VW T28 reversing sensor housing

The plastic shrouds that hold two of the reversing sensors in the rear bumper on a friends van, had broken. A search to get hold of the right size replacement, had proved fruitless.

An original

It is a VW T28 Transporter from 2008. Based on a T5.

The reversing sensor fits in a 20mm diameter hole in the bumper and the sensor has a 15mm outside diameter with some alignment keys and clips to fit a specific housing.

A 3D printed solution

I've made a 3D printed version of the housing that holds the sensor to fit in to the bumper.

It fits both the sensor and the bumper well. It's tight pushing it in to the bumper.

The production is not perfect but that does not affect it's appearance or ultimate function. The lack of flex in the 3D filament, that I used, means that the inner clips tend to snap off. The sensor fits snugly in to the shroud so as long as one clip is holding this secures it in place. A bit of tape could also be wrapped round the housing, to hold the clips in but that has not proved necessary.

The end result works well, so far.

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3D Printing Method

• Filament: ColorFabb nGen. Used to survive the possible outside temperatures.
• Walls: 2mm thick
• Infill: 30%
• Supports: From the build plate, only where the overhang angle is greater than 80 degrees.

I printed it, outside uppermost. This was to get the best finish on the curved edges of the part of the lip that would be visible when fitted to the van. That required the use of supports for the print.

Download 3D models:
VW T28 Reversing Sensor Housing, STEP and STL (Zip)
Licence attribution - small business exception

My models in the GrabCAD library.

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