Using the Tractor in the Pull Position

Using the tractor in the pull position is ideal for printing on thick and heavy continuous paper, such as multipart forms or continuous paper with labels. However, you cannot use the tear-off feature with the pull tractor.

You can also load paper onto the pull tractor from the rear slot. However, doing so is not recommended because the paper path from the rear slot is curved. Because thick paper requires a straight paper path to avoid paper jams, it is best to load paper in the front or bottom slot when using the pull tractor.

Do not load continuous paper with labels in the rear paper slot; the labels may come off their backing sheet inside the printer and cause a paper jam.

To further reduce the chance of paper jams and improve the performance of continuous paper, you can use two tractors in combination. When using this printing method, you load your paper onto both the front push tractor and the pull tractor, or both the rear push tractor and the pull tractor. See Using two tractors in a push and pull combination.

Installing the tractor in the pull position

To install a tractor in the pull position you must either remove the front push tractor or install the optional pull tractor (C80032

). To remove the front push tractor, see Removing the front push tractor.

To install a tractor in the pull position, follow these steps:

Make sure the printer is turned off. Lift the printer cover up and off the printer.

Push up the tabs on each side of the paper tension unit and lift the unit up and off the printer. Store the paper tension unit in a safe place.

Lower the tractor into the printer’s mounting slots and press down both ends of the tractor to make sure that it is firmly seated.

You are now ready to load continuous paper onto the pull tractor as described in the next section. To remove the pull tractor, see Removing the pull tractor.

Loading paper onto the pull tractor

When using the pull tractor, load continuous paper in the front or bottom slot, if possible; loading paper in the rear slot may increase the chance of a paper jam.

Do not load continuous paper with labels in the rear paper slot; the labels may come off their backing sheet inside the printer and cause a paper jam.

To load paper onto the pull tractor, follow these steps:

Make sure the printer is turned off, and the printer cover is removed. Also check that a tractor is installed in the pull position.

Set the paper release lever to the pull tractor position. Also set the paper-thickness lever to the proper position for your paper’s thickness.

Release the left and right sprockets by pulling the sprocket lock levers forward.

Slide the left sprocket to the left margin of the paper using the scale on the paper guide as a guide. (Printing starts at the arrow mark.) Then push the lever back to lock it in place.

See Paper alignment and Recommended printable area for more information on the left margin position.

Slide the right sprocket to match the width of your paper, but do not lock it. Move the paper support midway between the two sprockets as shown above. Then open both sprocket covers.

Insert the paper into the front, bottom, or rear paper slot as described below until it emerges between the platen and the ribbon guide. Then pull up the paper until the perforation between the first and second pages is even with the top of the printer’s ribbon.

Before you load paper in the front slot, remove the front paper guide. Then load paper printable side up.
Load paper in the bottom slot printable side up (forward).
Before you load paper in the rear slot, remove the paper guide. Then load paper in the rear slot printable side down.

Fit four holes of the paper over the tractor pins on both sprockets. Then close the sprocket covers.

Slide the right sprocket to remove any slack in the paper; then lock it in place by pushing the sprocket lock down.

If you use the front slot, attach the front paper guide with the continuous paper positioned as shown below. Then close it.

Remove the front sub cover from the front paper guide before attaching the front paper guide.
* front sub cover

Be sure to reattach the front sub cover when printing from a different paper source.

If you use the rear slot, replace the paper guide and make sure the edge guides are together in the side of the paper guide.

Remove any slack in the paper and adjust the top-of-form position (the position where the printer will start printing) by pressing the LF/FF button or using the Micro Adjust feature. (To use the Micro Adjust feature, see Adjusting the Top-of-Form Position.) The printer will start printing at the current position without advancing the paper.

Never use the knob to remove slack in the paper or to adjust the top-of-form position; this may damage the printer or cause it to lose the top-of-form position.

Always remove any slack from the paper; otherwise print quality may be reduced.

Always close the printer cover before printing. The printer does not print when the cover is open.

You may need to check and change the printer driver settings. Send a print job to the printer. The printer starts printing from the current position without advancing the paper. The printed pages are fed over the paper guide toward the back of the printer.

After you finish printing, open the paper guide cover; then tear off the printed document at the perforation nearest the paper exit slot.

Removing paper from the pull tractor

After you finish printing, tear off the fresh supply of paper at the perforation nearest the paper entry slot.

Using two tractors in a push and pull combination

To improve continuous paper feeding and reduce paper jams, you can use two tractors at the same time. When using two tractors in combination, you can load paper in the front paper slot onto both the front push tractor and the pull tractor, or in the rear paper slot onto both the rear push tractor and the pull tractor.

To use the front push tractor with the pull tractor, you need to purchase the optional pull tractor (C80032

). The tractor in the rear push position cannot be removed. Install the optional pull tractor as described in Installing the tractor in the pull position.

To use the rear push tractor with the pull tractor, you can remove the tractor from the front push position as described in Removing the front push tractor, and install it in the pull position as described in Installing the tractor in the pull position.

To load paper onto two tractors, follow these steps:

Make sure one tractor is in the front or rear push position and one tractor is in the pull position. Set the paper release lever to either the front push or rear push tractor position, depending on which push tractor you are using. Also, set the paper-thickness lever to the proper position for your paper’s thickness.

Load paper onto the front or rear push tractor as described earlier in this chapter.

Turn on the printer. Press the Load/Eject button to advance the paper to the top-of-form position. Then press the LF/FF button until the perforation between the first and second pages is even with the top of the printer’s ribbon.

Never use the knob to move the paper; this may damage the printer or cause it to lose the top-of-form position.

Attach the paper to the pull tractor’s sprockets as described in Loading paper onto the pull tractor.

Set the paper release lever to the pull tractor position. Then remove any slack in the paper between the push and pull tractors using the Micro Adjust feature if necessary. See Adjusting the Top-of-Form Position.

Move the paper release lever back to the push tractor position you set in step 2.

Adjust the top-of-form position (the position where the printer will start printing) using the Micro Adjust feature as described in Adjusting the Top-of-Form Position. The printer will start printing at the current position without advancing the paper.

Never use the knob to remove slack in the paper or to adjust the top-of-form position; this may damage the printer or cause it to lose the top-of-form position.

Always remove any slack from the paper; otherwise print quality may be reduced.

Attach the paper guide. Then slide the edge guides to the middle of the paper guide.

Always close the printer cover before printing. The printer does not print when the cover is open.

After you finish printing, open the paper guide cover; then tear off the printed document at the perforation nearest the paper exit slot.

To remove the paper from the tractors, follow the steps under Removing paper from the pull tractor.

Removing the pull tractor

To remove the tractor from the pull position, follow these steps:

Remove any paper loaded on the pull tractor as described in Removing paper from the pull tractor.

Turn off the printer. Then remove the printer cover and lift the paper guide up and off the printer.

Press the tractor’s lock tabs, tilt the tractor toward you, and lift it off the printer.

Store the tractor in a safe place, or install it in the front push position as described in Installing the tractor in the front push position.

To replace the paper tension unit, lower it onto the printer’s mounting pegs. Then press down both ends of the unit until it clicks into place.

Replace the paper guide and printer cover. Then close the paper guide cover.