Wow, wish I'd seen this regarding the z-screw rods before applying the lithium grease.

Lubricating threaded rods attracts dirt and debris that can be hard to remove and could cause premature wear which could theoretically lead to backlash. It could also clog the threaded nut and cause jerking and imperfections in your print that may not be very noticeable.

@@gerhardschwebler1442 you can clean them off with alcohol. You can probably safely use a dry lube like wd40 specialist with ptfe but I think those are delran nuts anyway & those are considered self-lubricating anyhow.

If they used higher quality parts, lithium grease would be standard. I service semiconductor equipment- every tool manufacturer with linear rods and screw drives use grease like isoflex nbu15….

Great to hear! happy printing :)

WOuld be great to see what you have done here. Can you share the gcode?

I like your idea, I'll try that! I still use the wire brush method to this day and never had any issues. Never even had to change the nozzle on the Prusa MK3, had it nearly 4 years!

Thanks Barry. I'm glad you found it useful!

Are you saying that we shouldn't lubricate the rods, the screws, or both?

grude1 don’t lubricate the z screw ... the rods with bearing it’s ok to lubricate ... but the screw it lubricate itself.... all rods lubricate with singer oil it’s ok , but absolutey don’t lubricate the z screw

Exactly, do not lubricant leadscrews. Maybe author should edit the video, as this goes directly against official Prusa user guide: help.prusa3d.com/cs/guide/printer-maintenance-tips_23201

WD40 is not a lubricant. It is closer to a solvent and rust dissolver.

this is by far the worst advice you are grinding away the metal of the nozzle

You're very welcome!

I’ve never had any problems with it personally... but it wouldn’t hurt! Do whichever method you feel most comfortable with :)

I wondered about that too. How can it not get on the filament spraying grease in there like that? Maybe it doesn’t effect the print tho..

This is not the common WD40 type. It's the silicon lubricante of the same company

this is correct, these motors are sealed and does not need lubrication, and as an elevator technichian i can tell you that many newer motors are sealed and cant be lubricated, they get replaced in 20-30 years and no need to lubricate and no way to lubricate befoure that.

WD40 will wash out grease from the bearings. Would never do this.

Matze W it’s not WD40 oil.... it’s WD40 Lithium Grease.

i would replace the metal bearings with igus bearings, they are quiet and you dont need to oil them

Yes you have to be careful with that. I would recommend a hardened steel nozzle personally. Not only will it last longer but you'll also be able to experiment with exotic filaments too.

If you are prone to skin problems then I would agree, wear gloves.

Don’t people dip their whole fingers in acetone to remove fake nails? Or do they not do that anymore lol.

@@itllBuffGaming exactly what I thought, nail polish remover is literally acetone

Thanks for watching!

fyi: NYLOCK MOD TUTORIAL github.com/PrusaOwners/prusaowners/wiki/Bed_Leveling_without_Wave_Springs and then do THIS: BED LEVELING CALIBRATION DONE EASY and WAYYYY BETTER: forum.prusaprinters.org/forum/original-prusa-i3-mk3s-mk3-assembly-and-first-prints-troubleshooting/life-adjust-z-my-way/

I've heard those have become very popular lately!

I used machine oil for smooth rods, and lithium grease for threaded rods.

@@thehardwareguy ok thanx for that👍

Buy a bottle of triflow and use that as the oil instead. Bicycle shops will often carry it or an equivalent if you can't find it in your area.

Hello, I believe they've changed this to a black polycarbonate piece now. I wouldn't panic if you don't have it, plus of course you can always print the part yourself

I just noticed mine doesn't have it either and has a ton of gunk like you're describing. Did you get yours all cleaned up? If so, how?

@@quentingauthier430 Okay, so here's what we did to clean it. Go to the settings and set the Z to something high so the nozzle is at least 5 or 6 inches above your plate. Then preheat the nozzle up to the highest temp setting. Then let it sit ON for at least 30 minutes. Most of it will melt off onto your plate. Turn it off and let it cool a bit, but not all the way. You should be able to pull off the rest while it's still malleable.

@@con-rob amazing! thanks!

In theory yeah, but if you’ve ever changed the bearings the first thing you’ll realise is just how much dirt & dust gets in there. Oil can get in there

@@thehardwareguy thanks. Just built my mk3s a week ago. Do you find the modified nozzle fan shroud you have printed makes a difference?

It’s just to ensure that the nozzle isn’t touching/damaging the steel sheet! During this calibration you can easily feel if the nozzle snags the paper, at which point you must turn the printer off immediately. Good luck with the printer man, any more questions just let me know!

I’ve never had this problem! If it slips it’s too slack!

True, I didn't include this in the video because it's a little more "risky". I tend to only do a cold pull if extruder is clogged up!

Run through some cleaning filament instead

I don't recommend that, because regular WD-40 damages plastic and it's not exactly designed to be a lubricant. It's main function is cleaning and water displacement for rusty parts I believe.

They are very similar. But basically grease is oil mixed with some kind of thickener. WD40 grease looks more like a white paste, which just helps it last longer! Standard machine oil is cleaner/easier to manage but it dries up quicker. Personally I would never put Grease on the printer rails just because it would make such a mess. Machine Oil is also known to be much better for lubricating bearings.

thehardwareguy there is a wD 40 dry ptfe lib for metal to metal contact

@@thehardwareguy WD40 will dry quicker then oil, it will dissolve some dirt, penetrate all small places and after some time evaporate mostly. I'd say that for small gears in extruder oil or grease would work better than wd40.

@@adamd6469 It's just WD40 brand, it's white lithium grease not the OG WD-40 formulation. Totally different product

1) it does not. The bearing closer to the pulley and belt tension is significantly under higher load then the rear bearing. 2) The bearings are sealed, for proper lubrication, you need to disassemble the motor (4 screw at the rear), and pull the assembly carefully. Note the location of the spring washer, as its normally at the rear and pressing the motor assembly forward (Toward the output shaft). Clean all surfaces, alcohol works fine. And you can then lube the bearings from the inside, you may need to pry off the dust cap seal 1st. Give you a chance to actually inspect the bearings as well and check for any excessive wear. But frankly, it's just as cheap to replace the motor vs. going through the steps to replace 2 bearings. Spraying white grease from the outside, doesn't do anything.

You’re welcome for the video.

I’ve used them on Creality printers... they’re okay, but I found that filament can still get trapped inside them and then dip down onto prints unexpectedly! A few of my white PLA prints had black PETG smears on them. Since then I removed the nozzle sock and never had the problem again!

@@thehardwareguy creality socks are a bit rubbish, ive got e3d pro sock on my mk3s (the one that covers everything completely) only the tip of the nozzle pokes out, theres no chance of filament getting in there.

A lubricant would better. WD40 is NOT a lubricant.

@@TraitorFelon.14.3 maybe graphite grease?

@@martincaneva4247 Lithium grease with PTFE is my choice. I use it inside the roller bearings.

Any service is better than no service!But generally the more often the better, without overdoing it of course!

@@thehardwareguy Came back to say, I did complete maintenance before printing a massive 3 day job and some prototypes. Everything turned out great but I think it's time for another maintenance. LOL