A really, really, really good rear view camera.

[Nik]

I have a 17' Bigfoot I absolutely love. I'm adding improved lighting and other upgrades.

One thing I really need is a rear-view cam. Not for the hitch - but for full time rear view on the trailer. Perhaps on the sides of the trailer, too. But I think one cam in the back is enough.

I've looked through the forum and found a thread about cheap wireless. I get the feeling wireless is not good enough. It simply doesn't work 100% of the time. Prove me wrong.

I also like the idea of putting a cam on the inside of the rear window of the trailer instead of mounting it outside. I love avoiding drilling holes and I don't mind suction cupping when driving and stowing the cam when not in use.

I'm wondering who really loves their camera and what brand and model they are using.

<><><>

Image is my nightmare, not my accident.

[Alex Adams]

I'm right there with you Nik. I rented a Class A with a full time rear camera. What a difference between that and one without! I have only taken my Boler on 3 trips since I got it in August. On the last one I had a real eye-opening experience. I thought with clamp on towing mirrors I would be able to see well enough behind me. Well I hit a section of road where a two lane road expanded into a 4 lane road(2 in each direction) with nothing showing in my mirrors for a good distance. I took my eye off the mirrors for 1 second and the next thing I know a motorcycle was at my side window passing. He had been in my blind spot for I don't know how long. Nearly crapped my pants since it was one of those Loud ones. As soon as I get my trailer rewired I will have a full time camera in the rear window.

[Nik]

Yup. A camera is a life saver.
Sounds like the motorcycle should have known he was in your blind spot.

[Dave Fish]

Back when we had our class A, we replaced the tear view camera. I don't know if you have Mobile Music in Oregon but they did the work for me. I had purchased a wireless camera but as you guessed they recommended a wired one because interference can impact the operation of the RF signal. They were able to use existing wire and replace the existing camera and monitor for the price of the wireless kit. Sorry, I don't remember the brand. The cost including labor was around $300.

[ststefan]

I'm in the process of rebuilding my Boler 1700. I already had a camera at home from previous projects like this one:

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/Night-Vision...cAAOSwbwlXCGaB

I purchased this wireless transmitter on Amazon. It claims to receive up to 100 meters. I get delivery tomorrow:

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Finally I bought this monitor partly because it folds down but also because it has a wide base that will set on my dash easily. I don't want to go over my stereo screen because I still want to use GPS on it.

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/4-3-Car-Moni...72.m2749.l2649

[DougOlson]

I won’t say it is the greatest rear view camera but I use a Garmin BC-20 that wireless connects to my Garmin 2798 gps as a full time rear view camera. I have a wire shelf I mounted in the rear of my Scamp 16 and attach the camera to it looking through the rear window. I used hot glue to tack the power/signal cable to the rat fur along the ceiling to a front cabinet where I attached the wireless transmitter on the front wall of the trailer and tapped into power lines. As long as I don’t put too big a pile of metal in the back of my Frontier pickup I get a very nice signal on the gps. I installed a manual power switch in the trailer for the camera so it can be always on. It’s a wide angle camera so it shows rear and adjacent lanes on the highway but if you can see something in the camera you know it is close. You can switch the Garmin gps between map view and camera view. I like to leave it in camera view most times and it still gives the audio navigation instructions and use my phone for map view navigation. It’s quite often useful to get navigation info both from Garmin and Google.

[Borrego Dave]

Originally Posted by Nik

<><><>
Image is my nightmare, not my accident.

Nik, unless the trailer driver hit the brakes for something happening in front of him a rear camera wouldn't have made any difference to him or the results shown in your pic. Pretty sure at that moment he wasn't looking at or even thinking of the camera .
Alex, I've been dragging trailers for 50 years. Having someone close enough behind you that you can't see them with your side mirrors isn't a problem. With seeing that from the camera what are you going to be able to do about it anyway? Have to say nothing really. Having someone pop around you out of the blue from what you said didn't sound like anything more than a surprise as you didn't say you were making a lane change, just cruising along. I can only imagine your surprise would be about the same as looking up in the rear view mirror to see a cop right behind you....the blood pressure goes up . I used a buddies motor home and never figured out how to turn the rear camera off. I found it be a huge distraction going down the road and probably should have hung a towel or something over it.
I can see some advantage with them for hitching up or backing up though. Funny thing, the only time I've backed into something I had a spotter on my blind side, what was he thinking, SMH. Plus side, only a little paint chip on the 15K# trailer .
Guess it really boils down to what makes you feel comfortable towing.

[Glenn Baglo]

A note of caution. If you are involved in an accident, do not say you were looking at that rear view monitor, and don't say you were checking your rear view mirror either. You are supposed to be looking at the road ahead and anticipating situations so that you don't have to brake hard and get rear-ended.
Speaking from experience.

[Borrego Dave]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

A note of caution. If you are involved in an accident, do not say you were looking at that rear view monitor, and don't say you were checking your rear view mirror either. You are supposed to be looking at the road ahead and anticipating situations so that you don't have to brake hard and get rear-ended.
Speaking from experience.

Good points Glenn but I have to ask about looking at the mirrors as they have been on vehicles for a slew of years as standard equipment and checking them every few seconds is normal and pretty much common sense. CA DMV license testers can/will mark you down if they notice you not checking them. I can see the camera monitor falling into the same diversion class as your cell phone/texting while driving. The dashboard "do everything" displays are also coming under question now for more distractions and accidents. Learning from someone else's experiences are a good thing.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Nik

..

