Creality CR-10 Dual Z

Let’s clear up the biggest misunderstanding first, because the old version of this page repeated it in almost every section: dual Z has nothing to do with printing in two colours or two materials. A stock CR-10 has one extruder and prints one filament at a time, and fitting a dual Z kit does not change that.

“Dual Z” means the printer’s gantry — the horizontal bar that carries the X-axis and hotend — is lifted by two Z leadscrews instead of one. A standard CR-10 drives only the left side of the gantry; the right side simply follows along, held up by its wheels on the frame. A dual Z upgrade adds a second screw (and either a second motor or a linking belt) so both sides are driven positively. Everything this upgrade does — and every problem it solves — follows from that one mechanical change.

Why the CR-10 benefits: the gantry sag problem

The CR-10’s gantry is wide — the bed is 300 mm across — and the X motor, hotend and (on modified machines) a heavier direct-drive extruder all hang from a bar that is driven from one end. Over time the undriven side can sit a fraction lower or lag behind during moves, especially as wheels wear. The symptoms owners describe are consistent:

• A first layer that levels perfectly on the left of the bed but is never quite right on the right.
• Having to re-level far more often than the printer should need.
• Subtle layer inconsistency that no amount of slicer tuning fully removes.
• The gantry visibly dropping or tilting on the right when the motors are switched off.

None of these are guaranteed on a stock machine — plenty of single-Z CR-10s print well for years — but they are the problems dual Z genuinely addresses. If your printer does not show them, this upgrade is optional, not essential.

The two kit types

Dual-motor kits

A second stepper motor drives the second screw. The motors are wired together (a splitter cable, or a board output that drives both) so they receive the same steps.

• Advantage: Simple, widely available, and each screw gets full motor torque.
• Weakness: The motors can drift out of sync — when the printer is powered off, one side can be nudged or settle differently, and at power-up both motors just start from wherever they are. The gantry silently goes out of level even though nothing “broke”.

Single-motor belted kits

One motor drives the original screw, and a closed timing belt across the top links both screws so they are mechanically forced to turn together.

• Advantage: The two sides cannot drift apart while the belt is intact — sync is maintained by hardware, including when powered off.
• Weakness: Slightly more involved fitting, the belt run must be tensioned and aligned, and one motor does the work of lifting both sides (rarely a real problem at CR-10 gantry weights).

For most CR-10 owners, the belted design’s permanent sync is worth more than the dual-motor design’s simplicity — the out-of-sync gantry is precisely the fault most people were trying to escape.

Keeping both sides in sync (dual-motor owners)

If you run a dual-motor kit, make sync checks part of your routine:

1. Power off and align by hand: raise the gantry, then measure from a fixed point (the base frame) to the gantry bar on both left and right. Adjust the low side by turning its screw by hand until both measurements match.
2. Levelling blocks: two identical-height blocks placed under each side of the gantry while you lower it onto them give a repeatable physical reference — a common workshop trick for this exact job.
3. Firmware auto-alignment (G34) exists in Marlin, but it needs the two Z motors on independent drivers so the firmware can move them separately. Most stock CR-10-era boards drive both motors as one, so G34 is normally only available after a board upgrade — don’t go looking for it in a stock menu.

After any sync work, re-level the bed: the gantry you just straightened has changed the nozzle’s relationship to the bed, and our Ender 3 and CR-series calibration guide walks through the full sequence.

Fitting overview

Kits differ, but the shape of the job is the same: the printer goes on its side or is worked on from the top, the second leadscrew and its mounts are fitted to the right-hand upright, the nut is attached to the gantry, the drive (second motor or belt pulleys and belt) is installed, and everything is aligned so the new screw is parallel to the frame before final tightening. Take the alignment step seriously — a screw that is not parallel will bind, and a binding screw produces exactly the layer problems you were trying to fix. Budget an unhurried hour or two, and expect to re-level and re-check your first layer afterwards. If prints then refuse to stick while you dial things back in, work through the ladder in our CR-10 bed adhesion guide.

Who should (and shouldn’t) fit dual Z

Worth it if: your gantry measurably sags or drifts, you have fitted (or plan) a heavier direct-drive setup, you print tall parts where Z consistency shows, or you are simply tired of re-levelling the right side of the bed.

Skip it if: your single-Z printer levels well and stays level. A well-maintained stock CR-10 is not “incomplete” without this kit, and an upgrade fitted to fix a problem you don’t have only adds parts that can bind or drift.

Frequently asked questions

Does dual Z let a CR-10 print in two colours?

No. Dual Z is about lifting the gantry with two leadscrews. The CR-10 remains a single-extruder, single-filament printer unless it is separately converted with a dual-extrusion setup — a completely different modification.

Does the CR-10 have a heated bed and a screen?

Yes — both are standard on the CR-10, despite claims in some old articles (including the previous version of this page) that a “kit” is needed for them. The heated bed and LCD controller are part of the machine as sold.

Which is better, dual-motor or belted dual Z?

For most owners, belted. It keeps both screws mechanically synchronised even when the printer is off. Dual-motor kits work well too, but need occasional manual re-syncing because the motors can drift apart at power-off.

Do I need a new mainboard for dual Z?

Not for the common splitter-cable or belted kits — they run from the existing Z output. You only need a board with two independent Z drivers if you want firmware auto-alignment features such as Marlin’s G34.

Will dual Z improve my print quality?

It fixes a specific mechanical problem — an uneven or sagging gantry. If that is your problem, layers and first-layer consistency improve noticeably. If your gantry is already true, expect little visible change.