X axis really tight on one direction

All of the sudden I noticed my x axis is incredibly difficult to move in one direction. In the other direction, it is completely fine.

I have a mendelmax, and use 4 igus bushings for my carriage on 8mm hardened rods.

This literally started happening today.

Anyone have any ideas?

Also, can I use any lubrication on the igus bushings?

Thanks

No, you don't want to use lubrication on those bushings. I wonder if the bushings are starting to get worn out along one edge. Does the problem reproduce of you spin the bushings 180 degrees in their holders or move the bushings around to different holders?

And what color are your bushings? Grey? If so, and they've been in service for a while, they may simply be wearing out. They don't last forever, especially under constant use. The tan versions on the other hand are waaaaay longer lasting and I wouldn't expect this to happen to those as quickly, especially not with hardened rod.

Finally, I'll mention that the perfect rod type for those bushings is actually not hardened chromed rod, but instead stainless steel rod. The bushings prefer prefer a slightly rougher surface, because then tiny slivers of plastic will get shaved off and deposited in the microscopic crevasses on the rods' surface, making for mostly plastic-on-plastic contact as they slide along the rod. Or at least that's the idea.

However, the rods have to be stainless steel! Drill rod will quickly rust due to the last of oil-based lubricant.

I use 5W-30 motor oil on my bots about once a month. Seems to do the trick.

I would not use motor oil, but Teflon spray on the other hand contains PTFE and works really well with the pushfit bearing I am using on the MendelMax now. However, mine are not IGUS, but they still are PTFE lined bushings.

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I was playing around with this again this am, and it this is weird and I cannot really make sense of this.

So what is happening is, with the printer off, no power at all, if I try to move my extruder side to side along the x axis, it is perfect from right to left, but really, really tight from left to right.

However, if I actually turn the motor shaft, by turning the pulley, it turns very nicely in both directions. Im not really sure what to make of this.

I printed this am, and everything seemed good, print was perfect.

Does this make any sense?

probably have the belt tightend onto the wrong side xcarriage. do you have an image of the belt and the way it is going thru the pulley and where it hooks up on the xcarriage?