Backup camera and rear park sensors

[bkenobi]

My 2016 Ram 3500 came with a rear camera on the tailgate and bumper mounted rear park sensors. I have a 10'2" NL TC that I haul. I've done some looking and it appears that it may be possible to get a backup camera for use with flatbed installations and mount it to the rear of the camper.

I have 2 questions.
1) has anyone installed a camera and wired it to the stock tailgate connector of a Ram for use without the tailgate. Any thoughts or woulda done differentlies?
2) is it possible to install backup sensors aftermarket to either wire into the stock setup or some secondary module?

[work2much]

bkenobi wrote:
So the wire is long enough for above door mounting? I emailed them with a few questions, but that was an important one. Also, how is it at night? The OEM is useless IMO.

We ordered the "mini universal" The cable is almost 8 feet measured out of the package. I didn't see length options on this model, but perhaps with special order? The "commercial grade" can be ordered with a variety of cables from 10' to 64'

[SideHillSoup]

I have the “ Salt Spreader “ model, I think there are three different cable lengths you can order. I took the 16’ foot length and have a little left over in oil up behind the license plate. The camera cable comes in three different sections, with the long length of cable as 1 piece, the camera a second piece and the individual plug for what ever make of vehicle, in my case GMC. The three sections all have a threaded connection between them that fit snuggly and tight togeather. I put black tape over each connection to try and keep them clean and hopefully water proof. I haven’t had any issues so far. I also mounted the camera high up on the ladder on the back of my Northern Lite camper. I made a little aluminum bracket that just clamps to a step , where I didn’t drill any holes anywhere on the camper. I used lock nuts on the clamp so it won’t be easy for someone to try and take it.
The 2018 NL camper comes with LED lighting everywhere including the taillights and man are the bright, no issue for me not being able to see at night.
Also with the camera way up high on the ladder I get a huge view Range when having up, with just the edge of the back deck showing in the bottom of the screen.
I’m very happy with this set up.
Soup

[Rustofer]

The standard cable (8 ft??) was long enough for me, but barely. My camper is the NL 9.6. I've been considering additional back-up lights as well, and thinking about mounting them high on the jack brackets or even the roof rack to better flood the area with light, and minimize shadows. But we don't travel much at night, so it's not an urgent need. The camper's stock back-up lights are better than nothing.

[Yeti_plus]

I think I ordered the 16' cable. I have some spare that I coil up and push back between the truck box and bumper. I am going to try some sticky back cable mounts on the bottom of the camper next spring when I put the camper back on the truck.
As for night, it is only as good as the back up lights will allow. I replaced my incandescent lamps with LED, but there still isn't a lot of light . I have been thinking of adding some LED flood lights under the camper bumper but haven't got that far yet. We don't do much backing up in the dark.

[bkenobi]

So the wire is long enough for above door mounting? I emailed them with a few questions, but that was an important one. Also, how is it at night? The OEM is useless IMO.

[Rustofer]

I too have the camera-source camera. I played around with mounting height before settling on above the door. It's out of the way and gives me a good overview of the area I'm backing into.

[billyray50]

bkenobi wrote:
The camera source solution looks great! For people who have them installed, do you prefer above the door or bumper height? I was thinking bumper height, but then that wouldn't help backing into a gutter.

I had a great view mounted under the camper bumper but might move it higher cause my foot has hit it too many times going up the TC steps.

[work2much]

I just ordered the smaller "license plate" model. I think I will mount it just under the back of the camper where it will be inconspicuous and very easy to plug into the wiring harness with no exposed cables. Thanks for the heads up guys. This was exactly what I was looking for.

[Yeti_plus]

I have the salt spreader camera from Camera Source.I mounted mine above the door.
I used a piece of Aluminum flat stock about 3 inches long to mount the camera to and then mounted that above the door.The camera is too deep to fit nicely on the raingutter above the door. No extra holes into the shell of the camper. It seems to work well for me, it sometimes picks up branches that a low mount wouldn't.
I used some self adhesive wire management product to conceal the cable from above the door down to the bumper. The white blends in pretty well with the camper.

[HarmsWay]

I bought a second Ram camera and cable(s). I’d planned to mount it beside or above the door. Then I decided I really didn’t need a couple more holes in the fibreglass and tried to keep it simple. It’s at about the same height as the truck bed, mounted in the last fixed step of the camper at a slight angle.

They are very wide angle so I’m quite happy with the view and I also keep the guide lines that change with the steering wheel position. I don’t think I’d gain anything by having it higher.

Bob

[bkenobi]

The camera source solution looks great! For people who have them installed, do you prefer above the door or bumper height? I was thinking bumper height, but then that wouldn't help backing into a gutter.

[bkenobi]

Looks like a winner to me. They also have park sensor kits for $150ish. I don't know how those differ from the ebay units at $75, but I may email the vendor with questions.

[work2much]

SideHillSoup wrote:
Hi
I ordered my camera from Camera Source and installed in on a bracket I made and attached onto the ladder of my Northern Lite 8-11.
Ram Cam
They didn't list a plug and play camera for my 2017 GMC 3500, so I sent them a note and quickly got a reply of the model of camera to order.
It is a plug and play camera that when I removed my tailgate to load the camper, the camera plugged right into my GMC camera wiring harness under the bed of the truck, and it works great.
I ordered mine with a 16' cord which leaves me a little coil of cord when it is all hooked up that I just laid in the spare tire under the bed of the truck.
I also used a 4' section of clear 1" hose to slide the cable through so rocks etc, don't damage the camera cable that is strung out under the camper. The cord with the plugs on the end just fit inside the hose, where I didn't have to cut slit in the entire length of the hose to get the cable inside. I did take the cable to the hardwear store to find the right size of hose.
Sorry can't help you guys with the back up sensor, however my wife does a great job of backing me up, but you can't have her... ( grin)
Hope this helps.
Soup.

Awesome! Thanks for the link!

[Kayteg1]

bkenobi wrote:

1) has anyone installed a camera and wired it to the stock tailgate connector of a Ram for use without the tailgate. Any thoughts or woulda done differentlies?

I did it on Ford and it works great with 360 view.
You will find my thread about it.
Ford wants like $400 for trailer camera, that would work separately from 360 view and I figure out that since my tailgate not likely will ever go back on the truck, the camera there would be wasted.
Main problem I had is to make extension cable. I finally bought tailgate harness ($$$) to have extra wire with factory plugs.
Those cameras have very wide angle, so it goes at the level of 2nd step of rear ladder.
My bumper sensors disable automatically when I plug the camper in.
I tried to program blind spot warning to the length of camper, but wings obstruct the radars and did not work.