmod]

Best mods I've done just put filement separately from printer.

[@3DPrintscape]

Hi. That does help with reducing the weight on the printer but it hasnt really been an issue for me.

[@snailtrail1779]

grate vid first comment

[@3DPrintscape]

Thanks