What have you 3D printed for your TJ?

[DeltaNu1142]

I'll print one now.

Got this thing dialed in. This lever is going nowhere, with or without a pin:

 

[DeltaNu1142]

I have a quickie 3D print I made of a split collar to replace the factory circlip that was hammered on the shift lever. You zip tie it to the lever, keeps the ball sack from drooping.

Printed & installed, works great. With a zip tie there's just enough compression on the shift lever to make it adjustable. No more saggy sack.

 

[DeltaNu1142]

Designed & going to the printer now... a drill template for my OE spare tire carrier. The resulting bolt pattern is 5x5 and this will raise the spare 3/4" from the stock location:

Seeing as this will probably put the top stud outside of the current wheel mounting face, I might use sendcutsend.com and have a plate made that I can weld to the carrier. I want to push the spare out 3/4" from the stock location, and a plate could help with that a little.

 

[FarFire70]

Designed & going to the printer now... a drill template for my OE spare tire carrier. The resulting bolt pattern is 5x5 and this will raise the spare 3/4" from the stock location:

View attachment 633202

Seeing as this will probably put the top stud outside of the current wheel mounting face, I might use sendcutsend.com and have a plate made that I can weld to the carrier. I want to push the spare out 3/4" from the stock location, and a plate could help with that a little.

If you go SCS - you can get a discount code here:

https://sendcutsend.com/superfastmatt/

His videos say its 'only for the first time' but I've used it multiple times my entering my email on the above link and using the code on the same account.

I'm a big SCS fan - planning to draw up and send over plate for my sliders that will be mild steel & zinc coated. They have really increased their service offers.

 

[k1n3k]

If you go SCS - you can get a discount code here:

https://sendcutsend.com/superfastmatt/

His videos say its 'only for the first time' but I've used it multiple times my entering my email on the above link and using the code on the same account.

I'm a big SCS fan - planning to draw up and send over plate for my sliders that will be mild steel & zinc coated. They have really increased their service offers.

SCS kicks ass. I designed this bumper and had the plate all cut and bent by them. 260 bucks! when I priced out steel to build it myself on a CNC plasma cutter and CNC brake I have access to, it was going to be around the same. Granted, I've had them mess up a few projects so far... but they've rebuilt the parts without any runaround so no complaints.

 

[FarFire70]

SCS kicks ass. I designed this bumper and had the plate all cut and bent by them. 260 bucks! when I priced out steel to build it myself on a CNC plasma cutter and CNC brake I have access to, it was going to be around the same. Granted, I've had them mess up a few projects so far... but they've rebuilt the parts without any runaround so no complaints.

View attachment 633311

Great design work!

Glad you had a good experience on a potential problem.

I've yet to hear a bad experience and I've had great success with them. Can't find a reason to not recommend.

I'm currently learning Fusion sheet metal to try to learn their new add-on. Fusion isn't my CAD software forte so I'm learning...

 

[chili_pepper]

bent by them

They do forming now? I did not know this...

 

[DeltaNu1142]

I'm currently learning Fusion sheet metal to try to learn their new add-on. Fusion isn't my CAD software forte so I'm learning...

I never used Sheet Metal functions in Fusion before designing these things for SCS to finish up. I got some of the post-bend dimensions a little short, but not far enough off to make a difference.

 

[DeltaNu1142]

If you go SCS - you can get a discount code here:

https://sendcutsend.com/superfastmatt/

This worked... with a caveat. I entered my normal SCS email address, and I never got an email. I returned to it after maybe 15 minutes and entered a different email address, and got my code instantly. Just placed my order. Made some mods to the design:

• eliminated the bottom 5x4.5 hole... if I'm welding, I don't need it. And it makes the plate smaller
• added a 5x5 center hole for future expandability... maybe a center cap light or a camera
• rounded the edges

This design is 1-1/2" up instead of 3/4". I was cutting it close to the bumper at 3/4".

EDIT: I forgot to add something that I just learned on the site... SCS will insert hardware... flush nuts, regular nuts, studs, standoffs... and on the cheap. That's awesome. Too bad they didn't have 1/2-20 studs, or I would have done that.

 

[sab]

This design is 1-1/2" up instead of 3/4".

If I’m understanding you correctly, you’re going to weld this on a stock spare tire carrier? Are you sure that’s going to work? Raising the wheel up one and a half inches may cause the spare tire carrier to touch the rim.

 

[mlozano]

Designed and Printed a transmission temperature gauge pod. I have it angled up and towards the driver. Apologies for the photo quality/visibility.View attachment 609971View attachment 609972View attachment 609999

Good design, can you share the STL?

 

[DeltaNu1142]

If I’m understanding you correctly, you’re going to weld this on a stock spare tire carrier? Are you sure that’s going to work? Raising the wheel up one and a half inches may cause the spare tire carrier to touch the rim.

Ahh, good point.

Fortunately, the 5x4.5 stud holes are just there for help centering the plate… the OE studs are going to have to be cut off anyway. If I find that the carrier hits the inside of the wheel at 1-1/2”, I’ll just cut the studs first and lower it until it doesn’t. Just not to less than 3/4”. Because I’m on 17” wheels, I’ll have a little extra clearance.

