Repair workspace

Extruder Tension Too Tight or Too Loose

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Fast answer

Start here

Set enough idler pressure to feed consistently without crushing, flattening, or grinding the filament, then verify with a measured extrusion test.

Extrusion & Feed PathEasy12 min

Progress

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Step 1

Unload filament and clean the drive gear.

Step 2

Inspect gear wear, alignment, bearings, idler arm, and filament path.

Step 3

Return the tension adjuster to the manufacturer starting position.

Step 4

Load straight, dry filament of known diameter.

Step 5

Extrude slowly and increase tension only until slipping stops.

Step 6

Reduce tension if the filament is crushed or deeply grooved.

Step 7

Check for nozzle or tube restrictions before adding more pressure.

Step 8

Run a measured extrusion and retraction test.

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