The Symptoms - When to Change the Gears

The very first thing I always notice when my gears are starting to get worn out is that my retraction will often fail and have to be repeated. Now, just because your retraction fails, does not mean you need to replace your gears. There could be other issues at play.

However, the second thing I start to notice is that my filament starts to look as though the extruder is not always laying down filament.

Here is an example:

When you start noticing these things it is time to swap out the gears. There are two methods I have used, so I will share them with you. Personally, I recommend using "Method 1" the first time you attempt this. It is a little easier, and if you keep the old extruder kit you will be a better position to use "Method 2" next time.

Method 1: Creality's Recommendation - Swap Whole Extruder Kit

The recommendation from Creality for changing the gears is to replace the entire extruder kit.

Admittedly, this solution is by far the easier of the two solutions I will present. If you don't mind spending an extra $20, you can save yourself some time and labor (not to mention potential frustration) this way.

This was video link was taken directly from Creality's documentation and gives an elegant walkthrough of how to swap out the extruder kit. I personally have used this method twice with my K1C.

HINT: If you use this method, save your old extruder kit for next time so you can try the method below... Only switching gears. Then you'll be able to swap the gears while your printer is still running. Almost zero downtime!

Method 2: My Solution - Change Only the Gears

I find that a new extruder kit is much more expensive than a couple of gears (twice the price), and it has only ever been the gears that I have an issue with. So, it makes sense to me to switch only the gears and save some money.

Check out the video below for a walkthrough of how to change out the gears.

Let me know what you think,

Happy Printing!

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 Changing K1C Extruder Gears