i3 Top Bearing Bracket

thingiverse

I've been using my Geeetech i3 (8mm Plastic) printer for quite a while now, and it's been performing exceptionally well with just a few key upgrades. The wobble remover was the main game-changer, but I recently added the top bearing to further enhance noise reduction and overall quality. I've provided parts compatible with the 8mm and 5.5 mm (W variant) Geeetech offers, as well as another variant that I upgraded, although I'm not sure what it's called. I've built multiple i3s, and their top brackets can vary, so these parts may not fit your specific model. To ensure a proper fit, simply print a layer and compare it to yours. Problems with old bracket: The lead screw used to produce an ear-piercing screech as it turned, but I enlarged the hole to alleviate this issue. Unfortunately, it then began to rattle frequently, although it was an improvement over the screeching noise. When the extruder moved back and forth, its weight would cause the motor coupling to compress, resulting in the extruder dropping and rising, which in turn affected the height of the tip above the bed. How the new bracket and bearing fixes this: The skate bearing effectively stops the lead screw from moving back and forth, eliminating vibrations and significantly reducing noise. By utilizing a slide and two simple locking collars – one at the bottom of the bracket and one on the lead screw at the top – I'm able to support the bracket, which in turn enables the bearing and top bracket to support the weight of the extruder. This prevents the extruder from moving up and down as it traverses left to right, potentially alleviating some of the weight burden on the stepper motors.