MP C4503 Transfer belt walked and torn!?

[jam-o-matic]

set up our first couple of "03" models (nice change to the SP access ), everything went fine, tested 50 B&W, 10 color. Installed at customer site and after the first 20 color prints the crinkling noise of a transfer belt. Tech found the transfer cleaning unit FULL of waste toner & the T-belt shifted to one side, wrinkling and ripping the belt. Wondering if anyone else has had this, really hoping it was a fluke, before we install the replacement T-belt. No tape or debris in cleaning unit. Set up from manual. Scratching head, praying for no repeat of some previous launch issues...
Thanks for any input.

update: replaced the ITB unit with new (doesn't come with cleaning unit), running fine today. Have the bad one at the office, cleaning coil turned fine. I suspect the toner buildup may have been from when it kept trying to calibrate while the belt was wrinkled, and laying down color patch/strips over & over. I will update if anything found upon tear down.

[ruben]

Re: MP C4503 Transfer belt walked and torn!?

I've had a few units with stoppers still in the dev units, could be that or another stopper/tag missed during manufacturing. I think Ricoh's quality is starting to go downhill lately.

[Eric1968]

Re: MP C4503 Transfer belt walked and torn!?

If the ITB-Cleaning Unit is full of toner then maybe one of the coils that move the waste toner to the waste toner tank is broken?

[johnyb]

I've had a few units with stoppers still in the dev units, could be that or another stopper/tag missed during manufacturing. I think Ricoh's quality is starting to go downhill lately.

I agree Ruben the latest models are cheap and plastic'y, not as robost a Ricoh normally is ....
Time will tell but I think Ricoh have gone backwards in their design! maybe the guy who fooked up Some other manufacturers machines have now gone to Ricoh to fook up theirs, they have also taken their friends who design and compile the field service and part's manuals to Ricoh as these have been dire too at Ricoh lately.
As I say gone backwards! !

[slimslob]

Re: MP C4503 Transfer belt walked and torn!?

In trying to put the duplexor completely inside the unit and still mantain the same foot print, they kind of scrunched everything together.

The new so called 3D pdf part catalogs are a pain. I have even had support personnel complain about them. Give me the old flat blow up or the true 3D catalog. As for the service manual, I used to use the Detailed Description section as an aid for trouble shooting.

[techsass]

Re: MP C4503 Transfer belt walked and torn!?

Met up with a tech today with the same thing. I found the front finisher bracket screw was pushing against the ITB frame.

[Eric1968]

Re: MP C4503 Transfer belt walked and torn!?

On what type of finisher?

[techsass]

Re: MP C4503 Transfer belt walked and torn!?

I think it was the 3160 (?). Actually I didn't check, but the ITB assy. was stiff pulling out & pushing in until I backed the screw out.

[turbojetboy]

Re: MP C4503 Transfer belt walked and torn!?

set up our first couple of "03" models (nice change to the SP access ), everything went fine, tested 50 B&W, 10 color. Installed at customer site and after the first 20 color prints the crinkling noise of a transfer belt. Tech found the transfer cleaning unit FULL of waste toner & the T-belt shifted to one side, wrinkling and ripping the belt. Wondering if anyone else has had this, really hoping it was a fluke, before we install the replacement T-belt. No tape or debris in cleaning unit. Set up from manual. Scratching head, praying for no repeat of some previous launch issues...
Thanks for any input.

update: replaced the ITB unit with new (doesn't come with cleaning unit), running fine today. Have the bad one at the office, cleaning coil turned fine. I suspect the toner buildup may have been from when it kept trying to calibrate while the belt was wrinkled, and laying down color patch/strips over & over. I will update if anything found upon tear down.

We had one do exactly the same thing.........belt shredded itself one day in. New ITB and been fine since. Transfer cleaners will always be full of toner due to "clever" design and having it mounted on top of the belt assy.

Next time your in front of one have a good look at the fuser exit guide, and if our keen take out the paper exit unit and have a look at the guides in this part - then take a Bex and have a good lie down.

[Eric1968]

Re: MP C4503 Transfer belt walked and torn!?

I think it was the 3160 (?). Actually I didn't check, but the ITB assy. was stiff pulling out & pushing in until I backed the screw out.

If the bracket is connected using the right screw, then we can look forward to a Ricoh-Bulletin...

[jam-o-matic]

Re: MP C4503 Transfer belt walked and torn!?

Met up with a tech today with the same thing. I found the front finisher bracket screw was pushing against the ITB frame.

I'll go back and check ours for this - glad you found this, but really pissed Ricoh may have mis-fired AGAIN!!??

[slimslob]

Re: MP C4503 Transfer belt walked and torn!?

Met up with a tech today with the same thing. I found the front finisher bracket screw was pushing against the ITB frame.

Ricoh ships most external finishers with mount brackets and screws for multiple machines. Usually there are two different screws. They are of different length. I usually use the shorter screws unless they don't catch a bite into the frame.

With Ricoh moving the duplexor insude to gain two inches of footprint reduction, there is little room left inside for anything with a screw that is too long, even if only by half the thickness of a flat washer.

[dpoutz]

Re: MP C4503 Transfer belt walked and torn!?

Check the gears and cams in the front of the transfer cleaning unit. One on newish c4503 of mine there was something worn out so much that a cam wasn't rotating enough, causing the whole transfer cleaning unit to pack completely full of toner.
I apologize I can't remember in more detail what exactly it was, but if you remove the t-clean unit and take off the covers on the front, you can check that everything there looks right.

[jfbar1]

Re: MP C4503 Transfer belt walked and torn!?

Ricoh ships most external finishers with mount brackets and screws for multiple machines. Usually there are two different screws. They are of different length. I usually use the shorter screws unless they don't catch a bite into the frame.

With Ricoh moving the duplexor insude to gain two inches of footprint reduction, there is little room left inside for anything with a screw that is too long, even if only by half the thickness of a flat washer.

++1 on that. There WAS a Ricoh tech bulletin (tech Pub for the IKON guys) regarding this. A lot of the time the machine are unpacked and screws discarded, then tech uses whatever they can find. The longer screws gouge out the transfer belt. I only set up a few of the latest Metis boxes, but was NOT impressed by the flimsy and light construction they have.