<p>This sounds more like a problem with heat creep. When you installed the new hotend, did you reuse the old cooling solution? You might need more heatblock insulation and / or cooling power.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-01T10:27:12.793Z
heatcreep does not loosen the tube.
Trish
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-01T17:24:23.113Z
That is not a fact. Melted filament above the throat does all sorts of terrible things. The questions asked are still valid troubleshooting steps as the pieces changed do require reworking the cooling system.
silver
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-01T18:16:28.733Z
Then explain how heatcreep in an e3D V6 should result in the couplers no longer holding the bowden tube. "terrible things" are mainly *clogs*
Trish
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-01T21:02:14.077Z
Changed my mind. No.
silver
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-28T23:51:18.393Z
2019-02-28T23:51:18.393Z
silver
<p>You may need to secure the pneumatic coupling in the closed position with a small plastic clip (which should be supplied with the hot end).</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/h3ljP.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/h3ljP.jpg" alt="Pneumatic coupling with retaining clip"></a></p>

<p>You can print your own, providing that your printer will work for long enough (a paper clip might do the trick):</p>

<p><a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2798864" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Thingiverse: Bowden Tube Clip v3</a></p>

<p><strong>Addendum:</strong></p>

<p>Some pneumatic couplers are sprung, so that you have to depress the coupling ring in order to release the tubing. In this case, no clip is usually required. Other pneumatic couplers (such as the one on an E3D V6) are unsprung. This makes it easier to secure and release the tube using the supplied clip. The disadvantage is that you may lose the clip. Sprung couplers sometimes lose their springiness, in which case a clip can be used to secure them in the closed position</p>

<p>It's "swings and roundabouts", really. You can to choose between the awkwardness of sprung couplers, or the risk of losing a clip. Either way, print some spare clips. You may need them one day.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-01T08:58:53.363Z
Thee clips are often not used as they are usually not necessary, but in some cases you can't print without them, I have the same experiences with a certain printer I use, good call!
0scar
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-01T09:02:59.090Z
@0scar Agreed. The PC4-M6 coupler on my feeder does not need a clip, but the coupler on my (genuine) E3D V6 hot end does (as in the photo). Answer edited.
Mick
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-13T19:05:54.613Z
This solved the issue for me!  Thank you.  Is there any understanding of what triggers this issue?  Many people have run bowden tubes without a clip successfully, but it was obviously critical on my setup.  I'm curious what factors may be at play here.
SvdSinner
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-13T20:20:52.493Z
@SvdSinner Answer edited.
Mick
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-01T08:53:12.277Z
2019-03-13T20:20:15.617Z
2019-03-13T20:20:15.617Z
Mick
<p>I'm struggling with an upgrade I made to my Creality CR-10.  I upgraded the extruder to an E3D V6 hotend.  The extruder mount and cooling fans are installed and working, however, I'm doing something wrong with installing the bowden tube into the hotend.  Inevitably after I print a few layers, the extruder jambs and the issue is always the same:  the bowden tube has backed itself out a few tenths of a millimeter, and the filament has mushroomed into the vacant space and hardened so that the filament cannot go forward or backwards.</p>

<p>I've tried several things to fix the issue including:</p>

<ul>
<li>Trying various pneumatic fittings from various suppliers</li>
<li>Recutting the end of the bowden tube to attempt to make it more flush</li>
<li>Replacing the bowden tube </li>
<li>Three different E3D heat-breaks from different supplier</li>
<li>Various ways of inserting the bowden tube including:  pushing it after the fitting was screwed in, pushing it into a fitting that was back out a couple turns and then screwing the fitting in</li>
</ul>

<p>The only thing that has (partially) worked was when I would ductape and hot-glue the bowden tube into the fitting so it couldn't back out.  However, since I'm still tweaking things, I inevitably have to disassemble things and I'm back to square one.</p>

<p>I'm trying to figure out what mistake I am making to keep causing this issue.  As an example, originally I used the pneumatic fittings wrong and thought I was supposed to pull the plastic part out to release the tube, rather than simply pushing it in to release the tube.  (Needless to say, I wrecked a lot of fittings that way.)</p>

<p>What else might I be doing wrong to keep causing this issue?  What are other culprits to this issue happening repeatedly?  Are there firmware settings that may help (or be aggravating the issue)?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-28T21:53:32.503Z
do you have a genuine or a clone hotend? Do you print PLA?
Trish
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-01T14:40:47.233Z
Clone.  I've got 3-4  amongst my printers and have tried swapping various parts (like the heat break) so see if it makes a difference.  (It hasn't)  The only unique thing about this setup is that it uses a bowden tube rather than being direct drive.
SvdSinner
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-01T14:46:55.290Z
In that case: the coldend and the heater block are rarely a problem, but I suggest to get a couple embedded bowden couplings and a genuine heatbreak. badly machined heatbreaks (without the notch) and bad couplings cause lot of trouble, the expense is worth it at times (like with tubing). Also, add thermal transfer paste between heatbreak and coolend, and **hot tighten** it.
Trish
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-13T19:01:27.527Z
Just wanted to follow up with results.  Tired of this issue I wanted to nuke this issue from orbit.  Firstly, I bought a new E36V6 extruder with a bowden tube pre-installed.  ( I wanted to be 100% sure that I wasn't doing something else silly.)  The new extruder took only 3 small prints to start showing this issue again, so that wasn't it.  From there, I fashioned a clip as suggested below with some metal wire I had.  Since I added the clip, I've done 5 prints with no issues related to the tube backing out.  If the problem reoccurs, I will update this thread.
SvdSinner
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-13T19:08:32.487Z
That suspiciously sounds like the clip, yes. I strongly suggest to try to get a genuine fixing kit, even if it costs more.
Trish
<extruder><bowden><e3d-v6>
Installing bowden tube into E3D V6
SvdSinner
# Installing bowden tube into E3D V6

