I guess I do it backwards, but I don't ever want to take a stepper apart before I fix the problem (or identify the problem with 110% certainty). Get it working, even half-a**ed and then take it apart.

Here's my theory, you take it apart and you're introducing new variables. You get it back together and if there's a problem, you no longer know if it's the original problem or something you created by taking it apart. Only change one variable at a time, and the problem stays small (and hopefully simple). It's a lot easier to deal with "Gee, it was working before I took it apart" than it is dealing with "I took it apart and put it back together and it STILL doesn't work!"

I was watching a video (maybe it was one of Clay's, I forget) and they talked about cleaning and adjusting every switch as a matter of routine before powering up the machine. If it works for them, fine, but to me it seems like madness. At least 95% of those switches were perfectly capable of doing their job the way they were, why make random changes? Get it working, then clean and adjust.