Designjet T610 clunking noise when printing

[RWMurrayCo]

Recently we had our belt changed and now there is a loud noise coming from the right side of the printer.  It had been printing normally with out noise for several months.  WE do not use it often.  Now it's become a noise issue.  It's a clunking noise clearly coming from the right side but it's still printing so it's not the print head.

Any ideas?

[tonerspills]

I know I've seen the carriage rear bushing left off the carriage assembly on T1100's which causes the print head carriage assembly to hit part of the front frame on the right front side. It's a really easy part to loose or break, but i've not rebuit a 610.

Q5669-6068

thats the part number, but you basically have to repeat the belt changing procedure to gain access to the area to verify if the rear bushing is there, installed correctly or missing.

[RWMurrayCo]

Thank you for the input. I found a replacement carriage rear bushing - in your professional opinion, is that something I could replace myself without special tools? I am mechanically inclined but not a tech-type person.

[tonerspills]

yes- there is a you tube video on how to do the replacement, you will need a few specialty tools, but you can order them online if needed- basically just a few extended torx bits- you can watch the video and see if it's something you want to tackle.

designjet T series belt replacement

[RWMurrayCo]

Hmmm - that might be an issue then. One more question - if this bushing is the problem, should we technically still be able to print? It has been printing but sounds like it is broken as it prints. Print quality is fine. Thoughts?

[tonerspills · Accepted solution]

i'll private message you a link where to find the service manual- the bushing replacement procedure starts on page 6-137. the video doesn't go into detail on the importance of this piece, but at least it gives you an idea of what you would be facing.

[tonerspills]

speaking from experience, the first T1100 i rebuilt i left this part off, or the tech before me who did the intial belt replacement left it off I didn't know about it. When i rebuilt the printer, it would print- but just made a horrible clunking sound when the carriage would get near the right side docking station. I powered up the printer, started a job and unplugged the machine so that the carraige was free to move- and it was quite obvious where the contact was being made.

 when you slide the carriage to the right, you will see where it is contacting the plastic piece in the front right side.

the print quality was fine, but if left to continue like that I can only assume that other parts would have failed eventually- this bushing when in place actually raises the print head just enough so that it can go through its full range of motion without hitting the right side plastic frame.