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-02-28)

I'm struggling with an upgrade I made to my Creality CR-10. I upgraded the extruder to an E3D V6 hotend. The extruder mount and cooling fans are installed and working, however, I'm doing something wrong with installing the bowden tube into the hotend. Inevitably after I print a few layers, the extruder jambs and the issue is always the same: the bowden tube has backed itself out a few tenths of a millimeter, and the filament has mushroomed into the vacant space and hardened so that the filament cannot go forward or backwards.

I've tried several things to fix the issue including:

* Trying various pneumatic fittings from various suppliers
* Recutting the end of the bowden tube to attempt to make it more flush
* Replacing the bowden tube
* Three different E3D heat-breaks from different supplier
* Various ways of inserting the bowden tube including: pushing it after the fitting was screwed in, pushing it into a fitting that was back out a couple turns and then screwing the fitting in

The only thing that has (partially) worked was when I would ductape and hot-glue the bowden tube into the fitting so it couldn't back out. However, since I'm still tweaking things, I inevitably have to disassemble things and I'm back to square one.

I'm trying to figure out what mistake I am making to keep causing this issue. As an example, originally I used the pneumatic fittings wrong and thought I was supposed to pull the plastic part out to release the tube, rather than simply pushing it in to release the tube. (Needless to say, I wrecked a lot of fittings that way.)

What else might I be doing wrong to keep causing this issue? What are other culprits to this issue happening repeatedly? Are there firmware settings that may help (or be aggravating the issue)?

**Tags:** extruder, bowden, e3d-v6

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: do you have a genuine or a clone hotend? Do you print PLA?  
> **username_0**: Clone.  I've got 3-4  amongst my printers and have tried swapping various parts (like the heat break) so see if it makes a difference.  (It hasn't)  The only unique thing about this setup is that it uses a bowden tube rather than being direct drive.  
> **username_1**: In that case: the coldend and the heater block are rarely a problem, but I suggest to get a couple embedded bowden couplings and a genuine heatbreak. badly machined heatbreaks (without the notch) and bad couplings cause lot of trouble, the expense is worth it at times (like with tubing). Also, add thermal transfer paste between heatbreak and coolend, and **hot tighten** it.  
> **username_0**: Just wanted to follow up with results.  Tired of this issue I wanted to nuke this issue from orbit.  Firstly, I bought a new E36V6 extruder with a bowden tube pre-installed.  ( I wanted to be 100% sure that I wasn't doing something else silly.)  The new extruder took only 3 small prints to start showing this issue again, so that wasn't it.  From there, I fashioned a clip as suggested below with some metal wire I had.  Since I added the clip, I've done 5 prints with no issues related to the tube backing out.  If the problem reoccurs, I will update this thread.  
> **username_1**: That suspiciously sounds like the clip, yes. I strongly suggest to try to get a genuine fixing kit, even if it costs more.  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2019-03-01. Score: 7 | Accepted answer

You may need to secure the pneumatic coupling in the closed position with a small plastic clip (which should be supplied with the hot end).

[![Pneumatic coupling with retaining clip](https://i.sstatic.net/h3ljP.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/h3ljP.jpg)

You can print your own, providing that your printer will work for long enough (a paper clip might do the trick):

[Thingiverse: Bowden Tube Clip v3](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2798864)

**Addendum:**

Some pneumatic couplers are sprung, so that you have to depress the coupling ring in order to release the tubing. In this case, no clip is usually required. Other pneumatic couplers (such as the one on an E3D V6) are unsprung. This makes it easier to secure and release the tube using the supplied clip. The disadvantage is that you may lose the clip. Sprung couplers sometimes lose their springiness, in which case a clip can be used to secure them in the closed position

It's "swings and roundabouts", really. You can to choose between the awkwardness of sprung couplers, or the risk of losing a clip. Either way, print some spare clips. You may need them one day.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: Thee clips are often not used as they are usually not necessary, but in some cases you can't print without them, I have the same experiences with a certain printer I use, good call!  
> **username_3**: @username_4 Agreed. The PC4-M6 coupler on my feeder does not need a clip, but the coupler on my (genuine) E3D V6 hot end does (as in the photo). Answer edited.  
> **username_0**: This solved the issue for me!  Thank you.  Is there any understanding of what triggers this issue?  Many people have run bowden tubes without a clip successfully, but it was obviously critical on my setup.  I'm curious what factors may be at play here.  
> **username_3**: @username_0 Answer edited.  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2019-02-28. Score: -2

This sounds more like a problem with heat creep. When you installed the new hotend, did you reuse the old cooling solution? You might need more heatblock insulation and / or cooling power.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: heatcreep does not loosen the tube.  
> **username_2**: That is not a fact. Melted filament above the throat does all sorts of terrible things. The questions asked are still valid troubleshooting steps as the pieces changed do require reworking the cooling system.  
> **username_1**: Then explain how heatcreep in an e3D V6 should result in the couplers no longer holding the bowden tube. "terrible things" are mainly *clogs*  
> **username_2**: Changed my mind. No.  

---

