Top critical review
2.0 out of 5 starsthis one good so far, correct toner important, beware of some counterfeit fuser rollers
Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2020
My picture shows the damaged fuser roller in my printer, for which I bought the Technica brand fuser repair kit.
The repair kit seems excellent, including as it does a USB stick with instructional video (I did not use), a pair of vinyl gloves (keeps your fingerprints off the new rollers), and the upper and lower rollers.
A few things I learned researching the matter online.
1. use of aftermarket "compatible" toners in this particular printer can lead to the damaged fuser roller that I have pictured with this review. The problem is that non-OEM toner is not correctly formulated for this relatively small diameter roller, and thus the toner may cause paper/print to stick to the roller, which then causes the roller surface to stick to the paper "lift-off" tines... and you can see the result. So from now on, I'm going to get only the expensive OEM toner.
2. Some fuser rollers being sold aftermarket (from China, etc.) are badly made, resulting in a repair which will damage your entire fuser unit, even possibly cause a fire. The way to identify the bad rollers is to look into the inside surface of the roller: it needs to be a matte dark/black finish. If the interior of the roller is shiny/reflective, it will not work correctly, and you will damage your fuser unit possibly beyond repair (google/search youtube for "counterfeit ebay rollers"). This kit has the fuser roller in a box marked "Fuser Roller" that looks identical to the box shown in the online videos, identifying the bad, counterfeit rollers. You can't identify the bad roller by what the box looks like. You need to get the roller out, and look at the inside surface of the roller. The one I received in this kit looks good: a dull, dark, matte finish on interior surface.
Note that the installation / replacement of these rollers is not for the engineering faint-of-heart. Even with the instructions, some DIY aptitude is required. You need good eyesight for small parts and manual dexterity and strength (for removal of two tight springs). You need good quality small pliers (preferably curved, or similar tool) and Phillips screwdriver. Once you've got it all figured out, and with practice, the roller replacement is a 15 minute job - my first go at it took an hour, but I was very methodical about it.
I'll post an update if my results with this kit turn bad. If I do not post an update, all is good!
UPDATE June 30, 2020: Okay, so not all is good, and I just downgraded my review to two stars, because as soon as I started using the printer again, the fuser has been wrinkling the paper. I've run a half dozen or more pages through, to see if the problem will sort itself out, and it has not. The paper is not only coming out wrinkled, there is also a mis-registration of the colors, which suggests that the paper is having trouble _entering_ the fuser (i.e. backing up and buckling as it goes past the color toner drums). I've looked at the rollers and they appear undamaged, which is a relief, but the problem persists. So I'll have to take the thing apart again and see what might have gone wrong with my installation, or if there is another cause. I'll update again once I figure it out.
UPDATE July 15, 2020: I took fuser unit apart, and re-installed drums two more times - looking for possible errors in my work. I found no errors, even as I am getting quite good at the work! Just to try something, I reversed the orientation of the orange roller, with no improvement in performance. The rollers appear to be of slightly uneven diameter (?) - maybe I got a faulty batch. I've contacted the seller.
