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Reverse "back up" camera solution.

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Old Mar 2, 2014 | 08:20 PM
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Lightbulb Reverse "back up" camera solution.

I dont usually forum, as there isn't much to add on the internet at this point, but i thought id share my camera install, as it was super simple... 30 minutes from figuring it out to leaving the garage.

Already installed a kenwood ddx491hd and ran inputs and outputs behind the glovebox for future use.
Ran an rca back along the passenger side under the rug and plastic, down through the rear gate and out the passenger side hole. where the oblong bung is. Did the same with my power; spliced from behind the subwoofer in the light loom (white with grey stripe).

Next took a furniture slider. One of those plastic pads you put your couch legs on to make it easy to move... You know. It was one of the 6-8 inch variety. Peeled the foam off and Placed it over the lugs on my tire carrier and gave it a little tap to mark the lugs and drilled it. Drilled one more hole for the camera wire to pass through and slid it over the lug bolts. taped the camera in about the center and mounted the wheel with the center cap popped out. Adjusted the tape till i liked the position and dropped two screws into the camera mount. Wire tied and taped my wires to the flexi wire loom cover (could have fished them through but it was hard going) and buttoned it up. Bung took a little lubrication to smash back in pinching the wire in there, and i will likely notch it so my wire doesnt cut on the body and short in the future.

Voila... It sees through the center cap opening without sticking out or seeing wheel. Great view. Only unscrewed two screws (the floor tie downs to access behind the subwoofer) didnt drill any holes in the jeep, and the only modification to the jeep at all was stripping a bit of insulation to do a solder splice on the reverse light and ground (wire size was too disparate to join with quick connects).

Of course this is just step one, i have the camera routed through a multiplexer so i can add front and side cameras. Who wants to roll down the window to check your clearance and line.... So much work.
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Old Mar 2, 2014 | 08:35 PM
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Any pics of the camera mount? That's the first time I heard of someone using the furniture moving sliders in a jeep!

Curious why you went with a multiplexer and where you mounted it? I went w/ a 2 pole 6 position rotary switch and soldered in rca cables to make it easy to switch between cameras.
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Old Mar 2, 2014 | 09:17 PM
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Well, the multiplexer gives me the ability to see all the cameras at once. I will grant you the screen is small, but my tests have shown, the tires are definitely distinguishable from the ground. I can also select any of them to blow up to full screen. Of course thats what you use your knob for, which is a neat idea i may steal, as i have not found a great place for the multiplexer. Its only the size of an old network hub. Probably under the seat and use the ir remote to control it if i have to. I do have to rig a relay for the reverse camera so i can power it with the reverse lights or with a switch. And split it around the multiplexer. I want to retain my automatic reverse cutover, also, the little inline transformer does heat up. No need to leave it on. Indefinitely. Ive also been toying with just mounting a secondary screen somewhere. Run it to the headrest screens (which i dont have) so my spotters can sit in the a/c too

Now to come up with a harpoon gun to run a winch cable while seated.

As for pix, its not much to look at. Just a disc with holes in it that happens to fit over the tire carrier bolts. Could be anything, but these are durable and cheap. even in the cold its flexible, but the wheel keeps it taught. Not going to shatter it mounting the spare. Only posted because in my searching for ideas, i didnt see anyone else use that method. Not compatible with the mandatory "life's good " tire cover.

Just need to find places to mount and power the cameras. Im not a big fan of drilling holes in jeep. Theres usually a way around it.

This is my first chrysler jeep. Not bad. I guess jeeping doesnt have to hurt.

Last edited by JeepTI; Mar 2, 2014 at 09:23 PM.
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Old Mar 2, 2014 | 09:38 PM
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For power, I put a Blue Sea terminal under the hood which gets power only when the jeep is on (an ACC power wire triggers a relay). I power the cameras from this, since the amp draw is really low I figured it shouldn't be a problem.
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