Backup Camera to hook up trailer

[Reg]

I really don't care what the neighbors thing. I hook up to a trailer on average, 2x per week. Been doing that for many years and I am pretty good at it, but I really am tired of getting out of the truck more than once.

Errr, "pretty good at it" doesn't really agree with "really am tired of getting out of the truck more than once".
(-:

I think "pretty good at it" means getting out of the truck ONLY ONCE for more than 95% of the time, so for a less than 5% problem... ?
I'd live with it; appreciate the exercise, etc. - or use the little magnetic poles, no shame in that (-:

I got a pair for my wife to hook up a horse trailer with the Durango, so had to demo them for her.
I rarely use THAT trailer behind THAT suv and it sometimes takes me a couple of tries if I don't open the rear hatch.
They really are very easy to use, swap quickly between vehicles/trailers and can be very effective if you use different vehicle/trailer combinations.

I wouldn't mess with a back-up camera PER tow vehicle for the few occasions that I use some of them to tow - and those are the cases where I get out of the vehicle more than once (-:

YMMV, etc.

 

[grnspot110]

This is a lot cheaper than a camera, 1/2" pipe cap bolted (3/16" stove bolt) to coupler, piece of 1/2" pipe stuck in cap, stored in tube on side of trailer tongue when not in use.

 

[pitt_md]

I don't know why I never thought of using one of these for backing up to my trailers. I have one eye and zero depth perception. I can get lined up real good for left and right but I can't tell if i'm 6 feet away or about to bump it. It would also be a nice thing to have mounted on the back on my horse trailer for the same reason as mentioned above.

 

[nikdfish]

I picked up a cheap wired camera & display from Geeks.com a while back for about $50. It had been intended to run from a power tap on the backup lights with the camera mounted in the license frame. Since I wanted to use it on more than one vehicle, I added some extra wire & configured it to run from a cigarette lighter/power port. What makes it easy to use on both the F150 & the Magnum was to add a strong magnet as part of the camera mount, wrapped with tape so it can't scratch the paint.

When in use, the display & power plug are set up front, then I route the camera & wires out a back window, and use the magnet to set the camera above the hitch on either the truck tail gate or the Magnum's lift gate. Since the camera includes infra red illuminators it even works well at night.

It really helps ensure domestic tranquility when the wife isn't being pressed into service to direct my backing!

Nick

 

[mojoinco]

I have been using a license plate model from Walmart for a year or so. Wireless, you get to see what is going on in stores, banks, other vehicles as you drive by. I like it. IT was ~$100. You can adjust the settings for how you have the monitor set and the camera turned (left/right/up/down/mirror image references).

I wished I had thought of hooking the camera power to the license plate light. Will have to do that. With the camera wired to the back up lights I have to wait for it to synchronize everytime I pull up and start back again. I mounted the monitor in the overhead bin (glasses and garage door opener spot), using a wood block and velcro, hard wiring it to the mirror (Silverado fancy model -- maybe the leads are there for any of them with Onstar).

You could use a magnet from an old hard disk drive to mount the camera. I have managed to step on the license plate style mount and broke one side of the mount frame. Good thing I am the one that put it on and has to fix it when the other side gets broken.

I have been thinking about the same issue with not being able to see in front of the forks and bucket edge (especially when attempting to insert the ball in a hitch). Will follow up on that link.

For the non-cab crowd, consider the camera weather proof cases, as well as motorcycle solutions for mp3, gps, etc mounts and weather resistance. You could fashion a glare shield/hood for most situations pretty easily. The unit I bought has some adjustment range for brightness and contrast. You might even be able to find something acceptable in the kitchen and bath area at the store (oh Rubbermaid...). Oh-oh! How about the large screens used for the digital photo frames? Do any of them have an external input? Might be able to use one of them as a display. Just stream of consciousness thinking here. Same issue with weather proofing, but size might make up for it. And they all work on 12 or less volts (cigarette lighter converters should be easy to source).

 

[txdon]

I got my (Christmas) backup camera from Tadibrothers at 7" Monitor and a 170° Bumper Camera (RV Backup System) Backup Monitor & Camera - Tadi Brothers.

I Just had my backup camera installed by Best Buy. It works independent from the backup lights so whenever I turn it on I see the load I'm hauling. It turns off when I turn it off or turn off the motor. It has 170 degree vision and a color 7" TFT LCD monitor. I learned about it from the Ford forum.

It was installed on the bumper of my 2008 Ford 150 and works great. The monitor is installed below the radio. It has infrared lights in the camera and picks up objects in total darkness I'll try it out in the day light tomorrow.

 

[mjncad]

TXDon:

Please let us know how well the system works for you. That camera looks very similar to the Fleabay one I bought a few years ago. Mine is a dud as it only works in infrared, and the daylight picture is practically unusable.

Dam Chinese made crap.

 

[txdon]

Here are some photos. The colors are a washed in the bright sunshine. I should have put the camera higher and in the center of the truck for the best trailer hooking-up capabilities. I will just have to get used to knowing where on the monitor the trailer tongue should be.

