Lexmark T63X/64X -- Autocompensator Ball Clutch & Axle

Occasionally, you'll encounter a ball-clutch/axle assembly where the parts of it won't stay put as they should; they tend to wander off axially. The main, outboard portion of the clutch tends to move rightward, as does the axle.

To secure the clutch's hub to the axle, you can apply CA adhesive and let it wick in between the clutch's hub and the axle, but there's a risk of overdoing the glue application and fouling the clutch. A safer, more elegant way to do it is to install a tiny threading screw through the hub and into the axle. Here's a view of that done.

The screw is an M2x6mm one that I got from a T640's fuser exit sensor. A 1/16" diameter hole accepts the screw perfectly. Spot the hole's location with an awl; drill the hole with a pickup roller in place so as to be certain of ending up with the hub properly positioned axially. That hub will never wander again.

To restrain the axle from shifting rightward, apply a small (three-inch) ty-wrap around the axle as a 'retaining ring' just to the left of the beam's hub. Here's a view of that.

Install the ty-wrap as tightly as you can possibly get it.

With those two modifications made, the ball-clutch/axle assembly will retain its axial position and behave itself.

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