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Thread: Headlight adjusters 3D CAD files

  1. #26
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
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    OC, CA, USA
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    '97 840Ci, '02 X5 4.6is
    I'm also willing to pay for a couple of sets.
    WBR, Tony

  2. #27
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
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    Irvine, CA
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    1993 850ci 6spd
    Quote Originally Posted by drphysic View Post
    This is getting bigger than I expected, as I now have 18 sets on order, 180 parts which will certainly take multiple nights to print up. So can we stop for a week or so before I get more requests? I would like to replace the materials I consume at the school, and maybe provide them a reward for allowing me to print all these parts, so I ask all who have requested the parts to consider a voluntary contribution, as many have already indicated, in addition to the postage

    masbury has asked about printing up the plastic seat gears, but to do so requires an example to take measurements on, so if anyone has one that they would loan for that purpose, I can see if it is possible.
    sure I’ll contribute in addition to postage.

  3. #28
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    Woodstock, GA
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    2001 BMW 540i6
    I guess I’ll sign up once the initial run has been made.

  4. #29
    Join Date
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    Victoria, Canada
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    689
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    850i, Z3 2.3, X5 4.8is
    Me too, love that we're making parts now to replace NLA and non-available stuff. This community is the best!
    Live, Love, Life, Amazing...

  5. #30
    Join Date
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    Santa Barbara
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    91 Dinan860 & 91 850 6sp
    Quote Originally Posted by drphysic View Post
    This is getting bigger than I expected, as I now have 18 sets on order, 180 parts which will certainly take multiple nights to print up. So can we stop for a week or so before I get more requests? I would like to replace the materials I consume at the school, and maybe provide them a reward for allowing me to print all these parts, so I ask all who have requested the parts to consider a voluntary contribution, as many have already indicated, in addition to the postage

    masbury has asked about printing up the plastic seat gears, but to do so requires an example to take measurements on, so if anyone has one that they would loan for that purpose, I can see if it is possible.
    I was never expecting "Free"... of course I'm willing to pay for my 4 sets ;0
    '91 Dinan 860 Stage III (new 6L engine)
    '91 Dinan 850 TT stage III (brand new engine) 21st Century Tech meets 18th Century Dinan...
    '91 850i 6sp (mint) (sold)
    '90 Dinan 750iL TT stage III (Guido - The Beast)
    '94 850 CSi The Detroit Auto Show car (restored to factory perfect) (sold)
    '96 850Ci, The George Carlin car
    ''73 3.0 csi, '08 535i, '03 X5 4.6is
    ...and a few other non BMW cars

  6. #31
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Las Cruces New Mexico
    Posts
    60
    My Cars
    1991 850i 6-speed
    You can all accuse me of ignorance of the widespread interest in these parts. At 1 hour to print one gear and one bucket, I have well over 100 hours of printing time to meet those already requesting parts. This is way beyond the school to support, independent of getting $s back, just due to the time involved. That also requires I monitor this process, they won't run the equipment without someone present, and I don't have 100+ free hours to do this. So..... I am going to see how much it would cost to have a person/company do the printing.

    I have also sent Wuffer an email asking him if he can test the new parts so we all can be assured that they will work as designed. I am concerned with the buckets since BMW used a 2-piece part to avoid breaking the bucket when you insert the shaft end and this 1-piece design requires the shaft be pressed into the part, with the potential for breaking it. If someone is in a position to do this testing, let me know and I will send you parts to test.
    drphysic

  7. #32
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Upstate South Carolina
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    319
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    1996 840Ci / 2007 B7
    Not sure which two piece part you're referring to - the black plastic 'bucket' part was one piece on my car, and snaps onto the white plastic (which is why the snap dimension is listed as "CTQ" on the drawing - Critical To Quality). Well... The ones in my car were multiple pieces because they were broken. Here you can see the broken original black plastic snapped into the white plastic piece still on the shaft in the upper example:



    Creation time was the issue that we ran into several years ago as well. I don't know what material your 3D printer uses, but the Delrin we used previously had no issue with the snap fitting

    Quote Originally Posted by drphysic View Post
    You can all accuse me of ignorance of the widespread interest in these parts. At 1 hour to print one gear and one bucket, I have well over 100 hours of printing time to meet those already requesting parts. This is way beyond the school to support, independent of getting $s back, just due to the time involved. That also requires I monitor this process, they won't run the equipment without someone present, and I don't have 100+ free hours to do this. So..... I am going to see how much it would cost to have a person/company do the printing.