Next post will be a comparison between the Prius BUC and the Ford BUC.

 

[txdon]

Here is a comparison of the factory Toyota Prius back up camera and the TFT monitor added on to the Ford F150. A faded yellow bucket was put 10 feet behind each vehicle in the bright sunshine.

You can see the trailer ball on the Ford on the bottom righthand side.

 

[johnk]

I got my (Christmas) backup camera from Tadibrothers at 7" Monitor and a 170ｰ Bumper Camera (RV Backup System) Backup Monitor & Camera - Tadi Brothers.

I Just had my backup camera installed by Best Buy. It works independent from the backup lights so whenever I turn it on I see the load I'm hauling. It turns off when I turn it off or turn off the motor. It has 170 degree vision and a color 7" TFT LCD monitor. I learned about it from the Ford forum.

It was installed on the bumper of my 2008 Ford 150 and works great. The monitor is installed below the radio. It has infrared lights in the camera and picks up objects in total darkness I'll try it out in the day light tomorrow.

If you don't mind me asking..... What did Best Buy charge you for the install?

 

[txdon]

For installing a wired back-up camera it is $79 for a wireless it is $59.

 

[mjncad]

Your washed out colors are what mine looks like on a good day.

 

[zkurtb]

I just bolt a 1/2" plastic pipe cap to the trailer coupler, when unhooked, I stock in a piece of pipe long enough to see in my mirror, ease back until the pipe moves. Much cheaper! ~~ grnspot110

I'm having trouble understanding how this works - what contacts the pipe to know when it "moves"?

 

[grnspot110]

I'm having trouble understanding how this works - what contacts the pipe to know when it "moves"?

Just watch the pipe in the mirror as a guide! I have a 1/2" glob of clear silicone on the center of my "crossover" tool box to sight with. Leave the trailer hitch at the same level as the ball until "touched". ~~ grnspot110

 

[jimmer2880]

As an update - My wife bought me this one

Wireless car backup camera color monitor RV Truck Trailer Rear View Backup Wireless Camera RVCam Day & Night Vision

89 days ago. It worked great, and I was very pleased with it. My only problem was the monitor was soo big, I couldn't find a good permenant home for it, so I kept it in my console when not in use.

It's a good thingI got the one with the remote transmitter. If the transmitter was contained with the camera (like most license plate mounted ones), it wouldn't be strong enough to use on my rig. I had to mount the antenna high in the bed of my truck.

However, 2 weeks ago, it stopped working. I just got around to looking at why it isn't working anymore. Looks like either the camera died, or the monitor isn't picking up the wireless signal anymore.

It only has a 90 day warranty - so I'm probably out of luck I hope not.

 

[jimmer2880]

So.... here I am - surfing on my laptop, a full 7 hours after emailing them on a SUNDAY about my problem.

They sent me a reply, stating that the monitor probably just switched modes, and how to get it back into wireless mode (push and hold the "menu" button).

AWESOME! That was the trick!

I love this company! Now, back to my problem of where to mount the huge 7" monitor

 

[johnk]

I just sent that company on email about what is needed to hook one up on my truck.. I purchased a Peak w. 3.5 moniter for $79.95 and took it back because the wires were too short from license plate to transmitter inside cab. The clip connections actually looked quite flimsy also. I'd rather go with the RCA connections... A little more universal........

 

[jimmer2880]

I just sent that company on email about what is needed to hook one up on my truck.. I purchased a Peak w. 3.5 moniter for $79.95 and took it back because the wires were too short from license plate to transmitter inside cab. The clip connections actually looked quite flimsy also. I'd rather go with the RCA connections... A little more universal........

In my setup, the camera has a small cable, which goes to a transmitter (water proof). The transmitter gets power from somewhere. In my case, that power is my backup lights.

Then - the signal is transmitted wirelessly to the monitor. If the cable from the camera to the transmitter are too short, I could buy an extension cable for $10.00.

Because I have a cap on my truck, I was able to mount the tansmitter up high, on the trim of my cap window (just tucked in behind the rubber gasket).

When I put it back on, I'm going to add a 2-wire plug for the power, so I don't need to take the tail-light apart again.

 

[johnk]

That was my concern if the transmitter was waterproof etc. I'd mount it on my backrack. Do you get a lot of signal noise on the monitor? Static?? How long is the camera wire to the transmitter? Thanks.

 

[newbury]

Any updates for this thread?
As I've posted I've got the Portable Wireless car backup magnetic camera color monitor RV Hitch Truck Trailer Rear View Backup Wireless Camera RVCam Day & Night Vision solution. It works great, I've swapped it between several vehicles and my tractor. Only downside is I don't want to mount it for general driving around and the backend of my new toy

is kind of high. I'd like something with a permanent mount (I could also use one for the front) just so I could get CLOSE to that little econobox who decided to park CLOSE behind me. So I'm in the market for "license plate" solutions, preferably wireless.

thanks

/edit - I know I can add additional cameras to the one I've got, I'm just wondering if there is something better available.