Reversing camera - ideas wanted.

[kernowdragon]

I set out this morning to install a reversing camera to the lower tailgate on my p38, but having removed the inner trim I discovered there's a lot more metal reinforcing inside it than I expected. I wanted to put the camera just below the number plate in the centre, so that I could use it for lining up on trailers etc.

The camera needs a 32mm hole through a vertical, or near vertical panel, with about 30mm of free space behind it that I can get my fingers to, to tighten the locking ring, which appears to leave me stuffed.

Does anyone have any ideas, have they done anything similar, if so how?

 

[p38on22s]

a problem you will have if you fit it there is that it will fire out behind the car and not down at the towbar you can either fit it in the bumper so that you can see ball and hitch or on my p38 i got a rr sport spoiler and i got it mounted in that still cant see the towball but its approx 2" out of view so you soon get use to where you aiming for

 

[kernowdragon]

a problem you will have if you fit it there is that it will fire out behind the car and not down at the towbar you can either fit it in the bumper so that you can see ball and hitch or on my p38 i got a rr sport spoiler and i got it mounted in that still cant see the towball but its approx 2" out of view so you soon get use to where you aiming for

Cheers for that p38, the camera has a very wide field of view, (120 degrees), and can be rotated in it's housing to give a slight down angle (about a further 20 degrees), which by my calculation would mean the ball would be about 2-3" out of view just as yours is, if I could mount it where I planned.

 

[gavbriggs]

why not take the rear bumper off and mount it in that? push the wires through the same hole as the tow socket goes???

 

[kernowdragon]

why not take the rear bumper off and mount it in that? push the wires through the same hole as the tow socket goes???

Cheers Gav, I did think about that, it'd certainly put the world in a whole new perspective

 

[lezbrucelee]

You could weld a small plate/box onto the tow bar itself and mount it in that, you can position it at the angle you want and add a sunsheld which you'll need unless it's a good camera.

 

[kernowdragon]

Cheers Lezbrucelee, I was hoping for a view from above towbar as it would add distance to the view, if it's level with it it will be difficult to judge how far away things are.

 

[Trewey]

My camera is mounted on me tow bracket.
A little mod to me tow ball cover makes it easy to see.

 

[kernowdragon]

Nice job Treworgey, that's the kind of height above the ball I'm trying to achieve, but of course I haven't got that nice long drop plate to play with To get that kind of height it really needs to go at least in bottom half of lower tailgate, below number plate. I'm beginning to think some sort of surface mount box is going to be the answer and then just worry about routing cable through the inside of tailgate, but I really wanted it a bit less obvious than that.

 

[lezbrucelee]

Is there enough space at the top the tailgate where the rear wiper sits? pehaps in 1 corner and run the wiring with the wiper motor wiring, just a thought.

 

[lezbrucelee]

actually you prob wont see the towbar from there.

 

[gavbriggs]

what about flush mounted in this location?? thats assuming it id flush mountable?

it'd help if we had a piccy of the camera

 

[RichLad]

Hi guys,

im about to do the very same on my p38, im going to mount camera in middle of bumper flush like someone suggested, this is the camera i will be fitting

Car Rear-View Colour Reversing Camera : In-Car Reversing Kits : Maplin

i think i attached image of actual unit on my desk too..

ill post back once ive installed this weekend

 

[SpudH]

I wouldn't mount it in the bumper directly in line with the hitch. If you've had to reverse the trailer up an incline or even just come to a halt the hitch will come forward when you release it and hit the camera. That's if it's a braked trailer anyway.

Where are you putting the screen?

 

[SpudH]

How about a non flush mount opposite to the tailgate button above the logo, it would look neat and symmetrical and you'd get a good if slightly oblique view.

 

[RichLad]

I wouldn't mount it in the bumper directly in line with the hitch. If you've had to reverse the trailer up an incline or even just come to a halt the hitch will come forward when you release it and hit the camera. That's if it's a braked trailer anyway.

Where are you putting the screen?

mmmm, thats a good point, ill have another look the weekend.

screen is mounted in dash next to clock as im installing car pc, the reverse camera is an add on to it, ill post pic of it tomorrow

 

[RichLad]

How about a non flush mount opposite to the tailgate button above the logo, it would look neat and symmetrical and you'd get a good if slightly oblique view.

thats also a good idea, i think op mentioned that too much metal in tailgate to fit but that was middle of number plate might be feesable where you suggested

 

[kernowdragon]

Is there enough space at the top the tailgate where the rear wiper sits? pehaps in 1 corner and run the wiring with the wiper motor wiring, just a thought.

Cheers, but hought of that one too, but cause of slope of rear screen you can't get even close to a view of the hitch.

 

[kernowdragon]

Car Rear-View Colour Reversing Camera : In-Car Reversing Kits : Maplin

That's pretty much same camera as mine, only mine has two sleeves which slide over the barrel cut at an angle so you can angle the camera in a particular direction.

Where are you putting the screen?

My DVD/Stereo has a reversing camera input.

How about a non flush mount opposite to the tailgate button above the logo, it would look neat and symmetrical and you'd get a good if slightly oblique view.

That's not a bad idea, but......

op mentioned that too much metal in tailgate to fit but that was middle of number plate might be feesable where you suggested

There's an awful lot of pressed steel strengthening inside the tailgate, pretty much all the way through it, apart from the apertures for the lights.


I've decided that if I'm gonna do it, I might as well do it the way I want, so I'm gonna use a hole saw to open up a suitable size hole through the inside of the tailgate and the strengthening, that'll give me the room to tighten the collar and access the camera if/when needed, the wiring should go through the same way as the lighting cables. Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

[woogoo]

Can't you use the 'empty' hole for the Euro Wiring Trailer Socket?