Franklin Roof Vent Knob
Franklin made solid gear, but the small plastics are always the first to go — and the roof vent knob is a regular on our bench. With your sample on the bench this is a realistic reproduction job.
Franklin made solid gear, but the small plastics are always the first to go — and the roof vent knob is a regular on our bench. With your sample on the bench this is a realistic reproduction job.
Why these break
Vent winder knobs split at the shaft. The original was moulded thin to save cents at production volume. That was fine when the plastic was fresh — twenty years on, there's no margin left in it.
How we reproduce them
This is a quick job on our end — we take dimensions from your old part, adjust for print tolerances, and run a small batch so you have spares for next time.
We print these in ASA. ASA is the UV-stable cousin of ABS — it holds its colour and strength through years of Australian sun where the original plastic went chalky and brittle.
As with everything in our library: whether a part can be reproduced depends on size, load, heat, material, and having a decent sample to work from. Send photos first — the assessment costs you nothing, and we'll tell you honestly if a genuine spare is the better option.
Part details
| Manufacturer | Franklin |
|---|---|
| Vehicle / equipment type | Caravan / pop-top |
| Common failure mode | Vent winder knobs split at the shaft |
| Typical use case | Direct replacement for the original roof vent knob on the Franklin. |
Printing & reverse engineering
| Can print directly | No |
|---|---|
| Can scan from broken sample | Yes |
| Can redesign / improve | Yes |
| Recommended material | ASA |
| Alternative materials | ABS |
| Print technology | FDM |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Estimated print time | 30–60 minutes |
| Estimated cost range | $8 – $20 |
| Expected lifespan | 3–5 years of Australian UV |
| Outdoor suitable | Yes |
| Heat resistant | No |
| Load bearing | Depends |
| Requires post-processing | No |
Ask us about this part
Many plastic parts can be recreated, repaired, redesigned, or printed, depending on size, load, heat, material, and available samples.
