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Gantry install

This is a 3d view that can be exploded showing the install.

password is a3dp

This is all needed files for the install https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Z4x9JJPxMVS33Lny1YkzpYVabQZxyF_G?usp=sharin

First step is to make sure you have all the parts needed for the install including stls from the other post.

Tools needed

  1. M5 allen key for removing the bed “the kit that came with the printer includes all allens needed
  2. M3,M2.5,M2,M1.5 allen keys a ratchet can be handy
  3. Philips screwdriver
  4. 6mm and 7mm socket

Remove the front and side lower panels and it is helpful to remove the acrylic panels to. Then remove the black acrylic surround that is around the bed. Be mindful to remove the bracket that holds the z cable chain otherwise you will have a very hard time removing the surround

Next remove the bed by removing the 4 m5 allen bolts . alternatively you can place the printer on its side and remove the bottom

Remove the toothed idler from the front brackets and run belt around the z belts instead of through. XY mounts need spacer under idler but on top is not important you will have an extra set from the toothed idler being removed in the front
with brass spacer and 2 top t nuts “only rec one and brass standoff not needed”
Shows dragon installed with Berd air
Run wires behind the belts

The first thing is to make sure that you have plenty of time and have printed all needed parts which is the

  1. 2 retainer pieces
  2. Cable chain “if was preorder”
  3. Orbiter housing from gdrive to convert the extruder. “Install the new orbiter first to test , it will work with the old setup so make sure you have good tolerances first.
  4. Part cooler “5015 setup in the gdrive ” or you can run berd air with the included hotend fan mount .
  5. Y endstop trigger “y endstop mount mechanical”
  6. Zip ties or clips printed

Next is required tools and required parts

  1. Allen keys that came with the printer or any metric set that goes from 1m m to 4mm should do .
  2. Sand paper or abrasive cloth to tolerance the pins “you want them to be snug with the idlers ,if you need them to be looser i can send ones that are undersized “
  3. Dragon or mosquito hotend , Next revision will support Takoto hotends “best thing if need highest flow or print with many abrasives nonstop”
  4. recommended if have a 300 to trim rail to 355 mm but not required some machines tighter than others . Can use an abrasive cutoff disc or a Dremel to cut. Can choose to make slots longer instead but recommend cutting rail . 400 does not need any cutting as their is full range on the 400 with the standard length rail
  5. If running mosquito then need to use the mosquito fan adapter to mount the 25mm slice fan and need to use the slice fan.

The first thing i recommend to do is the front three pieces which give the largest gain. That is the carriage and the x to y mounts. You will need to act like doing a dde install and open the cable chain up including the Z chain.

Remove the back bracket that holds the z chain from moving and also prevents the bed surround from lifting. Then remove the 4 screws that hold the bed surround down and remove the bed surround to make your life easier.

Now remove z links so that the 400 has approx 31 to 32 and the 300 has 23 to 24 . then pull any slack out of the cables making sure not to stretch or disconnect anything below . You may need to cut zip ties. At this point remove the xy cable chain and make a 19 link length for the 400 and the 300 can be 16 to 19 links as their is more slack . This will be the y chain unless using new. use the old t nuts to mount the cable chain to the y extrusion and then leave for now

At this time remove the 4 screws on the bottom of each guide on the y extrusions to drop the old x bar away. Now mount the new x to y joints almost finger tight . Then take the double t nut plates and use them to mount the rail still not tight . now mount the x to y joint that say a3dp on it and mount he carriage to the guide. At this point you can lift up on the rail a little and tighten the inner bolts to the tnut plate hand tight then release the rail and now tighten the outer bolts to the t nut plate firm but not crazy , go back and do the same for the first set and now move gantry forward and back and then tighten the bolts holding the x to y arms to the y rails.

Now you can mount the carriage cable chain mount and if you printed a spar mount that as well . You can now also run the cable chain to the carriage and mount the loose ends of the both cable chains to their respective locations.

Remove the extra idler from the front tensioner brackets and run the belt around the z belts as shown in the pictures above . Install the idlers on the new arms using the stock spacer underneath and nothing above. At this point attach belts to the carriage as it is much easier before hotend is installed.

Mount the y endstop mount trigger and mount your x endstop to the a3dp x to y cable chain mount. You can now install the hotend ,fans and extruder.

I will be completing a video shortly and will refine this with feedback but wanted to get a basic idea of what to do written down as a starting point so feel free to ask questions and i will edit this accordingly.

The motor mounts are more difficult but not by much . You need to setup the pins ahead of time so sand the pins or some said to use a freezer and place the idlers on the pins as shown in the pics. Now remove the old belt retainer clips and the old rear brackets. You need to install the 1mm spacers on the bottom of the extrusions in-between them and the new brackets. You will mount the motor with the button head screws supplied 3 to a motor. You need to take care not to lose the old hardware. ” seems some newer printers have thicker stock washers I am looking for a link if anyone wants to get proper replacements for the rear stack” Don’t run the belt until the last step for this install as it is much easier to just snake it through and it helps to remove rear panel so you disconnect power and unplug the spade connectors from t he block on the back . You can do this without removing the back panel and just removing the sides instead. Use the longer m5 bolts to replace the stock 12mm bolts that go thought the z mounts and the mounts as they are to short for stock let alone an additional mm for the new spacer. Install spacers under the stock front mounts, Install center t nut bolts loosely and run gantry forward and back then tighten them to avoid racking. Now you may run belts and make sure the tensioner set screws in front are out all the way. Take care to have some tension on belts but not much and then clamp with zip ties or printed retainers. Now you may tension taking care to keep gantry square with tension being equal. Refer to video on belt tension to understand if confused.

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