Before we left for a year across Europe, we filled our Fiat Ducato camper van from top to bottom with 3D prints. Small annoyances, missing features, things that could simply be better.
All prints in this article can be found on platforms like Printables or Thingiverse. The files are free to download. All you need is a printer.
The system behind everything: the magnetic quick-release
Before we go through the individual items, it helps to understand the system that ties most of the prints together: a magnetic quick-release system.
The idea is simple. You have a set of neodymium magnets, each with one half of the coupling system attached. Every accessory has a matching connector on the back. Press it on, click it into place, done. Want to remove it? One twist and it comes loose.
The advantage: you need fewer magnets than accessories, because you can swap them around. The magnet goes wherever you need it at that moment.
You’ll need magnets with an M6 threaded stud. For lightly loaded items, 43mm magnets work best. If you’re putting more weight on them (like the clothesline), go for 66mm magnets or larger.
This system is built into several of the prints below.
About materials: why almost everything is printed in ASA
A camper van gets warmer inside than you’d expect, and that’s exactly where PLA starts to soften. It doesn’t melt, it slowly gives way under load. A hook with a jacket on it sags sideways, and you only notice once it’s already happened.
Our rule: anything that bears load, we print in ASA, even indoors. Anything that’s just sitting somewhere and doesn’t have to carry weight can be PLA. For parts on the outside there’s no choice: UV comes into play there, and ASA (unlike PLA) doesn’t get brittle from it.
We use a Flashforge Adventurer 5M Pro printer. It has an enclosure, which ASA really needs!
1. Magnetic hook and clamp
The clamp is designed to hold things in place when it’s windy: a towel, a tarp, anything that would otherwise blow away. You can also use it to stretch a cloth between your awning pole and the side of the van, creating an extra windbreak or shade panel. It uses the same coupling system.
These are two separate items, but they work so well together that we treat them as one.
The magnetic hook is the most-used thing on the outside of our van. Click it onto a magnet and hang a towel, a jacket, a wet swimsuit. Need the magnet somewhere else? Pull the hook off and use it elsewhere.
2. Window security lock
This is the print that surprises people most. And honestly, it’s a bit unsettling that it’s even necessary.
The latches on camper van windows — on the Ducato, but also the Jumper and Boxer — can be manipulated from the outside with a long, thin piece of wire. You push it through a small gap, lift the latch, and the window is open. It’s a well-known trick among burglars targeting campsites and cities.
Our solution: a small printed clip that slides over the latch and blocks it. It sits on the inside, is invisible from the outside, and costs less than a euro in filament.
We’ve slept a lot better since. That might be the best ROI of any print we’ve made.
3. Shower head holder and soap tray
When you travel without fixed campsite facilities, an outdoor shower isn’t a luxury — it’s a necessity. We have a shower connection at the back of the van, but setting it up was always a minor hassle: nowhere to put the showerhead, soap going everywhere, hose in the way.
The shower head holder is a magnetic holder that connects to the van via the quick-release system. Attach it, shower, click it off, put it away.
The soap tray is something we designed ourselves and isn’t available online. A small magnetic tray with a raised edge for a bar of soap or shampoo bar. It sits right next to the shower head holder and comes off in one move when you’re done.
Note: don’t shower near locks, lakes, or rivers, even with biodegradable soap. The fats and oils in soap are harmful to fish and aquatic organisms regardless of how eco-friendly the product claims to be.
4. Magnetic clothesline
Two printed corner pieces, each with two neodymium magnets, connected by a cord. The corner pieces click onto magnets on the side of the van. The clothesline is up in five seconds, down in five seconds.
We recommend magnets of at least 66mm diameter — there can be quite a bit of weight on the line, and smaller magnets let go when the laundry is wet.
5. Key holder for Ducato, Jumper and Boxer
Camper van keys are always lost. We printed a holder that fits precisely on the Fiat Ducato key — and also works for the Citroën Jumper and Peugeot Boxer, since they share the same key geometry.
6. Oversized cup holders with mug cutout
Our Ducato only came with one cup holder, and not a very practical one at that. We adapted an existing design to fit our large mugs and thermoses.
7. Quick-reload paper towel holder
This paper towel holder mounts under an overhead cabinet. It’s designed so you can swap out a roll easily.
8. Four-hook hanger for the B-pillar
The B-pillar in the cab is one of the few spots that still has room to spare. This holder clips right over it and gives you four extra hooks. We hang jackets and Bodhi’s leash on ours. You mount it on the existing screw holes, you’ll just need slightly longer screws.
Print it lying flat and in ASA. Flat so the weight doesn’t sit across the layer lines, since that’s the weak point in every print. And in ASA because the cab gets warmer in the sun than the rest of the camper.
9. Poo bag holder
You slide in a full roll and pull out one bag at a time from the side. Screw it in or stick it with double-sided tape, both work.
The model is designed for cat litter bags, so you may need to scale it up a bit before printing.
10. Electric toothbrush holder
An electric toothbrush is top-heavy and tips over the moment you start driving. This holder solves that. It’s also nice to have a fixed spot for your toothbrush where the brush head can’t touch anything dirty.
Printed in marble PLA, purely because it looks better than plain white in the bathroom. There’s no load on it, and the model is sturdy enough, so PLA works fine here.
11. Hooks for the Dometic light rail
Many Pössl campers have a Dometic light rail that you can’t attach anything to without drilling. These hooks slide in and twist a quarter turn to lock in place. We hang a string of lights from ours.
There are three versions. Go for the thicker one, it holds better. If it’s too tight, sand down the short ends a bit instead of forcing it. They’re not meant to carry weight.
12. Grey water valve indicator
A number of Pössl models have no indicator at all on the grey water tank drain valve. It’s happened to us a few times that we forgot to close the drain again after emptying it. Without an indicator, you only find out it’s still open once you start using water in the camper, and by then it’s too late.
This indicator slides over the little square, with the arrow showing the position. It’s a tight fit, so warm it up before pressing it on.
13. Make-up organiser
Part of the same bathroom set as the toothbrush holder, so it doesn’t stand alone. In a camper bathroom, every surface is also a place things fall off of, and a tray with compartments keeps it together. We scaled the model up slightly so it fits exactly behind our tap!
We attached the tray with two strips of magnetic tape: one strip on the wall, one strip on the tray. That way it stays firmly in place while driving, but you can still easily lift it off to clean underneath.
Also printed in marble PLA, for the same reason.
14. Truma chimney with condensation drain
The Truma heater produces condensation that drains out through the vent on the outside. That can leave ugly drip marks down your camper. If you ever travel in winter, you’ll also see icicles forming.
This little print makes sure the drain water no longer runs down your camper, but drips beside it instead.
Here ASA isn’t a choice but a requirement: it’s outside, on a heater, in the sun.
Check out our camper must-haves as well!
Pingback: 7 things to prevent break-ins in our camper - Bodhi on the roady