Ricoh ProC5200 booklet fold unit

[dalewb74]

so i have a Ricoh ProC5200 with a sr5080 with booklet fold unit with center fold only. no error codes. but when it folds letter size, it only folds about 1/3 of the way down the page, not in the center as it should. i have cleaned all the rollers inside the fold unit. and i hit them with rubber rejuvenator. i have replaced the stepper motors for fold plate motor and the fold roller motor. i have also swapped sensors to see if the problem follows, it does not. the fold is as it should be, just in the wrong place. i have other techs here at our office look at it as well. but everyone is stumped to what is causing the actual problem. all total myself and the other techs have over 50 yrs combined working on copiers. i can see the paper move into the jogger. and the jogger seems to work fine. i am trying to avoid throwing parts at it, as what has happened so far. the only adjustment in the service manual is in millimeters, limited to 2mm. the fold is off by at least 3 inches. i have been talking to ricoh, but i think they are as lost as i am. everything they recommend doesn't seem to be for the actual problem. all parts i have replaced are from ricoh, according to the service manual and the parts catalog that i have. i have gotten the firmware from ricoh. both the copier and the finisher firmware are up to date. anyone seem this before? got any suggestions?
oh i also forgot to mention. whenever i fold ledger size (11x17) it folds in the wrong spot as well. but not the same area as where the fold is wrong on the letter size.

[copier tech]

Re: Ricoh ProC5200 booklet fold unit

so i have a Ricoh ProC5200 with a sr5080 with booklet fold unit with center fold only. no error codes. but when it folds letter size, it only folds about 1/3 of the way down the page, not in the center as it should. i have cleaned all the rollers inside the fold unit. and i hit them with rubber rejuvenator. i have replaced the stepper motors for fold plate motor and the fold roller motor. i have also swapped sensors to see if the problem follows, it does not. the fold is as it should be, just in the wrong place. i have other techs here at our office look at it as well. but everyone is stumped to what is causing the actual problem. all total myself and the other techs have over 50 yrs combined working on copiers. i can see the paper move into the jogger. and the jogger seems to work fine. i am trying to avoid throwing parts at it, as what has happened so far. the only adjustment in the service manual is in millimeters, limited to 2mm. the fold is off by at least 3 inches. i have been talking to ricoh, but i think they are as lost as i am. everything they recommend doesn't seem to be for the actual problem. all parts i have replaced are from ricoh, according to the service manual and the parts catalog that i have. i have gotten the firmware from ricoh. both the copier and the finisher firmware are up to date. anyone seem this before? got any suggestions?
oh i also forgot to mention. whenever i fold ledger size (11x17) it folds in the wrong spot as well. but not the same area as where the fold is wrong on the letter size.

So does ALL paper sizes fold in the wrong position ? How about SEF & LEF ?

[blee]

Re: Ricoh ProC5200 booklet fold unit

Are the staples in the correct place? or are they aligned with the fold? The way it's supposed to work is when the set gets jogged and then sent up and then over and dropped down into the booklet area. There is what I believe Ricoh calls a trailing fence that the set drops down to. The set gets stapled by the booklet stapler and then it gets raised up a little to get folded by the folding plate pushing it through folding rollers. If the staple is in the right spot but the fold is not, it sounds like the set is not getting raised after the booklet gets stapled. If the fold and staple are in the same spot then that trailing fence stopper may not be going to the right spot and stopping the set at an incorrect location. I've never had that unit apart but there could be a bind somewhere in one of those 2 mechanisms depending on where the staple is.

[slimslob]

Re: Ricoh ProC5200 booklet fold unit

Does this occur when printing, copying or both?

[dalewb74]

Re: Ricoh ProC5200 booklet fold unit

yes all sizes, copy or print does this. funny thing i forgot to mention. saddle stitch, the staples are in the correct position. but the fold is not. even if i don't staple, fold only, it's still in the wrong position.

[slimslob]

Re: Ricoh ProC5200 booklet fold unit

That puts the problem as something having to do with the folding unit.

[dalewb74]

Re: Ricoh ProC5200 booklet fold unit

correct. just trying to determine what the actual cause is. tired of throwing parts at it and hope it works. was hoping maybe someone had seen this before. thanks everyone for your input.