MrRongoose

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@AjzRide Thanks for this. It does work this time around. I actually like that it stops full opening, I keep it closed up to the charger to give a further buffer. I was using the velcro on the mobile plug temporarily to hold it slightly closed when charging. I was considering trying out the Jawstech to see how it compares but might wait to see if @AEtherScythe adds a further revision. I was looking at adding a bump in the middle that meets the stopper in the car or making that area thicker. Would be far enough forward that you can still install but gives more room to stop not just in the rear behind the door part.

Before:
Ford Mustang Mach-E Charge Port Cover Dent Prevention – 3D Printed DIY Solution IMG_2234


After:
Ford Mustang Mach-E Charge Port Cover Dent Prevention – 3D Printed DIY Solution IMG_2233
 

Scarpia

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Got the new one yesterday (shout out to @AjzRide!) and put it on today. The older one worked pretty well for me after shaving it down a bit, but I had broken the top tab off when installing it. This is a better fit and works great.
Again, thanks to everyone for their work on this project - the time and effort is appreciated. The whole thing is really quite brilliant.
 

Kamuelaflyer

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Nice job! The new one greatly reduces the chance of damage and doesn’t impede closing the cover. It does stop the door from popping all the way open initially but is easy to open all the way by hand.

The door stops at
Ford Mustang Mach-E Charge Port Cover Dent Prevention – 3D Printed DIY Solution IMG_2233


The door then opens fine and does a nice job of resisting against over-extension and impact with the body.
Ford Mustang Mach-E Charge Port Cover Dent Prevention – 3D Printed DIY Solution IMG_2233
Thanks for those photos Mark. I’ve ordered a pair for my MME (1 to use and a spare). Those do a good job of showing how it’ll work.
 

al14

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UPDATE 4 June 2021:
If you'd like to get the highest quality possible part with the black vapor finish, you can now just go here and place an order with JawsTec.
$20 plus $10 shipping on quantity one.

https://www.jawstec.com/product/wedge-mme-chargeport-door/

Original Post:

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.

Below 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.

I've posted two versions of the part, one without support so you can send off to a service to have it printed in TPU 85A (or similar) using Selective Laser Sintering technology or if you have a direct drive printer you can try using your slicer's built-in support with that version (V.1.N).
The second version of the part is the one I print on my Lulzbot Taz Pro with in-built support, meaning I do not let my slicer generate support. I had to keep tweaking the inbuilt support version (V.1A.S) to increase the gap between the angled support at the top. A gap of 0.5mm between the in-built support and the actual part wasn't enough, but 0.75mm seems to be a happy medium re: it does work as support and it isn't too difficult to remove. All I had to do was use some side cutters to get a grip on the angled bit and tear it free.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4847310

Video showing installation + usage:

Ford Mustang Mach-E Charge Port Cover Dent Prevention – 3D Printed DIY Solution IMG_2233
Ford Mustang Mach-E Charge Port Cover Dent Prevention – 3D Printed DIY Solution IMG_2233
Ford Mustang Mach-E Charge Port Cover Dent Prevention – 3D Printed DIY Solution IMG_2233
was going to order but only an expedited delivery option of $50 for a $20 item is ridiculous. I have paid far less delivery from the states to the UK for bigger and heavier items. Good idea but poor marketing.
 


Nklem

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My son 3D printed mine. I installed last night. Hot pink was the only color he had. It works, I guess.
 
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AEtherScythe

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was going to order but only an expedited delivery option of $50 for a $20 item is ridiculous. I have paid far less delivery from the states to the UK for bigger and heavier items. Good idea but poor marketing.
Uploading to Shapeways might work better from Europe. I suggest writing them and see if you can get it in black and whether they can do a vapor polish finish. Remember you want SLS processing and TPU material.
 

AlpaChino

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Amazing work, you are a lifesaver! Many thanks.

UPDATE 4 June 2021:
If you'd like to get the highest quality possible part with the black vapor finish, you can now just go here and place an order with JawsTec.
$20 plus $10 shipping on quantity one.

https://www.jawstec.com/product/wedge-mme-chargeport-door/

Original Post:

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.

Below 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.

