WLToys 12428 SummitLink VW Body Mounts

thingiverse

Hi guys, If you're as frustrated with Thingiverse's speed as I am, consider checking out Cults 3D for your 3D printing needs: https://cults3d.com/en/users/WrenchToDrive/creations Who knew the SummitLink VW Beetle body would fit perfectly on my WLToys 12428? Certainly not me. I bought it for something else and discovered that it fits almost flawlessly. Now, every time I look at it, I'm transported back to my old '59 Baja Bug. The wheelbase is spot-on and the body sits beautifully. Check out this video of the car in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jzj6Fbhsz-s Update: I've been using Solutech Flexible filament for a while now, and it's truly impressive stuff. I'm planning to print these parts again to see how much more durable they'll be, and I can confidently say that the answer will be "a lot." However, keep in mind that this material is a bit too flexible, so it may not be ideal for everything. Bumpers and body mounts work great, but screws don't thread into flexible filament very well. To address this issue, I created front and rear mounts, which work beautifully. I hot-glued the rear mount and used two of the 12428's screws to attach the front one. However, the screws are a bit short, so I'll switch to longer ones or hot-glue the mount for added strength. You could also use Popsicle sticks, nuts, and bolts, along with some hot glue, as a temporary solution if you don't have any other materials on hand. The fit in the front is a bit tight due to my preference for clearing the tires by a few millimeters. If you stretch the front mount upward, you'll get more clearance. Update: I've added medium and tall versions that are ~3 and ~6mm taller than the original. The original fits perfectly but has some tire rubbing when cornering. Choose the version that suits your needs for minimum clearance between the body and tire when level and compressed. Keep in mind that how much height matters will depend on your suspension's stiffness. If it's soft, like mine, you may experience more body roll and tire rubbing when cornering. I might create a set with adjustable posts, so stay tuned! As always, use these parts at your own risk. Update: So far, the mounts are holding up well, but the bumper has broken once in -10 Celsius conditions, so I'll take another look at it. I chose PLA because it seems to be stronger than PETG for RC parts – a pleasant surprise!