dtbaker61
Well-Known Member
- First Name
- Dan
- Joined
- May 11, 2020
- Threads
- 104
- Messages
- 4,017
- Reaction score
- 3,695
- Location
- santa fe,nm
- Website
- www.envirokarma.org
- Vehicles
- MME (delivered 2/26/21), DIY eMiata BEV
- Occupation
- Solar Sales/install
A few weeks back at the #NationalMustangDay event in Detroit, @JWW mentioned an incident with a basketball led to hyper-extension of his MME charge port cover and made a dent just forward of the charge port cover. I immediately set to looking for a preventative solution. Unfortunately, before I could complete my quest, our MME suffered a similar, but less dramatic fate. We don't even know how it happened other than perhaps it was very windy one day when we using a DC fast charger. We're going to need to get the dent fixed, but I wanted to make sure that we had a solution to prevent a re-occurrence, before taking any action.
Fast forward to now. I have developed a 3D model for an insert that adds a small wedge on the inside of the charge port arm to prevent it from opening too far.
Sure you could still body slam it and overcome the wedge, but you'll probably break the cover off before that happens.
I'll post the 3D model later, but for now here are the pics of the finished design. This has to be printed in TPU or similar flexible material with a shore hardness rating of 85A-90A or it can't be finagled into position. Installation has to be done with the charge port cover closed as much as possible, while working the wedge into place, then after that it's pretty easy to insert the upper and lower retaining wings.
Video showing installation + usage:
Sell this sucker to Ford!
(file a cheap 'patent pending', and sell the design to Ford, and get Royalties!)
I think this would be an awesome 'present' from Ford if they sent one of these, and maybe a T-shirt to all 2021 Mach-e Owners along with an actual survey to encourage detailed Feedback to be considered for 2022 model tweaks.