Front doors wiring grommet replacement

[steve_b]

So something that has bugged us since we bought the Cali in January (and not been able to use it yet in anger...) was the rubber grommet that shrouded the cables between the drivers door and the A pillar had become detached.

There is a plastic clip inside that a lug had broken off - someone had in the past tried what looks like a hot glue gun but to no effect. The part number written on the grommet is 7h0 959 550 which looks like it has been replaced by 7H1-959-843-B . These are for two clips and the rubber shroud.

Now of course the problem with changing the clip is that you need to take the wiring loom out to feed the wires through the clip - which presumably means dismantling the door card and unclipping the speakers, window controls, mirror controls etc - probably not a five minute job.




What I did manage to do was remove the broken clip by cutting through the plastic and bending it around the cables. I then taught myself 3d modelling using the free "designspark" software and printed on my budget 3d printer a replacement part.



became this (note the snapped lug in the far side of the old part):



of course I still had the problem in putting it back without removing the cable loom so I cut across the centre of a lug with a hacksaw and bent it apart around the cables. Then the part clipped in with a satisfying "click" and some kind of normality has returned:




I might update the design with the top and bottom clips (they are on the original part but I didn't put them on my prototype as I didn't expect it to fit first time!) so my current replacement clip will slide up and down - if that becomes a problem I can re-print one. And I could also include a stepped break in the design to avoid me having to cut it with a hacksaw

If anyone wants the files then let me know

 

[paradise city]

Fantastic work. Would it be an idea to fix it in place with silicone to stop it sliding?

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[steve_b]

I may do but probably better to to the job properly and re-make it with the top and bottom stops In the original part the top and bottom don't clip, so I didn't bother adding them - but it is obvious after the event that they stop the sliding.

oops

 

[paradise city]

Did you have to design the part from scratch or is there a way of scanning the 3D shape?

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[steve_b]

measure and designed from scratch - I am sure things can be 3d scanned but not in my budget for this which was zero for this job

Well I guess it may have cost me 30p in plastic plus the wear on the printer so call it change from a quid. I did it more for personal entertainment than anything else as it took quite some time - but I could do it a hell of a lot quicker again - most of that was "learning time"

Next task is to design and print a stopper for the 30mm ish holes at the bottom of the cupboards under the sink

 

[paradise city]

Brilliant.

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[steve_b]

took me 5 minutes to add the extra two lugs. If the current one breaks I will print another