How to lubricate the threaded rods of your 3D printer
The threaded rods of a 3D printer need new grease from time to time. I will show you how I clean and lubricate the rods and bearings.
For days, my Bambu Lab P2S has been annoying me with a warning message: the lead screws need new lubricant. I kept clicking it away, just like I used to do with Windows updates. But eventually, enough is enough, and I'm taking the time to finally maintain the thing. Basically, this works the same for every printer. So, you can also follow this guide if you own a different model.
Why lubricate at all?
A 3D printer moves its print head and bed via lead screws, smooth guide rods, and various bearings. These mechanical components rub against each other during movement, which can cause them to wear out. No or too little lubricant not only creates annoying noises but also leads to inaccurate prints in the long run: the axes no longer move smoothly. That's why it's worth re-lubricating regularly.
Gathering the tools
Before I start, I lay out everything I need: a microfiber cloth, isopropyl alcohol, grease for the lead screws, and oil for the guide rods and bearings.
Cleaning and lubricating the lead screws
First, I move the print bed all the way down via the touchscreen so that I can reach the lead screws. With the cleaning cloth and a little isopropyl alcohol, I wipe all the dirt and the old, hardened layer of grease off the rods.
If a rod looks really bad, I let the printer move the axis up and down minimally while I wipe. This way, the rods rotate, and I can reach areas all around that are otherwise difficult to access.
Then I apply a small dab of grease every few centimeters. Important: don't overdo it. Too much grease just attracts additional dust and provides no benefit. For the rear rod, I have trouble reaching it with the tube's nozzle, so only my finger helps there.
Don't forget the bearings
At the bottom of each lead screw sits a small bearing. I put a drop of oil into it. After oiling, I move the bed up and down so that the oil can distribute itself in the bearing and on the lead screws. If excess grease collects at the print bed's mounting mechanism, I wipe it away with a cloth.
Oiling the print head rails
Next, I turn off the printer so that I can move the print head by hand. I wipe all the smooth round rods on which the print head runs clean on both sides with alcohol. Then, a thin film of oil is applied.
I push the print head all the way to one side, clean the exposed rod, then push it to the other side and continue there. This way, I catch every centimeter, including the spot that was previously hidden under the print head.
After oiling: don't forget to calibrate
After lubricating, the work is not quite finished yet. I go to calibration in the menu, then to print calibration, leave everything on default, and start the process. This way, I ensure that the printer is correctly adjusted for the next print. If your printer doesn't do this automatically, you have to recalibrate it manually.
After about 20 minutes, my P2S is running smoothly again, and the annoying message has disappeared from the display. I'm now planning to do this regularly so that my 3D printer continues to run cleanly for a long time.
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