3D Printed 21" Center Caps

[Dan_Foothill]

After getting the run around from CS and lack of gear shop availability for 21" center caps. I decided to take some inspiration from many other forum members and make some 3D printed versions. I am a plastics engineer so I decided to take a slightly different approach. The color center caps on the aero covers are easily removed with snap fit tabs. I then reversed engineered the snap fit design from the center section of the aero covers and added locking tabs on the back side that matched existing off the shelf center caps. I think the design came out pretty good.

The Link to download this file is here: https://grabcad.com/library/rivian-21-wheel-center-caps-1.

I used a u/formlabs SLA printer to make this part. But I am sure FDM printers will work too.

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[TheIglu]

Is the metal snap ring necessary?

 

[Lpotter86]

I’m going to try these tonight with FDM printer with PETG. Will post results.

 

[Lpotter86]

Couldn’t get the printer to get the PETG right. Used PLA. Tested on my spare tire. Snaps into place well. Had to scale it up in Cura. Still unsure if I'll use but printing the other 3 right now.

 

[RWerksman]

Couldn’t get the printer to get the PETG right. Used PLA. Tested on my spare tire. Snaps into place well. Had to scale it up in Cura. Still unsure if I'll use but printing the other 3 right now.

You very much do not want to use PLA for this application. It will get hot, deform, and likely send your center cap zinging off when taking a corner at high speed.

PETG or ABS is what you want to use here. ABS puts off noxious fumes when printing though.

 

[RalphB]

Couldn’t get the printer to get the PETG right. Used PLA. Tested on my spare tire. Snaps into place well. Had to scale it up in Cura. Still unsure if I'll use but printing the other 3 right now.

It's opening as 2.4mm in Cura. What size do you scale it to?

 

[Taz161999]

It's opening as 2.4mm in Cura. What size do you scale it to?

Did you ever figure out what to scale it to?

 

[Ryanortev]

After getting the run around from CS and lack of gear shop availability for 21" center caps. I decided to take some inspiration from many other forum members and make some 3D printed versions. I am a plastics engineer so I decided to take a slightly different approach. The color center caps on the aero covers are easily removed with snap fit tabs. I then reversed engineered the snap fit design from the center section of the aero covers and added locking tabs on the back side that matched existing off the shelf center caps. I think the design came out pretty good.

The Link to download this file is here: https://grabcad.com/library/rivian-21-wheel-center-caps-1.

I used a u/formlabs SLA printer to make this part. But I am sure FDM printers will work too.

Please answer the scale question!

 

[baron130]

After a few failed prints, I settled on 2.38 in. as spot on. You will need to hollow out the two circles that hold the center cap pins just a little to fit the pins properly. I’ve been printing in ABS using Bambu Studio on my X1C Carbon.

 

[eRacer]

Anyone know what the specs are for the snap rings? Or better yet, where to source them?

 

[RWerksman]

I just printed these out and I don't believe the snap rings are even needed. They are in there quite tight without them, assuming that size the print correctly.

This is really an excellent design. I had them installed in less than 10 minutes and they look great.

 

[chandlerr85]

dang this would have been much easier than what I did. I bought some generic black center caps, cut out the middle with a dremel and 3d printed the logo and glued it in from the back

 

[RWerksman]

FWIW - I reached out to the OP about these. I'd really like to remix them at the right size and produce them for folks who don't have a printer as they are really excellent and easy to setup & install.

There isn't a restrictive license on these, so I should be able to just do it, but I always like to check in case. The OP hasn't been here in over a year though.

 

[echeng]

Thank you! I printed these over the weekend on a Bambu Lab X1-Carbon using PETG-CF. When I loaded it into the slicer it prompted me and said that the print was small, and perhaps the units were in mm? I clicked OK and it imported as 61.4475 x 61.468 x 19.304 mm, which is a perfect fit.

UPDATE: after 6 weeks, one of the caps fell out. I pulled the others out and they were in various states of breakage. I'm re-printing in ABS. It's also likely that the missing ring would be helpful to prevent clip breakage.

 

[RWerksman]

Update:

I've revised the design for these slightly and scaled them correctly. I've been running them (without the retaining ring) since the end of May with excellent results. This is likely due to them being printed in ASA instead of PETG -- ASA being much more temperature and UV resistant -- and my update having bracing on the bottom of the tabs that contact the wheel.

My updated design is available here: https://www.printables.com/model/975747-center-cap-mount-rivian-r1t-and-r1s-21-wheels

I'll likely be selling them shortly as well as a very shortly at more or less the same price as the jack point covers. (4 for ~$15.)

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