# Ex controller + servo upgrade **URL:** \ **Category:** General Chat\ **Created:** [September 23, 2025, 4:16pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/ex-controller-servo-upgrade/5287 "2025-09-23T16:16:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dewey98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Dewey98](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/Dewey98)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2025, 4:16pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/ex-controller-servo-upgrade/5287/1 "2025-09-23T16:16:00Z")
For those that have upgrade the original PRO system to the EX Controller and Servos I have a question in step 4 during motor swap out. Do you have to support the Gantry when you swap the motors? I’ve heard it talked about that some people had done it, but it’s not listed in the instructions. You would think the instructions would have it listed as a caution or something. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Eric](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.avidcnc.com/eric/32/3220_2.png) [@Eric](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/Eric)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2025, 4:19pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/ex-controller-servo-upgrade/5287/2 "2025-09-23T16:19:07Z")
> [@Dewey98](#): > > Do you have to support the Gantry when you swap the motors? In what way? You don’t have to take the gantry apart if that’s what you’re asking. With the motors out the gantry will slide freely around the table, and if you don’t want that you can just clamp it with a standard woodworking clamp to hold it in place. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Dewey98](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/Dewey98)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2025, 4:37pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/ex-controller-servo-upgrade/5287/3 "2025-09-23T16:37:21Z")
Thank you Eric. No, people have said in the past that you have to support the gantry during the upgrade. It’s been a long time since I built my PRO CNC so I was a little sketchy on that part. I’m hoping between a few nights and this weekend I’ll have my CNC upgraded so I can get the Tramming and Squaring done. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Dewey98](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/Dewey98)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2025, 4:38pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/ex-controller-servo-upgrade/5287/4 "2025-09-23T16:38:26Z")
Does anyone know where to buy the shims for the tramming process? ---
**Author:** ![Eric](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.avidcnc.com/eric/32/3220_2.png) [@Eric](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/Eric)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2025, 4:39pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/ex-controller-servo-upgrade/5287/5 "2025-09-23T16:39:08Z")
No gantry taking apart is needed. You won’t even need to re-tram unless you take your spindle off (which you won’t need to do unless you’re replacing it) You will need to re-square but that’s easy [![](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/uploads/avidcnc/original/2X/8/836fd112ebe0dc563be87764e83e94ebe367b011.jpeg "Squaring your Avid CNC Machine") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qz6VrsEq_Xc) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Dewey98](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/Dewey98)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2025, 4:43pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/ex-controller-servo-upgrade/5287/6 "2025-09-23T16:43:00Z")
You have to take the spindle off during the Z-Axis upgrade don’t you? Besides I have a long backstory that ends with I’ve never trammed my PRO60120 since it arrived Sept 2022. Bad luck after bad luck, but I’m getting this thing up and running. ---
**Author:** ![Eric](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.avidcnc.com/eric/32/3220_2.png) [@Eric](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/Eric)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2025, 5:22pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/ex-controller-servo-upgrade/5287/7 "2025-09-23T17:22:39Z")
Ah yes, sorry I totally forgot about that, you do have to take the Z apart to put the spindle brake in. It’s not too bad to do actually. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Dewey98](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/Dewey98)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2025, 5:25pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/ex-controller-servo-upgrade/5287/8 "2025-09-23T17:25:22Z")
Like I said above, it was be a learning experience because I never got it done in the first place. When I got to that step, my new solar install decided to throw sparks around the house for almost two years. I had to keep most electronics unplugged the entire time. ---
**Author:** ![GarthJones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5ac83/32.png) [@GarthJones](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/GarthJones)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2025, 6:39pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/ex-controller-servo-upgrade/5287/9 "2025-09-23T18:39:12Z")
The only time you might have to support the gantry is if you decide to replace the linear bearings. However, there are two on each since so if you do them one at a time support isn’t totally needed - at least that was what happened for me when I replaced mine. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Dewey98](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/Dewey98)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2025, 6:55pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/ex-controller-servo-upgrade/5287/10 "2025-09-23T18:55:53Z")
Thank you all for your responses. It doesn’t look like it will take me too long to do this. ---
**Author:** ![Eric](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.avidcnc.com/eric/32/3220_2.png) [@Eric](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/Eric)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2025, 7:08pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/ex-controller-servo-upgrade/5287/11 "2025-09-23T19:08:15Z")
> [@Dewey98](#): > > It doesn’t look like it will take me too long to do this. We’ve tried to make it as easy as possible. Honestly the longest part is snaking all of the cables through the cable track and being neat about it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![berrianmtn](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.avidcnc.com/berrianmtn/32/4852_2.png) [@berrianmtn](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/berrianmtn)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2025, 7:23pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/ex-controller-servo-upgrade/5287/12 "2025-09-23T19:23:20Z")
+1. The upgrade was easy and you are going to love Centroid/Ex and servos.