Backup Camera Questions

[jhawkinsvalrico]

I recently bought a new leftover 2007 RTL and would like to install a backup camera. I'm a little reluctant to spend $364 on the OEM camera. I want a backup camera to be used when hooking my boat trailer up and have a couple of questions regarding other 3rd party cameras.

Having searched through the posts in these forums I sounds as if I can interface a 3rd party camera into the Navi system (reference BPD138 post).

My question is whether anyone has experience with cameras from Avelectronics? I don't believe that any of the license plate (bar) mounts provide enough angle to view the hitch ball (mine is a 2" drop receiver) so I was considering the Avelectronic Type 2 camera.

Any advice is appreciated.

[ExF150Driver]

Can you provide a link to the camera?

I installed a Boyo camera and could have easily had my mount view the hitch if I wanted.

FYI the Boyo cameras are 0.3 lux.. one of the best for low light use.

[shovelhd]

I have a plate cam and can easily see the ball mount.

[hammerms]

Originally Posted by ExF150Driver

Can you provide a link to the camera?

I installed a Boyo camera and could have easily had my mount view the hitch if I wanted.

FYI the Boyo cameras are 0.3 lux.. one of the best for low light use.

I just got a Boyo in the mail today, a VTL400 scratch and dent from Crutchfield. So now the big question is, where should I run the wire into the cab from? Anybody found a good way in?

I've got a 2008 RTX.

[shovelhd]

I ran mine behind the passenger side bed, through the air vent, and down the passenger side sills.

[jhawkinsvalrico]

The avelectronics camera link is http://www.avelectronic.com/products.htm

If I can view the ball mount with a plate camera, I'd mich rather use one than mount a camera on the tailgate.

Again any advice is appreciated.

John.

[ExF150Driver]

Originally Posted by hammerms

I just got a Boyo in the mail today, a VTL400 scratch and dent from Crutchfield. So now the big question is, where should I run the wire into the cab from? Anybody found a good way in?

I've got a 2008 RTX.

I pulled the drivers side and back bed liner panels and ran the cable behind them. You can them enter the cab via the air vent or there is a wire bundle that enters the cab via a rubber seal nearby.

Pick your entry point and tape the cable to a coat hanger. Push the cable in with until you meet resistance (the seat back) and then go straight down. For me I could grab the cable end with the seat bottom folded up and reaching up behind the seat back. The route the cable under the carpet to the Nav unit.

[schwejo]

Obviously I defer to those that have already run their video cable to comment. I had the bed panels off once already to mount the control box for my backup sensor and am trying to save doing that step again. I’ve got the wireless VR3 camera displaying on my OEM NAV now and while it works, a wired camera will be much better.

I spent about 30 min the other day in the rain with a flashlight and creeper looking at how I might run a video cable and my tentative game plan is this: If you remove the left bed rail and all of the bed side panel mounting bolts, the panel will easily flex out 4 or 5 inches at the back of the truck. (Cant recall if I had the take the taillight off previously before this point or not, but that’s a possibility). From here I plan to run the video cable up from the bottom through the body panel in the cavity behind the left tail light where the trailer harness runs and fish the lead along the side panel and out through the large pass through area by the fuel tank and come out under the truck. This avoids stringing a cable through the rear suspension area. From there it’s only about 3 feet to the grommet in the floor pan that is directly under the OEM NAV. There is already a small bundle of wires passing through it which I suspect are already related to the OEM NAV. Since my camera came with a 15’ cable with RCA connectors on each end I’m going to cut the end off and re terminate rather than try to force the RCA end through the grommet. Once you come out under the truck by the fuel tank you can easily route along all sorts of items already running under the body of the truck to the grommet by the NAV DVD. Anyone already do this? Looks like it should work and be easy to accomplish in a short amount of time. As they say “or so it seems”

[shovelhd]

Pulling the bed panels is so easy. I don't know why you'd take a shortcut.

[ExF150Driver]

Just to note it took me about four - five hours start to finish to remove my Retrax, pull the bed liner panels, route the video cable, fabricate my camera mounting bracket, connect eveything, and reinstall the bed liner, rear light and Retrax.

I did read the OEM camera install instructions a couple of times as well as some of the related post here in the forum so that I knew in advance how to pull the bed rail, light, bed liner and make the appropriate connections.

Plan the work
Work the plan