# JST Upgrade notes **URL:** \ **Category:** Hardware\ **Created:** [October 12, 2024, 3:11am UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/jst-upgrade-notes/22492 "2024-10-12T03:11:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ian\_ab](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a587f6/32.png) [@ian\_ab](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/ian_ab)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2024, 3:11am UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/jst-upgrade-notes/22492/1 "2024-10-12T03:11:42Z")
Suggest release the tension on the belts before commencing the upgrade, hard to separate the halves when tensioned. No hidden nuts now! Bonus!! One motor bolt (out of 16) impossible to get out. sheared off the head trying. ---
**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:** [October 12, 2024, 6:29pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/jst-upgrade-notes/22492/2 "2024-10-12T18:29:07Z")
Excellent feedback! ---
**Author:** ![ian\_ab](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a587f6/32.png) [@ian\_ab](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/ian_ab)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2024, 4:08am UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/jst-upgrade-notes/22492/3 "2024-10-15T04:08:11Z")
Had two successful cuts with the M4 after the JST upgrade. M4 is performing much better, no errors since I replaced the ethernet cables. Belts appear to be tighter and movement smoother. ---
**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:** [October 15, 2024, 4:30pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/jst-upgrade-notes/22492/4 "2024-10-15T16:30:14Z")
Excellent! That is great feedback! šŸ˜€ ---
**Author:** ![vipkiddad](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/vipkiddad/32/25525_2.png) [@vipkiddad](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/vipkiddad)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2024, 5:49pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/jst-upgrade-notes/22492/5 "2024-10-15T17:49:07Z")
Any ETA on JST-XH 5 Axis Control Boards back in shop? ---
**Author:** ![grim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b4bc9f/32.png) [@grim](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/grim)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2024, 6:54pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/jst-upgrade-notes/22492/6 "2024-10-15T18:54:20Z")
On the topic of releasing tension, I think the instructions should say to just add the belt but donā€™t wind it. Then make pulling in the belts the first thing that we do when turning it on. Have people pull the belts in and extend them out a couple of times before adding to a frame. ---
**Author:** ![Andith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Andith](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/Andith)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2024, 8:16pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/jst-upgrade-notes/22492/7 "2024-10-15T20:16:09Z")
> [@grim](#): > > I think the instructions should say to just add the belt but donā€™t wind it. I think the biggest problem with that is getting tangled up in an octopus of belts as you are attempting to finish the assembly. ---
**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:** [October 16, 2024, 3:58pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/jst-upgrade-notes/22492/8 "2024-10-16T15:58:37Z")
> [@vipkiddad](#): > > Any ETA on JST-XH 5 Axis Control Boards back in shop? They should be back in stock in about two weeks. > [@Andith](#): > > I think the biggest problem with that is getting tangled up in an octopus of belts as you are attempting to finish the assembly. I like to wind mine up about 70% of the way so they donā€™t get too tangled, but also I donā€™t try to make them fully tight ---
**Author:** ![VetterTech](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/vettertech/32/24576_2.png) [@VetterTech](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/VetterTech)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2024, 7:48pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/jst-upgrade-notes/22492/9 "2024-10-17T19:48:08Z")
Howdy all. Iā€™ve been taking a break in the shop but decided to install the JST upgrade to get the Maslow ready for some serious Texas winter projects. I too rounded the heads of the bolts that hold the stepper, board, and belt housing half. I ordered a hardened steel 2mm Allen key to hopefully avoid this with the rest of the threadlocked screws. I had to drill the heads off to get things apart (cobalt alloy bit worked well). Iā€™ll use some compressed air to clean things up before assembly - but I will be looking for some better M3x12 (Edit: M2 changed to M3) bolts that can fit flush in the recess. These pix are for those who enjoy the challenge. ![Drilled out](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/maslowcnc/original/3X/8/f/8f3fe60d9a70ba714eb82ba6a8e31284122729c4.jpeg) ![Drilling](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/maslowcnc/original/3X/2/3/23cfc3610d78cf97e301043177f7fe123734b2d5.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![pmodiano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e495f1/32.png) [@pmodiano](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/pmodiano)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2024, 2:59am UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/jst-upgrade-notes/22492/10 "2024-10-20T02:59:33Z")
I had the same issues. I needed to upgrade my no-longer-working M4, so I replaced the controller and encoders to JST versions. I replaced my timing belts, and so on. My biggest problem was getting the motor screws out. My conclusion was that the kit-included blue/white thread lock was too strong. All 4 of my motors were stuck with at least one stripped hex screw. I tried to use off-the-shelf screw extractors, but to no avail. After Googling it to death, I wound out hammering a slightly larger Torx screw into the stripped screws and extracting them that way. My rebuilt M4 seems to be working well! My one change to the assembly instructions is that I would use red thread lock ā€“ admittedly weaker ā€“ instead, when screwing in the motors. ---
