Pool vacuum wheel pin/shaft and retainer ring

thingiverse

Updated on September 4, 2019. Upon reading a comment, I discovered that the file had not been repaired before being uploaded as an STL. This oversight occurred six years ago during my Sketchup days. To rectify this, I updated both parts in ANSYS Spaceclaim Engineer to incorporate lessons learned over time and to produce smoother STLs. Additionally, I added a STP file for anyone who wishes to edit the design. My brother has a pool vacuum with several wheels secured by two-part clips that frequently break. As it's a saltwater pool, replacement clips cost approximately $15 for four units. To resolve this issue, I designed a substitute pin and retainer ring for him. When printing these replacements, Nylon, ABS, or PETG is recommended, while PLA should be avoided. If you encounter issues with the legs of the pins breaking off, print them horizontally. These parts are intended for one-time assembly. I successfully printed a pin and retaining ring vertically, with the flat end down, at 25% fill and using a raft. Printing without a raft is also possible. Assemble the parts on either side of the pool vacuum wheel by snapping them together. The design works effectively - refer to the provided photo. The pin measures 34mm in height (1.338 inches) and is compatible with a wheel featuring a 9mm center shaft (approximately 11/32"). I will update the vacuum model details once I confirm its name. When using Makerware, you should be able to print multiple sets of these parts simultaneously. For identification purposes, I initially printed the first set in yellow.