Aftermarket, add-on backup cameras

I got one for my wife last xmas, but I hit the easy button and bought one from Best Buy and had them install ('cause I was busy and I hate pulling apart and re-assembling interiors). The monitor is in the rearview mirror, only turns on when in reverse. It works well, but screen is smaller (about 3.5" diagonal) than other options. It replaced the stock mirror, not a clip on over old mirror.

It shows back up lines that give you a gauge of how close you are, but they don't bend with the steering wheel like a nicer factory system.

Wife loves it.

There's one on ebay with a 4.3 inch monitor, temp, and autodim in a complete replacement mirror for about 130. Thats the one im leaning towards. Its also on amazon which is where I will buy for warranty purposes.

I bought the quad split 7" screen and four lit camera set on evilbay a while back for @$150. I plan on putting a camera on each side of the headache rack pointing across the bed to each side, one in back for the hitch, and one in the grille for parking.

The unit I got has dip switches for each camera to pick normal or mirror view.

I thought I'd update and post what I got. I got this one:

It was $43 on Amazon. I waited 8 months to install it on the truck.

Pros:
Pretty simple to install. Just splice into the reverse light circuit at the rear (for the camera) and switched power at the dash (for the monitor), run a cable between the two, peel and stick the monitor somewhere, and fasten the camera with the license plate screws/bolts.
It is FANTASTIC for hitching a trailer single-handed. What used to be an irritating, process of getting out of the truck to look at where you were getting back in and moving 6" too far or too little, getting back out to confirm, getting back in to move the perfect distance but 3" to the right, getting back in, pulling forward, backing up, getting out...and on and on is now easier. Now you get in, back up to the trailer, stop when you have the hitch ball perfectly centered under the coupler, set the brake, turn the truck off, get out, and lower the trailer neatly onto the ball. Much satisfaction.

Cons:
The camera has an adjustable up/down aiming feature built in...but it doesn't have any detents or locking mechanism to help it hold that adjustment. For my purpose it works well in the "all the way down" position, so that's easy enough. But it will be annoying if I get in and it has rattled into another position. This seems like a complete design oversight to me. But I'm not expecting much for the price.
The cable length was really not sufficient for a clean installation. It's just a yellow rca cable. So getting a longer cable or a short extension would be easy enough. Our truck is just an old regular cab long bed. Most more modern trucks (which probably come equipped with a camera anyway) would want quite a bit more cable. Again...not really complaining, just an observation.

I'm not sure how it will work as a backup/parking type camera. We use this truck as a TRUCK...so it doesn't usually see parking lots where it would come in handy.

For my previous truck ('04 Ram CC 4x4 DRW), I used a Pyle camera just like the one above, wired into a JVC double DIN head unit. IIRC it was ~ $18 on Amazon (without the monitor). Wires were +/- and a trigger from the backup light lead. Came on automatically with the backup lights, and worked great. Adjustable, so it was perfect for hooking up a trailer. Worked much better than the factory cameras in a '15, and '16 Tahoes I drive at work. IMHO, if you have a head unit that can display a backup camera this is a great option.

The other system I have experience with is a multi-camera system for our trailer. I used this one off Amazon (~$199):

eRapta backup camera sytsem

I went with wired because of poor reviews on the wireless systems. I have this set up with one camera on the rear of my trailer, and one on each side high, up front like rearview mirrors. Wires terminate at the hitch, so I can just hook them up when I hook up the trailer. I can also use a separate camera I rigged on a magnet mount on my camper or hitch as a rearview. The stock 7" display was too small for split screen, so I bought a 9" display. A little big for cars, but works fine in a truck.

Here's the 9" monitor in the '04 Ram...

Video while underway:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/ntoPUzGMscQ

I'm in the process of figuring out how to integrate this into my new truck, as it's incredibly useful when towing... Especially for me with a truck camper. I used to have NO vision to the rear at all, and now I can see everything.

Only drawback, as Keith previously noted: these are wide angle cameras, so it takes some getting used to the perspective. A car only 30-40 back is a speck on the screen. You do get used to it though, and it will help you avoid getting divebombed when changing lanes.

Apologies for reviving an old thread but the title is timeless. Any new information here?

I'm looking to add a backup camera to my 2012 F150 to help with trailer hook up.  I picked the truck up last year and it didn't come with a camera or a head unit with a screen I could tap into. So I'd need a camera and monitor setup. In reading through assorted Amazon, etrailer, and other reviews and it seems like they all have issues. The wired options both the cheap $10-30 options and not cheap (e.g., Hopkins) versions that attach to the license plate area tend to quit after a few few months to a year due to water leakage into the camera assembly. The cheap and not cheap (e.g., I-Ball) wireless options run into battery, leakage, and frequency interference issues. 

Anyone have consistently good luck with something?   

Even though this is an old thread, it's pertinent to me since I just did a backup camera on my daughter's Honda last week.

I'm a particular kind of guy and the CRV presented some challenges since the license plate is offset which precluded the typical license mount type of unit. And it has a giant spare tire on the rear cargo door which add complexity. I also didn't want any add-on screens hung somewhere on the dash. I wanted to integrate it cleanly into the dash.

