# Apply tension issue **URL:** \ **Category:** Troubleshooting\ **Created:** [June 24, 2025, 4:03am UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/apply-tension-issue/24423 "2025-06-24T04:03:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![caddad](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/caddad/32/27939_2.png) [@caddad](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/caddad)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2025, 4:03am UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/apply-tension-issue/24423/1 "2025-06-24T04:03:11Z")
I am starting over with the machine after some challenges my first go-around. • Maslow 4.1 • Updated firmware to 1.07 • Did a 9x9 horizontal calibration successfully • set Z stop • installed bit and set z home • Retract all, extend all, set anchors • Hit apply tension • Only 3 of the 4 belts tightened and I got this error: "Center point deviation: TL: 0.000 TR: 0.000 BL: 47.750 BR: -9.600] [MSG:ERR: Center point deviation over 12.000mm, your coordinate system is not accurate, maybe try running calibration again?]: That belt will retract and extend just fine, but just won’t apply tension. I turned off the machine, unplugged the cable for the arm’s board and motor and replugged them in. tried again, got the same issue. All arm boards and all cables were replaced for free by @bar due to the issue I had during my first attempts (see my other thread [here](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/4-1-calibration-issues-and-questions/23825/154)) and are still fresh. The device is clean so no dust concerns. What can I try? ---
**Author:** ![dlang](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/dlang/32/859_2.png) [@dlang](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/dlang)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2025, 4:49am UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/apply-tension-issue/24423/2 "2025-06-24T04:49:05Z")
you need to set z stop without a bit in the machine (z stop is the limit of the router going all the way down to the sled) just to be sure, if you retract - extend - retract you have no problems with the retraction and the distances reported for all arms are near zero, correct? David Lang ---
**Author:** ![caddad](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/caddad/32/27939_2.png) [@caddad](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/caddad)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2025, 5:26am UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/apply-tension-issue/24423/3 "2025-06-24T05:26:50Z")
I set the stop without a bit. Yes no issue with extend or retract. All tests pass. ---
**Author:** ![bar](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/bar/32/10_2.png) [@bar](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/bar)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2025, 8:57pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/apply-tension-issue/24423/4 "2025-06-24T20:57:55Z")
There are two different settings for the force used during calibration (and during apply tension) and the force used for retract all so the first place I would check with is adjusting those forces: ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/maslowcnc/original/3X/4/6/4688f18e5a9aa846f6ce15079adbe581fe1c95f8.png) ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_Covert](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/dave_covert/32/28309_2.png) [@Dave\_Covert](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/Dave_Covert)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2025, 8:22pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/apply-tension-issue/24423/5 "2025-07-06T20:22:56Z")
What do you suggest after checking that the forces are sufficient? I am having the same issue. I calibrated twice (horizontal, 800x800 and 9x9) with the router collet against the spoil board, but when I set up to make a test cut only 3 of the 4 belts apply tension (the loose belt could be any of them, it is not always the same belt) and I get the error. “Center point deviation over 12.000mm, your coordinate system is not accurate, maybe try running calibration again?” Can you also explain what the firmware is seeing to cause the error? I am doing a lot of retract and extend cycles because I get a lot of ‘don’t know how long the belts are’ messages. Here is a common situation: Extend all belts. Attach them to the frame. Command Apply Tension. Three retract, UL does not. Get error message. Detach belts from frame. Command Retract All. Three retract (UL does, but LR does not) Command Extend All and pull about a meter of belt from all 4 arms (LR is now quite long) Command Retract All All belts retract. Index.html Version: 1.07 [MSG:INFO: Channel auto report interval set to 50 ms] [MSG:INFO: FluidNC v3.0.x (noGit)] Dave ---
**Author:** ![bar](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/bar/32/10_2.png) [@bar](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/bar)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 5:55pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/apply-tension-issue/24423/6 "2025-07-08T17:55:39Z")
What do you have the Retraction Force and Calibration Force set to? ---
**Author:** ![steve70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@steve70](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/steve70)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2025, 12:33pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/apply-tension-issue/24423/7 "2025-07-31T12:33:23Z")
I’m having the same issue. The machine “retracts all” (all belts retract) with no problem but after ”extend all,” re-connection of all belts, when I “apply tension” it fails to apply tension to all the belts and gives the error message that my my origin is off by more than 12 mm. Sometimes one belt fails, sometimes two belts fail, but all belts retract when retract all button is pushed. Sounds like a software issue rather that hardware. Is there a difference between the “retract all” command and the “apply tension” command? Is a variable being passed to the program loop that causes these failures? ---
**Author:** ![steve70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@steve70](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/steve70)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2025, 12:47pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/apply-tension-issue/24423/8 "2025-07-31T12:47:05Z")
I have Maslow 4.0 with Ver. 1.07. To be fair, its been excessively hot and humid this week, but it happens so often that I can’t finish my work piece with out hours of down time. My frame is 10’ x 10’ on the horizontal plane, and before I apply tension, I manually pull “down” on the “upper” belts. I also used heat shrink tubes on the ethernet cables to minimize movement and dust proof the connections. ---
**Author:** ![bar](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/bar/32/10_2.png) [@bar](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/bar)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2025, 5:06pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/apply-tension-issue/24423/9 "2025-07-31T17:06:03Z")
> [@bar](#): > > What do you have the Retraction Force and Calibration Force set to? I think that this is the solution, you should be able to fix that by turning up the force a little ---
**Author:** ![steve70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@steve70](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/steve70)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2025, 10:05am UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/apply-tension-issue/24423/10 "2025-08-10T10:05:10Z")
Thank you BAR. I turned the retraction force up to 1500 and as you suggested things got better. ---
**Author:** ![jpm0nki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/edb3f5/32.png) [@jpm0nki](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/jpm0nki)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2025, 2:51pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/apply-tension-issue/24423/11 "2025-09-15T14:51:28Z")
I’ve been seeing a similar issue with my 4.1 unit. I am able to extend and retract all 4 belts, but when I try and apply tension one of the leads doesn’t take up slack (doesn’t seem to move at all, just the opposite corner retracts). I tried adjusting the retraction force to 1500 as listed here, but it made no difference. ---
**Author:** ![bar](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/bar/32/10_2.png) [@bar](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/bar)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2025, 5:50pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/apply-tension-issue/24423/12 "2025-09-15T17:50:27Z")
There are two settings one for the retraction force and one for the calibration force. ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/maslowcnc/original/3X/a/5/a5d5d054db08613834251c481e9980a2ea162035.png) When you run “Retract All” that uses the retraction force amount of force, but apply tension will use the “Calibration Force” amount of force. Are both of them set to 1500? ---
**Author:** ![jpm0nki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/edb3f5/32.png) [@jpm0nki](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/jpm0nki)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2025, 12:30am UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/apply-tension-issue/24423/13 "2025-09-16T00:30:44Z")
ah, I only adjusted retraction to 1500, I think calibration is still default at 900. I can try boosting calibration force up once I get a new anchor installed 🙂