    I have also sent Wuffer an email asking him if he can test the new parts so we all can be assured that they will work as designed. I am concerned with the buckets since BMW used a 2-piece part to avoid breaking the bucket when you insert the shaft end and this 1-piece design requires the shaft be pressed into the part, with the potential for breaking it. If someone is in a position to do this testing, let me know and I will send you parts to test.
    drphysic

  8. #33
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Las Cruces New Mexico
    Posts
    60
    My Cars
    1991 850i 6-speed
    I sent two sets of the printed gears/buckets to Wuffer today so he can test if the printed versions will work, especially for the buckets. I also have an appointment to look at a set that a local 3D printer guy made this week, to see if the quality/strength appears OK. I know the gears can do the rotation job if they fit on the splined shafts well, but have no experience replacing the buckets, as mine are happily all intact.

    The buckets get brittle and break, also because of the axial loads on the adjusters most likely. With a high quality 3D printer, it is easy to make parts that screw together so it would be possible to reproduce the 2-part bucket BMW used if a suitable example is available to take the required measurements. Your broken one might even work for that. If the one-piece buckets work, then this would be a nice to have but not required.

    I hope to get all this together before the end of March, but we have a busy travel month, and then are off to Portugal/Spain for 3 weeks until 19 April. I hope to have everything printed by the time I return, and can start shipping then.

  9. #34
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Irvine, CA
    Posts
    47
    My Cars
    1993 850ci 6spd
    Quote Originally Posted by drphysic View Post
    I sent two sets of the printed gears/buckets to Wuffer today so he can test if the printed versions will work, especially for the buckets. I also have an appointment to look at a set that a local 3D printer guy made this week, to see if the quality/strength appears OK. I know the gears can do the rotation job if they fit on the splined shafts well, but have no experience replacing the buckets, as mine are happily all intact.

    The buckets get brittle and break, also because of the axial loads on the adjusters most likely. With a high quality 3D printer, it is easy to make parts that screw together so it would be possible to reproduce the 2-part bucket BMW used if a suitable example is available to take the required measurements. Your broken one might even work for that. If the one-piece buckets work, then this would be a nice to have but not required.

    I hope to get all this together before the end of March, but we have a busy travel month, and then are off to Portugal/Spain for 3 weeks until 19 April. I hope to have everything printed by the time I return, and can start shipping then.
    thanks very much for all your efforts. Even if this doesn’t pan out you’ve shown it can be done and provided the files. It’s much appreciated!

  10. #35
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Las Cruces New Mexico
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    My Cars
    1991 850i 6-speed
    Wuffer has tested the parts and none broke in being installed. I have found a printer to make the parts and have got him started printing them. I have 28 sets on order, and asked him to make 30 sets. One set includes 4 gears and 6 buckets. Wuffer said the gears fit very tightly, so there may be a need to either drill out the hole slightly, I've asked him to measure the hole in an original metal gear, or the use of acetone on a Q-tip applied to the hole to soften the plastic slightly.

    Since it takes about 1/2 hour to print a part, this represents about 100-150 hours of printing. I don't expect to be shipping sets until April when I return from Europe on the 19th, so be patient.

    I don't have final data on the costs, but the estimate is that the cost of a set will be $25 + postage. I will be responding to each that ordered set(s) to get information.

