Old style Technic wheel rim / hub 3482

thingiverse

When I was a kid, the wheel rim #3482 was everywhere in LEGO sets. Nowadays it's no longer used and that's a good thing: its design just wasn't that great... at least not for injection-molded parts. Many of my collection's rims have cracked. The LEGO replacement parts store still lists the yellow version because it was the last one ever used, but even that has been out of stock as long as I've been looking for it. I re-modeled the rim from an intact part and I'm pretty sure that when printed correctly, the print can be stronger than the original parts thanks to the fact that the plastic is deposited in layers perpendicular to the forces the part must endure. Two variations are provided: the exact model and an 'easyPrint' variation. The latter is about 0.2 mm thicker on one side, making it entirely flush with the print bed and as the name says, easier to print. You can post-process this into an accurate part by sanding down the thicker part of the outer rim until it's 7.20 mm wide. The extra thickness is barely visible however, and in most cases you can hide it at the inside of your LEGO model anyway. To get the most accurate print without having to do mechanical post-processing, you should print the exact model with a support in a soluble material. You can either configure your slicer to make both a raft and supports or use the support I provided. Each variation also comes in a 'tol_1' version. This has 0.1 mm extra margin on the axle hole. This is probably the part you want to try printing first because FDM printers tend to print tiny details slightly too small. If the tol_1 print has too loose a fit, try the exact model. I've also made a model of the matching 3483 tire that can be printed in flexible filament. Disclaimer: this is offered as a replacement part for personal use only and is not endorsed by the LEGO company. It's not to be sold for profit, i.e. if you print it for someone else, you may only charge production costs. Print Settings Printer Brand: FlashForge Printer: Creator Pro Rafts: No Supports: No Resolution: 0.1 mm Infill: 100% Notes: Printed in ABS. The print weighs 0.90 g, exactly the same as the original part! Needless to say, your printer must be able to print very accurately for this part to be useful. Good cooling is essential to print the overhang.