TAZ Workhorse Problems Z-Offset, Bed Leveling/Probing

Ok, so I have been having this issue since I put the machine together out of the box. The z-offset is all over the place. From the factory it was set at -1.20 but I have to babysit the start of every print. If I don’t then the nozzle drags on the print bed which results in the filament not getting fed through the nozzle and then the feeding gear grinds down the filament and stops grabbing. So if I am not there to quickly tune the z-offset at the start of the print to get it up off the bed then I have a bigger problem and end up wasting filament. I try to start the offset off a little higher and then tune it down to avoid the issue above but every print is different and I have ranged from tuning Z offset from -1.20 to -.40 on various prints. I am just using the standard settings and not messing with any offset settings in Cura. I am not sure what is causing this issue.

Also, I really dislike the feeding tension setup on the TAZ workhorse. When I change filament it is a hassle and if I am running out of filament and need to feed in a new roll during the print… forget it! I can’t get that to work at all. Not to mention that pulling the tension rig away from the feeding gear also tweaks the whole print head and causes the nozzle to move down into the print quite a bit. I used to have the original Mini and that was great. No issue at all, perfect prints every time, feeding mechanism was awesome. I would be interested in hearing/seeing if anyone has modified this part of the machine on the Workhorse for better function and to be more user friendly.

Thanks in advance for any input.

I’m curious what version of firmware you are running and what tool head you have installed on the Workhorse.

The firmware version is 2.0.0.144 and the tool head is the original tool head it came with. No upgrades or changes have been made to the machine. SE Tool Head | 2.85 mm | Single Extruder | 0.5 mm

I got this Workhorse on the Mini trade in program back in October of 2020.

Also, the bed is not level and the auto bed leveling isn’t compensating. The right rear corner is lower than the rest. I am sure that I can fix that though… I haven’t looked up how to do it yet since I haven’t been printing anything that uses the whole bed.