# Back up Camera install



## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

About to install http://www.costco.com/Browse/Produc...up camera&No=0&Nty=1&Ntx=mode matchallpartial Before I go and do this. Anyone put one in and have any helpful tips?


----------



## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

Here's some pics from the install.


----------



## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

1st pic is the overall carnage that took place. Took out the cluster to make things easier and started getting rid of wires in there. Don't know what it is, don't need it.

2nd pic is the cable end from the camera getting ready to be fished under the dash.

3rd pic is a whole extraness of wire. Rather then cut and splice, I just coiled it up and am tucking it out the way.

4th pic is the wire tucked out the way, it's by the roof and you can only see a little bit sticking out. I was going to place the extra in the big compartment but decided against it as the windshield wiper armature was there.

5th pic is the bracket for the monitor getting ready to be cut as it was too big. For alot of stuff, i prefer to use tape instead of a drawn line. Cut the excess with the portaband.


----------



## MarkToo (Dec 17, 2011)

There's no way I could ever drive that truck. 

Your coffee holders have no bottoms. Other than that, looks good!


----------



## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

Here's some more pics.


----------



## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

1st pic is where the mounting bracket is going. The tape lines up the holes for the rivets. 

2nd pic is the bracket mounted and the monitor up. The wire will be put in that channel and covered up with a mounting strip.

3rd pic is the wire from the monitor coming into the under dashboard. I always use the wire protectors when wire is going around a corner

4th pic. I didn't understand the instructions so I found some hots on the fuse box. Crimped some temporary terminals on and plugged them in, also connected the ground permantly.

5th pic is the result of today. I still need to mount the control box under the dash and mount the camera outside but it does work. kinda freaked me out at first because the image is opposite like a mirror. When I put it in place and clamped it outside, the image made sense like I was looking in a rear view mirror.


----------



## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

More pics


----------



## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

Pic 1. This was the most aggravating part of the process. I wanted to plug the power wires into the back of my fuse panel on a open circuit but wasn't able to find a part to make the transition from the power wire into the fuse box. I ended up cussing out a GM parts counter guy because he kept telling me my idea was wrong but he didn't know basic electricity, but he had 17 years experience. Felt good to cuss him out and not let him get away with his shenanigans. 

Anyway, this is the part you need to draw power off your fuse box. It's called "add a circuit" or something like that. I bought mine at pepboys. It looks hackish but it does work.

Pic 2. The control box being mounted in the dash. The lighter was used as a spacer while I got measurements for drilling the mounting holes.

Pic 3. Wrong use of a tool but this works great. Putting these screws in took the most time by far. I probably spent almost 2 hours getting in 4 frickin screws.

Pic 4. Once I did this I got the job done in about 15 minutes. 

Pic 5. The installed control box. It's not visible but there's a screw under the black cable that was darn near hard to get to. A brake in the sheetmetal right by the cable made the bottom 2 nuts hard to get to. Using an impact made a big difference as I didn't need a backup wrench.


----------



## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

More pics


----------



## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

Pic 1. Is the mounting hardware for the camera. The system doesn't come with any of this stuff so I bought all mine at Ace. I went with stainless for the screws and nuts. You really need #12 screws to mount the bracket but Ace either had #10 or 1/4" bolts. I went with 1/4" and dremeled the bracket a little bit to accept the bigger bolt. The rubber washers were my idea, not sure if they're needed or not. I mounted the camera through fiberglass and figured the extra cushion of the rubber would keep the fiber glass from cracking. Doesn't rain here so keeping out water wasn't the idea although I'm sure the rubber will help in that dept.

Pic 2. Backside of the camera mounted.

Pic 3 and 4. Finished install


----------



## Widdershins (Feb 5, 2011)

Is it all wired into the ignition so it shuts off when the vehicle is turned off?

A buddy of mine hacked his into the fuse block of his Sprinter and neglected to use a terminal that was tied into the ignition -- He left it on accidentally and killed his battery over a 4 day weekend.


----------



## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

Pic 1 is a tape measure I laid down to find out how far back I can see.

Pic 2 is the distance. 

So I ended up spending around 8 hours putting this thing in but a lot of it was finding parts and making stupid stuff, like rubber washers, because of my add. If I had to do this again, I could put one installed about 1 hour easy. Total cost was less than 250 out the door to include the little stuff like heat shrink, nut bolts etc. Well worth it considering how expensive a back up accident could possibly get.


----------



## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

Widdershins said:


> Is it all wired into the ignition so it shuts off when the vehicle is turned off?
> 
> A buddy of mine hacked his into the fuse block of his Sprinter and neglected to use a terminal that was tied into the ignition -- He left it on accidentally and killed his battery over a 4 day weekend.


It does turn off when you shut off the vehicle. I used the AC/RADIO fuse. Don't know why I have one since I don't have either in my van. I checked to make sure with a multimeter.


----------



## Widdershins (Feb 5, 2011)

gear junkie said:


> Pic 1 is a tape measure I laid down to find out how far back I can see.
> 
> Pic 2 is the distance.
> 
> So I ended up spending around 8 hours putting this thing in but a lot of it was finding parts and making stupid stuff, like rubber washers, because of my add. If I had to do this again, I could put one installed about 1 hour easy. Total cost was less than 250 out the door to include the little stuff like heat shrink, nut bolts etc. Well worth it considering how expensive a back up accident could possibly get.


I like the resolution on the monitor.

I remember when back up camera's first came out -- The resolution was similar to a layman trying to suss out a baby's gender with ultrasound.


----------



## MarkToo (Dec 17, 2011)

Looks like a decent system. My apprentice could have used that a couple months back when he managed to reverse into a 20 foot long by 8 foot tall garbage bin in the middle of a large empty parking lot. 

I hope he's doing well.


----------



## ChrisConnor (Dec 31, 2009)

Those back up cameras are life savers, good call.


----------

