Prusa i3 Y-Carriage motor mount / aligner / base bearing

thingiverse

The original Y-motor component from my vintage Prusa-I3 snapped while I was working on some maintenance (oops!). I knew the motor pulley had shifted off-center with the Y-belt due to the flawed design of the original part, which lacked support for keeping it straight. Since I was already tidying up and adjusting the machine's base when the break happened, I decided to create a new component that incorporates a support feature to keep the motor in place securely. This new part doesn't need any additional supports - just print the motor and support components and tighten them with M8 nuts and M3 screws just like before (no need for longer screws). Now I'm confident that the motor won't shift out of alignment again, preventing belt teeth from biting or unwanted vibrations. For best results, print this part in ABS with at least 50% infill. The FreeCAD source code is included as usual - no changes are expected here, just a simple print and installation job that worked seamlessly. I've seen some removable fixing parts available that don't require disassembling the machine's base, but they're designed to be push-fit only, which isn't ideal for 24/7 operation. To ensure a secure solution, I opted for designing a support system that engages with the M8 rods, guaranteeing it won't come loose during critical parts of the Y carriage's movement. The pictures show different colored parts because I was in a hurry and printed each one on another machine as soon as it became available. Sorry about the cluttered workbench - it's just what happens when you're working on projects!