X-axis lost steps. (Page 2 of 2)

So I was having a very similar problem and this is how I "fixed" it. I was experiencing a ton of clicking and stuttering when moving the x axis and the actual x stepper was getting quite hot when the clicking was happening. I made sure the pulley on the left hand side was tight and the one on the right was free. I made sure the belt had adequate tension and nothing was binding. The last thing I tried was unplugging the x axis from the board and plugging it back in. Once I homed the x axis it worked as normal. I am not sure if you run a risk of damaging the board when doing this but I was running out of ideas.

Where is the trace to cut remove? Removed the capacitor? do you de solder or just cut off?

I am leaning more and more into the direction that it isn't lost steps on the x-axis that is causing the issue.  If it was an issue with the stepper and lost steps I would think the issue would not go away.  But I have recently done a few really tall prints and the vertical sides of the print are wavy like the bed is moving side to side in the x-axis direction.  Going to do some checking to night after work.

Rotated 1 Z-axis rod 180 and look what happens.

At he back of the printer closest to the rods.  Still a little movement at the begining of the print.

And at the front of the printer furthest from the rods.  And alot of movement out here at the begining of the print.

I will am certain now the printer got dropped and the rods are bent.  I am emailing support for a replacement rods.

Jumping thru all the hoops and had to somehow picture the bent rods of the machine.  So I pulled one out and took a picture.

I have read through this entire thread and can say that I am having pretty much the same exact problem as you nlancaster. First few layers of my models all seem to be shifted slightly on the X axis. To reiterate your own observations, these are mine: first few layers seem to be affected the most. Only the x-axis is affected and as the layers rise the shift is to the right (as viewed from the front of the printer). After the first dozen or so layers, the shift seems less (or perhaps even none). The y-axis is actually really good and straight. It doesn't matter where on the bed I start my print. Shift is always to the same side. I've also tried different temperatures for the bed with little difference. I'd like to try recalibrating my machine as well, but don't know how to. If you know how, please let me know. But it seems that from your own efforts, calibration isn't the problem. 

Keep in touch and let's see if we can solve this. I will check my z-axis rod tonight and see if there is any bend to it.

I just got mine last week. And have done a few dozen prints late last week and over the weekend.

Is your belt too tight?  maybe clean rods and grease em.

Which of the rods are bended? How did you find them bent?

I wonder if Solidoodle doesn't have a problem with the supplier that is providing them with the z rods and maybe even the x and y rods... whoever is cutting them to length if they use a ironworker/shear there is a high probability of bending the ends if not done 100 percent right 100 percent of the time and even then minute bends can occur that would be hard to notice by eye.

I also do a lot of fabricating and one off machine work and I can usually expect at least a couple pieces of drill rod to be bent in a shipment of around 50 pieces... so hopefully SD has put someone in charge of checking rods for straightness before they get ok'd for install because I really find it hard to believe that the bent rods are from shipper impacts it would take a very large drop to bend the z rods given the weight and moment of the bed...and that kind of impact would do more damage than just the rods... anyways just my thoughts on the issue of bent rods

Yes, it is definitely z-rods. I have turned both rods by 180 degress and problem is gone now.