Hi friends,

anyone knows where to purchase new or maybe replacement metal,( like the replacement ones available for the front bumper ), rear bumper side brackets , the ones which are plastic welded/ plastic riveted on each side of the rear bumper ?

many thanks for your input, really appreciated.

 

You can get replacment brackets but hard to find. I have been working on some 3D printed ones

 

Sounds like the guy in Malta could be a good test bed for your 3D printed ones?

 

Hi robrs2, have you tested their fit on the bumber and how the bumper sits in place on the car with your 3D printed brackets? Is it plastic material ? strong enough to fit its purpose? I'm asking because I'm new to 3D printing and would appreciate more information. thanks.

thanks

 

I have not tried them yet but will soon as a mate has a bumper to try them on. But the bracket i have printed has exactly the same fixings dimensions as the ford replacment part. It is made from plastic and due the the thicker wall sizes i have done it is far stronger than the ford one.
If done correctly 3D printed parts are as strong or stronger then an equivalent ABS part( as most of the Ford parts are). One thing i do is test the parts and break them.
I do clips for the side skirts on the sapphire which are very strong, better than the Ford ones. They are not unbreakable as they are plastic after all. I have put a lot of work into the things i have made, but unless someone has £0000's to invest in setting up the injection moulding its as good as it gets.

 

So in that case I am prepared to wait for the fit verdict. Another question for you mate, how will the half turn butterfly plastic Ford locks fit in the elongated hole and lock the 3D printed bracket to the metal corrisponding bracket due to the extra thickness of the 3D printed bracket ?

 

Although the bracket is thicker the 1/4 lock fit the same. the photo shows the underside where it locks into. this is all the same as the Ford one.
The extra thicknes is added on this side so does not affect the outer dimensions and fitment of the bracket

 

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