Instructions for Eliminating Pizza Wheel Marks on an Epson Printer

Please note: This is not an Epson approved procedure. This is not a procedure for the technically-challenged. It goes without saying that you are at your own risk and expense!

The purpose of the Pizza Wheels is to help move the paper to the output tray. They have nothing to do with the printing process. The sharp points are there so the paper does not get crooked or stack on an angle. In addition to the wheels there are rubber rollers there to move or pull the paper out to the output tray. Even if the sharp little pizza wheels never touch the paper, it still works fine.

1.	First step is to remove the cover housing on your printer. Loosen the 4 screws (2 in front and 2 in back) that hold the housing. Then carefully lift it off and away from the printer.

2.	Next step, loosen the two hold down screws on both ends of the sheet metal plate that contain the pizza wheels, and put a shim washer under the plate at both ends. This will elevate the pizza wheels above the bottom rubber roller. A 1/32 (.032") thick washer is just enough to lower the tension force so that the teeth no longer have enough force to spike into the paper surface. It's only a flat washer, OD=3/8, ID=1/8. It is commonly found at any hardware store. The important thing about this washer is it's thickness. Remove the screw at each end and slip one of the washers under the sheet metal on both sides. Center the washer under the screw hole, then replace the screw. Do one end at a time. This will lift up the whole plate a little bit. Do not attempt to remove the sheet metal plate holding the pizza wheels. See photos.

3.	Final step, put the housing back in place and tighten the 4 screws removed in the first step. That is all there is to it.

Washer


Return to Refilling Tips Page