I remember thinking about that at some point a few weeks ago, but obviously I forgot it again. Thanks for the reminder. That’s why the adapters from RC & others work… they space the wheel out far enough so there’s no interference (2” vs my 0.250” plate). I want the spare as tight to the tailgate as possible.

Something I’ve been mulling around is a receiver-mounted spare tire strut that works like one of those two-piece motorcycle wheel chocks. A horizontal pin would allow a vaguely U- or L-shaped cradle to pivot and “grab” the tire as the tailgate closes. It would have to be shaped so as to not hook the tailgate when opened & closed. The pivot would be welded to a short hitch extender like one of these:

3D design & print will make a mock-up easy.

 

[DeltaNu1142]

Raising the wheel up one and a half inches may cause the spare tire carrier to touch the rim.

Did some measuring. On a 17" wheel, I should be able to raise the tire 2-1/2" before it's a problem.

 

[mlozano]

Today i printed a very simple thing. This angled spacer for my Aeroforce gauge i found on Thingiverse:
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5389647

Printed in PLA, 0.1mm layer height. I pulled it off too fast while it was still hot and it bent a little in the thin area, but once installed, it flattened out just fine. Installed in a 2005 Jeep Wrangler.

 

[Mogul345]

View attachment 634011

Is this in the Metra Double DIN dash kit? If so I'm intrigued where you got that gauge mount in the first place?

 

[mlozano]

Is this in the Metra Double DIN dash kit? If so I'm intrigued where you got that gauge mount in the first place?

Yes, it's the Metra dash kit. However, I installed the gauge on the flat blank panel located to the right of the four switches found on late-model versions (Works with the OEM Dash).

 

[Mogul345]

Ahh interesting! Ok there must be a different dash kit for the late models. I've got an earlier model metra kit, and there's a divider piece in the kit between the switch side and the ashtray side, which is why I was confused. Looks like they made that all one piece in later years.

I'm still pondering how I could mod this entire area and get stuff to line up with the Metra kit I've got correctly. I sold the hardtop, so I have zero useful switches in that left pod anymore. But that's a problem for another day.

 

[mlozano]

Ahh interesting! Ok there must be a different dash kit for the late models. I've got an earlier model metra kit, and there's a divider piece in the kit between the switch side and the ashtray side, which is why I was confused. Looks like they made that all one piece in later years.

I'm still pondering how I could mod this entire area and get stuff to line up with the Metra kit I've got correctly. I sold the hardtop, so I have zero useful switches in that left pod anymore. But that's a problem for another day.

The newer models came without ashtray and the metra dash is different for those years. Mine is 2005

 

[FarFire70]

Prepping for install of a Midland MXT275 so I needed an ethernet in the dash as I plan to hide the radio itself away under the dash. I'm putting in a new switch panel from Custom 3d Fab:

https://www.custom3dfab.com/collections/jeep-wrangler-tj-lj/products/11-car

Took one of the blanks for a Carling Switch and used that as a template with my caliper to draw up a baseline in Fusion 360. After a few prototypes:

I had my final design:

I'm using this ethernet port:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y4J9MZ4?tag=wranglerorg-20


I figure since the mic won't regularly be in the port that I'd want a cover to keep out the dust - so I printed up a bunch of options:

Ended up going with this one based on fitment and feel to remove/install with ease:

And here's the final setup:

All the above is printed on a Bambu X1C using Bambu black ABS-GF. Each of the panel plates cost about $0.05 and all the ethernet plugs were a total of $0.08 - so only a few bucks worth of materials.

I went with the smooth (non-textured) plate for the final print but I may go back and re-print on a textured plate, once I get it mounted in the vehicle. Want to make it look as natural as possible that it fits among all the rest of the parts.

 

[gbirk]

Prepping for install of a Midland MXT275 so I needed an ethernet in the dash as I plan to hide the radio itself away under the dash. I'm putting in a new switch panel from Custom 3d Fab:

View attachment 637122

https://www.custom3dfab.com/collections/jeep-wrangler-tj-lj/products/11-car

Took one of the blanks for a Carling Switch and used that as a template with my caliper to draw up a baseline in Fusion 360. After a few prototypes:

View attachment 637128

View attachment 637129

I had my final design:

View attachment 637130

I'm using this ethernet port:

View attachment 637126

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y4J9MZ4?tag=wranglerorg-20


I figure since the mic won't regularly be in the port that I'd want a cover to keep out the dust - so I printed up a bunch of options:

View attachment 637131

View attachment 637133

Ended up going with this one based on fitment and feel to remove/install with ease:

View attachment 637132

And here's the final setup:

View attachment 637136

View attachment 637135


View attachment 637134

All the above is printed on a Bambu X1C using Bambu black ABS-GF. Each of the panel plates cost about $0.05 and all the ethernet plugs were a total of $0.08 - so only a few bucks worth of materials.

I went with the smooth (non-textured) plate for the final print but I may go back and re-print on a textured plate, once I get it mounted in the vehicle. Want to make it look as natural as possible that it fits among all the rest of the parts.

That ABS-GF is new favorite filament. It has a great surface finish,is heat resistant and I can print it easily without warping. Also not very expensive.
Your parts look awesome.