Fix Your Own Printer

I own 2 laserjet printers. One old LJ 1100 and another very old LJ 5L. The first one was priced over 400€ when I bought it 7 years ago. The 5L was "donated" since it was suffering the famous paper jam problem. After 7 years of usage, the 1100 was suffering the paper jam problem as well. You can find a lot of people on different forums describing the same problem. It seems that there was a time that HP was replacing the separation pad and pickup roller (which are the components causing this problem) of the LJ 1100 for free. Those times are gone :(
So I surfed to http://www.fixyourownprinter.com/kits/hp and ordered:
  • 1 HP LaserJet 5L/6L Multiple-Sheet/No Feed Paper Jam Repair Kit
  • 1 HP LaserJet 1100 Multiple Sheet Feed Paper Jam Repair Kit
The 2 kits arrived the other day and I was very keen fixing both printers (even though I only need one).
The kit for the 5L comes with a new separation pad (whole assembly) and a new pickup roller. It also includes a video (on CD) showing how to replace the old parts. Very cool and easy to follow.

The kit for the 1100 comes with some instructions and pictures on a sheet of paper and a new separation pad which is only a rubber sticker. If you follow the instructions you will find it very hard to replace the separation pad. It's easier to disassemble the whole thing following these instructions I found somewhere on some forum:
  1. Open the printer cover and remove the Toner cartridge.
  2. Remove the two screws holding the Pick Up Roller assembly. Slide it to the right to take it out. Replace Pick Up Roller with a new one. Please pay attention to the orientation of the Pick Up roller and set it aside.
  3. Remove the two screws at the back of the printer.
  4. Open the little back door at the bottom on the back. Remove that screw too.
  5. Open the front door and remove the two screws on the top.
  6. Remove the two side stand pieces. Use a screw driver to push the two latches out to remove them.
  7. Unlatch the back cover from the two latches on each side and lift it upward to remove it.
  8. Pull the paper guide upward to remove it.
  9. Use a small flathead screw driver and gently slide the Left side of the kick plate out to loose it out.
  10. Lift the kick plate up till you could remove it.
  11. Unlatch the separation pad clip from the back and lift it up.
  12. Replace it with the new one.
  13. Do everything in reverse order.
Whilst disassembling and assembling I used the vacuum cleaner and a wet cloth to do some internal cleaning.
Whatever you do, and this applies for both kits, take your time, don't rush things or you might break something or miss a part.
Anyway, both kits fixed the paper jam problem.

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