In the end I tried to find a unit that I could mount somewhere above or below the rear side swinging hatch. I decided on Crutchfield and got a headunit to replace her original Honda cassette radio. This gave me hands free Bluetooth phone stuff which was important to me with a 17 year old girl driver. The camera mounts flush with a simple hole drilled wherever.

I'm not terribly pleased with the end mounting location of the camera and the perspective that it offers. It's too low and the upper part of the screen shows plenty of the rear spare tire. But I had limitations on where to mount so I had to settle a bit.

Short video.

The end tally for the total project was about 230 dollars. Yes, that's a lot for a backup camera but..well...teenage daughter. The Bluetooth hands-free thing was important to me. 

I'm still using the same eRapta system in our '17 Dodge.

The 9" monitor I bought separately eventually failed, so I switched back to the original 7" monitor, which is a little small for split screen.  I also had to replace one camera.  Other than that, it has worked very well for ~23k miles of towing.

The same outfit has a simple backup camera with a 4" monitor for $37:  eRapta backup camera

When I was researching (this was a while ago now), the high dollar systems had just as many bad reviews as the cheap ones, so I just bought a cheap one and it's worked pretty good so far.

When I was researching (this was a while ago now), the high dollar systems had just as many bad reviews as the cheap ones, so I just bought a cheap one and it's worked pretty good so far.

Well said! Thanks for the eRapta suggestion.

Don't mind the timely re-boot of a good thread.  Subscribing for interest.

Looking for one myself.  I actually already have a monitor... sort of.  It's a dash cam with an input for a backup camera, but I have a feeling with all of my truck-ish activities, the wire for the camera might not last long.

anyone do a wireless one?

Good time for this to come up. Dad put an aftermarket backup camera on his Tundra. It works well in low light situations. If we use it at 1PM, it is basically just showing a white screen. 

Is there a way to fix that? Put a filter on the lens somehow? 

In reply to mtn (Forum Supporter) :

Sounds like something is wrong with the camera itself, though the monitors usually have a brightness adjustment.

In reply to mtn (Forum Supporter) :

Any chance there are some user accessible settings for gain?

Seems like a gain is set to fixed instead of auto.

In for info! Rodan, do you have pics of where you mounted the cameras on your trailer? Does the 4th camera work for non-trailer duty or are you splicing two images for that top view?

In reply to Paul_VR6 (Forum Supporter) :

I only use 3 cameras on the trailer.  One mounted over the door on the rear, and one mounted on each side high at the front.

You can see the camera in the upper left of this pic:

The three way split gives me the image in the video/pics in my earlier posts.  

When I'm not towing, but have the camper loaded, I run a single camera on the back of the camper.  I have one camera on a magnet mount, and I can stick it on the camper, or just stick it on the hitch for hooking up.  It gives a better view than the factory camera.

I can't stand it on forums when people think an "old thread" should die (and I love that GRM isn't one of those forums for the most part).  I'll be quite happy if this thread gets brought up regularly, sporadically, etc.  As long as folks benefit from it.  (not that anyone needs my permission).

Whatever amazon-sourced setup I got however many years ago is still functioning as a trailer-hitch assist device on our old '84 K20.

Rodan, I went with the eRapta link you posted for the camera and monitor kit. I had a question on the wiring pieces that came in the kit and contacted the eRapta folks and they replied in less than a day which was impressive. Easy install and so far so good. Thanks again. 

the Sony Radio I am slowly putting into my Disco can interface with a back up camera. I am thinking of getting one.

Anyone know a cheap magnetic WiFi  camera to use as a back-up / trailer ball camera ?

It would be nice to have it , slap it on the rear door to help hook up the trailer , and watch on my phone....

Any ideas , it would be stored after use in the glovebox

Thanks

EDIT:  maybe a knock off GoPro ?

I want one for my excursion. I have a jvc double din that supports backup cams.

I put a Amazon special with a 9" screen in my RV. It works perfectly as a back up camera and lets me keep an eye on the car trailer when towing. 

The lens angle is wide enough that with the hitch visible in at the bottom of the screen, I can still see the entire trailer and traffic behind it. 

The large screen is big enough I can back into my yard without any assistance. I can also back up to and hitch the trailer by myself.  

Edit: The one I bought is out of stock. It's a lot like this one. Back Up Camera

Also keep in mind, a 9" monitor is super nice but takes up a lot of real estate on the dash. 

Cousin_Eddie (Forum Supporter) said:

The end tally for the total project was about 230 dollars. Yes, that's a lot for a backup camera but..well...teenage daughter. The Bluetooth hands-free thing was important to me. 

$230 including the head unit?  If so, that seems like a bargain !  Also if so, can you provide makes / model numbers for what you bought?  Daughter’s 2006 Civic might be in line for an upgrade at that all in price.

Well, the eRapta worked well initially. A few days of hard rain later though and this morning I saw this (see photo) whenever I put the truck in reverse...and after a few seconds more it adds a fog layer as well. Best guess is water got into the waterproof camera, unless something else is going on. I even sealed around the wire into the camera before the install since that looked like a potential entry path. Ah well.

In reply to Boris3 :

Just to update: I notified the seller and they sent a whole new kit for free which I appreciate. I covered the camera unit in sealant, front back and sides...pretty much every place but the lens and also made a little plastic rain shield. We'll see how this one holds up. Dry and out of the box the camera works great but I'm less confident on the claims of 100% waterproof.