    Wuffer.jpg

  11. #36
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
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    Woodstock, GA
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    2001 BMW 540i6
    I’ll take one of the 2 extra sets if it hasn’t been claimed yet

  12. #37
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
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    Western Coastal CT
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    E31s
    Sent you a PM yesterday; please confirm receipt
    SteveCT
    E31s
    F30 daily driver

  13. #38
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
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    Las Cruces New Mexico
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    1991 850i 6-speed
    I took delivery of 450 parts yesterday, enough for 45 sets. I will start sending them out on Monday 7 May to those who have sent me their address (I have sent a PM to those who have not). I will know the postage cost tomorrow as well. Thanks for your patience with my travel schedule.

    drphysic

  14. #39
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    Quote Originally Posted by drphysic View Post
    I took delivery of 450 parts yesterday, enough for 45 sets. I will start sending them out on Monday 7 May to those who have sent me their address (I have sent a PM to those who have not). I will know the postage cost tomorrow as well. Thanks for your patience with my travel schedule.

    drphysic
    You’re the man!

  15. #40
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    Liberal Loontown, CA
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    Cool Volvo, Ugly BMW
    I think the OP and drphysic deserve a loud round of applause for their contribution here - especially the latter, as he has taken the time out of his schedule to not only get these printed, but bore the cost of such upfront and spent additional time to hunt us all down as he sends them out. You are a true gentleman. Thank you.

  16. #41
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    Jun 2015
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    West Chester, PA
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    BMWs:74 3.0 CS, 97 840Ci
    I's like to add my compliments and a big THANK YOU to both of these members for their willingness to help obtain repair items that many of us OBVIOUSLY need. Superb work and ideas.

    Gary
    Last edited by Gary Knox; 05-07-2018 at 11:50 AM.
    Gary Knox

    '97 BMW 840 Ci
    '03 MB SL55 AMG
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    50 or so others over the past 70 years of driving

  17. #42
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    Damascus, Maryland USA
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    45x $25 = buy yourself a 3D printer for next time and print us more goodies! Coin dispenser, center vent, car phone delete kit. :-)

    '89 735i, '91 850i, '81 MB 380SLC (For Sale), Tesla Model 3, and VW Passat TDI -- Yes, I still repair General Modules, DM for info!

  18. #43
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    Mt. Dora, Florida
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    Thanks for making these. I would like to get two sets. Please PM me with information. Thanks. Roger

  19. #44
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
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    Woodstock, GA
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    2001 BMW 540i6
    I’m taking my lights apart now. My only question is how did you get the white ball and socket piece out of the old cup without breaking it?

  20. #45
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    Okay figured it out but now I’m stuck. I have the new cups screwed on. But pushing the 2 piece ball and socket in there is damn near impossible. I mean it’s really tight. I feel like I’m going to break it if I push any harder and this part isn’t replaceable. How did you go about this in testing?


  21. #46
    Join Date
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    Santa Barbara
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    91 Dinan860 & 91 850 6sp
    hot water and a dab of vaseline
    '91 Dinan 860 Stage III (new 6L engine)
    '91 Dinan 850 TT stage III (brand new engine) 21st Century Tech meets 18th Century Dinan...
    '91 850i 6sp (mint) (sold)
    '90 Dinan 750iL TT stage III (Guido - The Beast)
    '94 850 CSi The Detroit Auto Show car (restored to factory perfect) (sold)
    '96 850Ci, The George Carlin car
    ''73 3.0 csi, '08 535i, '03 X5 4.6is
    ...and a few other non BMW cars

  22. #47
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    Awesome I’ll try that. I hit it with some silicone spray lube but didn’t work so I guess I’ll report back with that method.

  23. #48
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    Okay yeah that doesn’t work. I have no idea how you inserted this in to the cup it flat out does not fit. I’m going to crush the ball and socket if I push any harder on this.

  24. #49
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    Wheaties is your friend. I remember the 1st time I did this several years ago it almost scare me to death but they finally popped in.

  25. #50
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    2001 BMW 540i6
    How’d you do it years ago when these parts were made 2 weeks ago.

    But yeah if anyone gets there’s in and attempts to install them I guess let me know how you got passed this part because I’ve tried everything I know to do and it’s not working so.
    Last edited by killian665; 05-18-2018 at 08:35 PM.

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