How to Fix a Squeaking Bambu Lab Printer

A squeaking Bambu Lab P- or X-series printer is usually an easy fix. The trick is finding where the squeak comes from before you start lubricating everything in sight.

What you'll need

Step 1: Find the squeak

1. Run an auto home and listen as the toolhead and bed move.
2. Move the bed up and down from the touchscreen and listen.
3. Power off and move the toolhead left-right and front-back by hand.

A squeak when the bed moves usually means the Z-axis idler pulley underneath. A squeak when the toolhead moves usually means one of the two idler pulleys at the back.

Step 2: Align the belts (toolhead squeaks)

Unplug the printer and turn it around. Move the toolhead and watch the belts run over the two rear idlers. They should stay roughly centred. A belt rubbing the top or bottom edge causes squeaking.

1. Loosen both screws on each idler by about a quarter turn.
2. While moving the head, push the top tab in to move the belt down, or the bottom tab in to move it up.
3. When it's centred, hold the tab and gently retighten.
4. Re-check both sides, since adjusting one can shift the other. It doesn't need to be perfect; it just can't touch the edges.

Step 3: Clean and lubricate the idlers

Clean a dirty idler bearing with a cotton bud soaked in IPA while moving the head (don't leave threads behind or get debris on the belt). Fill the needle applicator with Super Lube and put a small drop where the bearing meets the plastic housing, top and bottom of each pulley, keeping it off the belt. Move the head a few times to spread it.

Don't lubricate every idler in the machine. It attracts dust. In my experience it's almost always the two at the back or the one underneath.

Step 4: Rods, rails and belts

• Clean the carbon-fibre X rod and the belts with IPA and microfibre. Never lubricate these: it hurts print quality and can damage the printer.
• Clean the Y and Z linear rails, let them dry, then add a few drops of lube (on the Z rails, a few drops at the top). This prevents rust and keeps the bearings smooth.

Z-axis squeaks

Carefully lay the printer on its side, find the idler pulley underneath, clean it with IPA and add a small drop of lube to the bearing area.

Finish up

Power on and run the bed up and down to spread the lubricant. Wipe off any excess (otherwise it collects debris), clean the bed surface, and run a full calibration. That's it: smooth and squeak-free.

Still squeaking? Join my community, where plenty of makers are happy to help.

More guides

Scrubbler Nozzle Wiper for Bambu Lab P1S: Install Guide and Fix Bambu Lab Prints Not Sticking? How to Fix Bed Adhesion How to Tell If Filament Is Wet, and the Best Ways to Dry It

Common questions

Why is my Bambu Lab printer squeaking?

Usually a belt rubbing against the edge of a rear idler, or a dry idler bearing. A squeak when the bed moves usually comes from the Z-axis idler pulley underneath; a squeak when the toolhead moves comes from the two rear idlers.

What lubricant should I use on a Bambu Lab printer?

Super Lube 52004, applied with a needle-nose oil applicator to the idler bearings and a few drops on the Y and Z linear rails.

Should I lubricate the carbon rods and belts?

No. Clean the carbon-fibre X rod and the belts with IPA and a microfibre cloth, but never lubricate them. Don't lubricate every idler either, as it attracts dust.

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