I've posted two versions of the part, one without support so you can send off to a service to have it printed in TPU 85A (or similar) using Selective Laser Sintering technology or if you have a direct drive printer you can try using your slicer's built-in support with that version (V.1.N).
The second version of the part is the one I print on my Lulzbot Taz Pro with in-built support, meaning I do not let my slicer generate support. I had to keep tweaking the inbuilt support version (V.1A.S) to increase the gap between the angled support at the top. A gap of 0.5mm between the in-built support and the actual part wasn't enough, but 0.75mm seems to be a happy medium re: it does work as support and it isn't too difficult to remove. All I had to do was use some side cutters to get a grip on the angled bit and tear it free.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4847310

Video showing installation + usage:

Ford Mustang Mach-E Charge Port Cover Dent Prevention – 3D Printed DIY Solution IMG_2233
Ford Mustang Mach-E Charge Port Cover Dent Prevention – 3D Printed DIY Solution IMG_2233
Ford Mustang Mach-E Charge Port Cover Dent Prevention – 3D Printed DIY Solution IMG_2233
 

ChasingCoral

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The door then opens fine and does a nice job of resisting against over-extension and impact with the body.
Ford Mustang Mach-E Charge Port Cover Dent Prevention – 3D Printed DIY Solution IMG_2233
Thanks to @AEtherScythe for the design and @AjzRide for the implementation. I think I installed this just in time. Yesterday, Marlin was plugged in to charge in the car port. I had just unplugged the lawn mower cord on the adjacent wall when I turned and bumped right into the charge port door pushing in and forward. I'm confident I would have a dent today if I hadn't installed this guard!
 

machefan

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Thanks to @AEtherScythe for the design and @AjzRide for the implementation. I think I installed this just in time. Yesterday, Marlin was plugged in to charge in the car port. I had just unplugged the lawn mower cord on the adjacent wall when I turned and bumped right into the charge port door pushing in and forward. I'm confident I would have a dent today if I hadn't installed this guard!
I will say that again :)

Thanks to @AEtherScythe for the design and @AjzRide for the implementation!!!!
 

hybrid2bev

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Thanks to @AEtherScythe for the design and @AjzRide for the implementation. I think I installed this just in time. Yesterday, Marlin was plugged in to charge in the car port. I had just unplugged the lawn mower cord on the adjacent wall when I turned and bumped right into the charge port door pushing in and forward. I'm confident I would have a dent today if I hadn't installed this guard!
Talked me into it. I ordered one today.
 

JohnnyForensic

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UPDATE 4 June 2021:
If you'd like to get the highest quality possible part with the black vapor finish, you can now just go here and place an order with JawsTec.
$20 plus $10 shipping on quantity one.

https://www.jawstec.com/product/wedge-mme-chargeport-door/

Original Post:

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.

Below 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.

I've posted two versions of the part, one without support so you can send off to a service to have it printed in TPU 85A (or similar) using Selective Laser Sintering technology or if you have a direct drive printer you can try using your slicer's built-in support with that version (V.1.N).
The second version of the part is the one I print on my Lulzbot Taz Pro with in-built support, meaning I do not let my slicer generate support. I had to keep tweaking the inbuilt support version (V.1A.S) to increase the gap between the angled support at the top. A gap of 0.5mm between the in-built support and the actual part wasn't enough, but 0.75mm seems to be a happy medium re: it does work as support and it isn't too difficult to remove. All I had to do was use some side cutters to get a grip on the angled bit and tear it free.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4847310

Video showing installation + usage:

Ford Mustang Mach-E Charge Port Cover Dent Prevention – 3D Printed DIY Solution IMG_2233
Ford Mustang Mach-E Charge Port Cover Dent Prevention – 3D Printed DIY Solution IMG_2233
Ford Mustang Mach-E Charge Port Cover Dent Prevention – 3D Printed DIY Solution IMG_2233
Thank you so much for all the work you did on this; I've ordered mine and I won't even have the car for another two months.

That said, I wonder if Ford has made changes to those rolling off the line recently to further prevent this issue since it's such a prevalent thread here and we know they're watching? Does anyone with a very recent delivery know if the door has been manufactured any differently?

Regardless, I'll have mine in hand to install the first day. Much appreciated.
 
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AEtherScythe

AEtherScythe

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Thank you so much for all the work you did on this; I've ordered mine and I won't even have the car for another two months.

That said, I wonder if Ford has made changes to those rolling off the line recently to further prevent this issue since it's such a prevalent thread here and we know they're watching? Does anyone with a very recent delivery know if the door has been manufactured any differently?

Regardless, I'll have mine in hand to install the first day. Much appreciated.
I know through channels that Ford is aware of the issue (and my work), but I do not know if any change has been made to the actual charge port door assembly to mitigate the problem.
Sponsored

 
 




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