Y-Carriage Crunchy Linear Bearings? As if Metal on Metal  

Re: Y-Carriage Crunchy Linear Bearings? As if Metal on Metal

Yes, fast moves cause a crisp sound, but it's normal.
If you want a lower noise level then you need to replace the ball bearings with sliding bearings.
The noise is nothing that botheres me because the printer is so quiet that I could have it in the bedroom 😀

Re: Y-Carriage Crunchy Linear Bearings? As if Metal on Metal

Here is what it sounds like with the factory linear bearings.

Re: Y-Carriage Crunchy Linear Bearings? As if Metal on Metal

Have you tried:
1) Adding general purpose machine oil on the smooth rods?
AND
2) Adding lithium grease inside of bearings?

See:
https://help.prusa3d.com/l/en/article/sVQHD6vtfm-bearings-maintenance

Re: Y-Carriage Crunchy Linear Bearings? As if Metal on Metal

Have you tried:
1) Adding general purpose machine oil on the smooth rods?
AND
2) Adding lithium grease inside of bearings?

See:
https://help.prusa3d.com/l/en/article/sVQHD6vtfm-bearings-maintenance

Thank you. Excellent link.

I have not tried anything but new Prusa stock. I will try lube, if the thrid party bearings, from VXB, produce the same results. They arrive in 2 days. I'll post a video and result.

Re: Y-Carriage Crunchy Linear Bearings? As if Metal on Metal

You should also test it without the Belt atached to the Bed/Motor.
1.Because the stepper motor generates noise itself.
2. Fast movements could kill parts of the electronics.
3. you won´t "feel" slightly to tight bearings with the motor attached.

Re: Y-Carriage Crunchy Linear Bearings? As if Metal on Metal

Btw. the (sliding) Igus bearings have a lot of side clearance on the y axis.

Re: Y-Carriage Crunchy Linear Bearings? As if Metal on Metal

Thanks for the input guys. I received the VXB linear bearings today.

It makes the same noise. I will assume this noise is by design, and normal. I will proceed with the build using the Prusa factory bearings.

I may also try those plastic Igus models, if it makes load noises when printing.

I just saw videos where the vloggers are saying how quite the MK3 is. Maybe its not so load when printing. I dunno.. My first. I will come back to this post later if its load.

Thanks again everyone!

Re: Y-Carriage Crunchy Linear Bearings? As if Metal on Metal

WOW! So sorry for making this thread. No noise issues at all when printing.

(MY NOOB RESULTS)
- Prusa MK3 Linear Bearings are loud when moving back and forth by hand.
- VXB Linear Bearings made no noise difference. Same level of noise.
- When printing, you do not hear the same noise, when moving by hand.
- The Prusa I3 MK3 stock Linear Bearings are wicked quite when printing!!

(VIDEO OF PRUSA LINEAR BEARINGS PRINTING)

PS. I need help, or more practice on making prints stick to the bead, as you can see in the video. I will try another .050 lower on the Z.

Re: Y-Carriage Crunchy Linear Bearings? As if Metal on Metal

Hi Bryan,
Exactly same here. Among the three bearings, one is perfectly smooth, and can be thrown from one rod's end to the other, the two others seem to have square balls, and can't even been turned around the rod axis. As per your experience, I'll finished to mount the printer and see if at the end the result is correct or not, but as an engineer, this is everything but mechanically satisfaying... Thanks for your thread, at least it shows that I'lm not alone 🙂
Denis

Re: Y-Carriage Crunchy Linear Bearings? As if Metal on Metal

it technically is metal on metal...

Re: Y-Carriage Crunchy Linear Bearings? As if Metal on Metal

(5 MONTH PRO UPDATE)
- Still printing quite.
- Stock Prusa bearings are still doing just fine.
- Oh.. and I no longer have that print warping issue, since I started using glue sticks.

(5 MONTH CON UPDATE)
- 5V Print Fan broke. Fan no spin. Cable fine. Actual Fan Defective. (warranty covered and replaced, arrived 3 days via DHL to US).
- Heatbed Thermistor cable broke. Cable had a break in the line. Actual Thermistor OK. (warranty covered and replaced, arrived 3 days via DHL to US).

Re: Y-Carriage Crunchy Linear Bearings? As if Metal on Metal

WOW! So sorry for making this thread. No noise issues at all when printing.

I'm really happy you did 🙂

I just built my Y-axis yesterday, and I spent the night and most of the day worrying about that exact sound, so I was really happy to find this thread.

Re: Y-Carriage Crunchy Linear Bearings? As if Metal on Metal

Mine was like this as well when I got it, so I basically flooded the bearings with singer sewing machine oil, let them stand to drain excess, then assembled. Runs nice and smooth now, but still makes some noise but nothing like it did new (dry).
I bought one of those needle tip precision oil dispensers and put a couple of drops on the rods every once in a while, and clean the dust the bearing seals push along the rods off with a paper towel when I can see any buildup.
Seems to be running well with this, just don't go too mad on the X axis as oil could drip onto the belt.

Also, ditch those U bolts.
I found these: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2830466 fit perfectly with no nuts needed, just use m3 cap heads long enough to just poke out the holes and screw them in until the clamp is against the X frame and that's it, not to tight and not to loose.