**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:** [October 20, 2024, 7:58am UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/jst-upgrade-notes/22492/11 "2024-10-20T07:58:29Z")
Paul Modiano wrote: > My rebuilt M4 seems to be working well! My one change to the assembly > instructions is that I would use red thread lock ā€“ admittedly weaker ā€“ > instead, when screwing in the motors. Are you sure about this? I thought the red threadlock was stronger than the blue. I thought itā€™s the green threadlock thatā€™s weaker David Lang ---
**Author:** ![ian\_ab](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a587f6/32.png) [@ian\_ab](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/ian_ab)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2024, 8:14am UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/jst-upgrade-notes/22492/12 "2024-10-20T08:14:47Z")
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/maslowcnc/original/3X/7/4/74e3d3f825823fd1c0554ad17b695f0ca31ec20d.png) I looks like you are correct David. ---
**Author:** ![pmodiano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e495f1/32.png) [@pmodiano](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/pmodiano)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2024, 2:08pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/jst-upgrade-notes/22492/13 "2024-10-20T14:08:33Z")
David, I was not using Loctite. I was using a product from Harbor Freight Tools that I mistakenly assumed was color coded similarly: ![2024-10-20_10-03-43](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/maslowcnc/original/3X/d/9/d930a4fadbc7adf4fc2fe9e59eda4321337286af.jpeg) Silly that they color code differently from the industry leader! ---
**Author:** ![MrN808](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/mrn808/32/22275_2.png) [@MrN808](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/MrN808)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2024, 6:02pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/jst-upgrade-notes/22492/14 "2024-10-20T18:02:05Z")
I just came back to my M4 after a couple of weeks, planning to cut some needed panels for the set Iā€™m working on. One of my Z-axis stepper motors isnā€™t turning, any moreā€¦ I swapped the connectors at the controller board and the stepper that isnā€™t turning switched sides, so I presume the steppers and cables are fine and I have a problem with the controller board. Is my thinking correct? ---
**Author:** ![VetterTech](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/vettertech/32/24576_2.png) [@VetterTech](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/VetterTech)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2024, 11:58pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/jst-upgrade-notes/22492/15 "2024-10-20T23:58:57Z")
Would not use Red hereā€¦ Blue or lower for sure with the default hardware. What was supplied in the kit hold very well. ---
**Author:** ![VetterTech](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/vettertech/32/24576_2.png) [@VetterTech](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/VetterTech)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2024, 12:00am UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/jst-upgrade-notes/22492/16 "2024-10-21T00:00:38Z")
A long thread on Reddit, but a couple of makers of Threadlock color code the package the same, so you need to read the label to be sure. Always gets me in the shop when I reach for ā€œblueā€. ---
**Author:** ![grim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b4bc9f/32.png) [@grim](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/grim)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2024, 8:13pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/jst-upgrade-notes/22492/17 "2024-10-29T20:13:49Z")
My fat fingers couldnā€™t handle holding the belts in place and choosing the mechanism at the same time. We could have some setup program that allows us to connect the ring motor to the board to wind it in, rather than having to wait until itā€™s all assembled. ---
**Author:** ![MrN808](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/mrn808/32/22275_2.png) [@MrN808](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/MrN808)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2024, 11:40pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/jst-upgrade-notes/22492/18 "2024-10-29T23:40:20Z")
Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt. ---
**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:** [October 30, 2024, 4:27am UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/jst-upgrade-notes/22492/19 "2024-10-30T04:27:18Z")
Grim wrote: > My fat fingers couldnā€™t handle holding the belts in place and choosing the mechanism at the same time. > We could have some setup program that allows us to connect the ring motor to the board to wind it in, rather than having to wait until itā€™s all assembled. you donā€™t have to wind the belts first, if you assemble things without winding the belts, you can then retract and it will pull them all in. I would like us to be able to do this an arm at a time without having to hook up all four arms at once (make it easier to test as you build) David Lang ---
**Author:** ![grim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b4bc9f/32.png) [@grim](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/grim)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2024, 7:36am UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/jst-upgrade-notes/22492/20 "2024-10-30T07:36:51Z")
Yeah, thatā€™s what I was trying to say. I assembled mine that way but was missing being able to retract each arm individually. That would have been handy. [Next page](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/jst-upgrade-notes/22492.md?page=2)