A-pillar Trim clip free design for 3d Printers (Page 1/1)
airwrench JAN 11, 10:07 AM
I have released a 3d printable design for a A pillar trim clip (you know the ones that always break when you remove the A pillar trim?). This clip works by a different mechanism and is easier to release than the factory clip. There's no rattling from the trim piece as installed in my car, but that's not guaranteed for every car. The factory clip has a nice ratcheting mechanism that minimizes the possibility of rattling, but also makes it hard to remove intact.

This design is available for free downloading at: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2030247

If you have a 3d printer, you can make clips for virtually free any time you need to. I used PLA, but ABS would also be a good choice. I'll upload it on Shapeways too, but their prints would be more expensive than the $0.95 the factory clips sell for online.

The file is a .stl and is ready for your slicer. It's a pretty simple part and there are notes on the Thingiverse site on my print settings.

Good luck, and hopefully it is quick and useful for some folks!

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87 5spd. GT Maroon/Silver - Sold
88 Formula 5 spd. Black - sold
88 Formula auto Red - Current

Cajun JAN 11, 12:38 PM
Thank you for sharing. Nice work
wgpierce JAN 11, 04:23 PM
Wow, this is just awesome. Have to say this is the first time I've seen a post like this on any car forum, sharing parts printing designs. The future is bright for home parts making. Great work, and thanks
airwrench JAN 12, 07:47 AM
Just some encouragement for anybody thinking of getting a 3d printer. It has been the most useful "brackets and weird parts" machine in my shop. This A pillar clip is a perfect example - something not commonly available, plastic, small enough to fit in my printer. I've used if for countless things like this for both cars and home. I've also used it to print guide templates. You know, the things you used to make out of scrap material, like drilling guides for furniture or doors, etc. Faster now for me to design it on a CAD program and get it to print than to do in the shop and make it out of scrap.

Surprisingly, my 3d printer has also idled my small CNC mill. Most of the small things I made on that are now faster and cheaper coming off my 3d printer.

So - if you are thinking about it, and especially if you are restoring a car, it's a pretty cool tool.
LornesGT JAN 12, 08:02 PM
How many are behind there? Probably have some made just in case.
tshark JAN 13, 02:07 PM
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[This message has been edited by tshark (edited 09-08-2018).]

airwrench JAN 20, 05:11 PM
Hey - sorry about the delay in responding!

I have a FDM machine, a Turnigy Fabrikator. It's a typical consumer machine that can print stuff up to 6" X 6" x 6". I've had really good experiences with it and was printing successfully almost immediately. There is a characteristic that you learn more about 3d printing than you want to initially. I've run PLA filament and ABS with successful prints in both. I almost exclusively use PLA now - as it's pretty strong, and it doesn't smell when printing the way ABS does. Probably the easiest plastic to use.

There are 2 clips in each A piller trim piece. The plastic clips slide into a metal piece that is pushed onto the trim itself. If your trim tabs are broken, I recommend plastic welding the metal pieces back onto the trim piece. I had to do this for one of my clips. Cheap plastic welders and ABS welding rods are available at Harbor Freight. I prefer the ones that look just like a big soldering iron.

LornesGT JAN 20, 06:16 PM
My brother-in-law is printing them for me. I have already broke the remaining clips that the last person did not break before your reply. Two of the metal pieces are gone. I doubt people have any of them lying around but I suppose I should ask in the mall.
tshark JAN 20, 11:25 PM
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[This message has been edited by tshark (edited 09-08-2018).]

0z OCT 01, 03:46 PM
Dude!! I had seen this on Thingiverse before and didn't know what it was for. I DO NOW!!!
Getting ready to print some!!