Apple Laserwriter 8500 Prints Off-center

pontederia

Registered
Can I fix this: Apple Laserwriter 8500 is printing pages ± .5 inch to the left and ± 3/16 " down from correct position.

This happens from paper tray with letter-size paper and also from manual feed with tabloid paper.

I have vacuumed it out, and checked for old paper jam remnants. Also switched toner cartridges, and adjusted tray paper holders. No luck so far.

Do I need a new motherboard, or registration roller assembly, or something else replaced?

I've had incredibly bad luck with a Minolta 6100 color laser, and I'm frightened to replace my dependable 8500 printer with anything new.

Thanks!
 
The LaserWriter 8500 should normally be loaded with paper long edge first (that is, feeds the long edge, not short edge). The printer auto-senses the paper orientation, and this does not affect the print orientation (landscape or portrait page format should be un-affected by the paper feed orientation)
If you are presently trying to use short-edge feed, try turning the paper to long-edge feed. Of course, if you are using letter-head, or other pre-printed media, the output should be tested, and swap the paper position if needed. Just keep in mind that long edge feed is preferred.
If this makes no difference, then you have a registration problem, and I can't find any info about that. The printer, unfortunately, is no longer supported by Apple.
 
The more recent versions of the LW 8500 PPD file allows you to calibrate the the printer's printable area. I have not calibrated mine in several years and I don't feel like walking across the hall to look at it. I presume that you have a recent version of the PPD. You should take a look at the options available to you.
 
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