Image is my nightmare, not my accident.

Perhaps the driver of the car that ran into the back of the trailer was too busy looking at HIS rear-view camera

While I said that in jest, this actually is likely the classic case of distracted driving and/or following too close.. perhaps driver was using a cell phone or something. If so, there is not much you can you can do about that. You can't fix stupid.

Another possible cause is defective brake lights on the trailer. More important than a rear view cam for the tug is making sure you have good tail / brake lights on the trailer, and they are in good working order. Thats why I got the optional second set of tail lights on my Scamp. A third brake light, center mounted, would be a good safety addition to many trailers.

I rigged up a spare webcam to a raspberry pi micro-computer, sending the video via WiFi to my tablet. This is the cam with a suction cup mount for the rear window. It was an interesting project but the time lag was an issue.

[Sid]

Originally Posted by Borrego Dave

Nik, unless the trailer driver hit the brakes for something happening in front of him a rear camera wouldn't have made any difference to him or the results shown in your pic. Pretty sure at that moment he wasn't looking at or even thinking of the camera .
Alex, I've been dragging trailers for 50 years. Having someone close enough behind you that you can't see them with your side mirrors isn't a problem. With seeing that from the camera what are you going to be able to do about it anyway? Have to say nothing really. Having someone pop around you out of the blue from what you said didn't sound like anything more than a surprise as you didn't say you were making a lane change, just cruising along. I can only imagine your surprise would be about the same as looking up in the rear view mirror to see a cop right behind you....the blood pressure goes up . I used a buddies motor home and never figured out how to turn the rear camera off. I found it be a huge distraction going down the road and probably should have hung a towel or something over it.
I can see some advantage with them for hitching up or backing up though. Funny thing, the only time I've backed into something I had a spotter on my blind side, what was he thinking, SMH. Plus side, only a little paint chip on the 15K# trailer .
Guess it really boils down to what makes you feel comfortable towing.

Dave,
With tongue firmly planted in cheek....
This clip from Cannonball Run popped into my mind while reading your post.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AjGXn249Fc0

[k0wtz]

i consider a rear camera a major distraction but that is my opinion. As for the motorcycle idiot I don't see how you could be anywhere near responsible for driving like that! How could you have driven any different except maybe caused a wreck yourself trying to get out of his way or accomidate him!

I don't worry what is behind me just what is in front of me to take care of. The things I see on the interstates today make me fearful used to be Europeans were crazy drivers but they have installed speed cameras everywhere now and you do not want to get one of their speeding tickets!

bob

[k0wtz]

Gordon I want to install a higher taillight in Stevie. Any idea how to do it?


thanks


bob

[TheWanderers]

I have selected a camera system that I've placed in my wish list on Amazon that we'll get installed before next camping season, in the spring. We need to wait for our savings account to rebound after purchasing our Bigfoot and the related expenses of traveling to Canada to pick it up.

However, the rear view camera will be used for backing and parking and not for normal driving view. I did purchase a set of trailering mirrors that worked very well for the 600 plus mile trip home from Canada with our new-to-us 1988 trailer. I bought these mirrors from Amazon and they work great. I've decided to leave them on the truck full time since I think they look so good.

Mirrors: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I agree with the advice provided that spending too much time looking in your rear view mirror can be dangerous because you're not looking forward. I submit that most over-the-road truckers don't have anything but side mirrors for driving/backing and they log thousands of miles, safely.

However, I can easily predict the consequences of a break down in communication between driver and passenger while attempting to park at a campground and I don't want any of my vacation adventures to begin with that much anxiety. So, I'll be installing a system of camera and monitor as soon as we can.


monitor: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T2HDGIA...d=IQ42FAFUOSHG


camera: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GMC8QXI...d=IQ42FAFUOSHG


combined system: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N0OICPQ...d=IQ42FAFUOSHG



My $.02 worth of advice: instead of wiring any system to the backup lights, enabling you to see while backing, wire the system to your tail lights and the camera will always be available to you while driving, forwards or backwards. You can simply turn the lights off to disable the camera/system.


bill(not laura)

[Alex Adams]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

A note of caution. If you are involved in an accident, do not say you were looking at that rear view monitor, and don't say you were checking your rear view mirror either. You are supposed to be looking at the road ahead and anticipating situations so that you don't have to brake hard and get rear-ended.
Speaking from experience.

The funny thing is this is what the NH driver's Manual has to say about your mirrors on the highway:

DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY
Be Alert! Use the rearview mirrors. Constantly check the traffic behind
you. Always look in the mirror and signal before you change lanes. Stay
out of another driver’s blind spot. Stay far enough behind or pass.

As far as tailgating goes, this is what the manual says:
Tailgaters
If you are being tailgated you should:
• “Flash” your brake lights (by tapping your brakes lightly). Perhaps
the vehicle tailgating will drop back. (To avoid a crash, do not tap
your brakes if the tailgater is too close.)
• Reduce your speed and encourage the vehicle that is tailgating to pass.
• If all else fails, pull over, stop and let the vehicle pass.

Of course if I don't know they are there, I can't perform any of the steps outlined. Hence the need for a camera.

[floyd]

I haven't read the whole thread, but do you have blind spot mirrors?
I have used them effectively for decades and now they are standard on new Fords. Sometimes low tech is just as good!

[Alex Adams]

Floyd, I have the dometic clamp on towing mirrors which are great! Though even with those, there is a blind spot that was big enough for a motorcycle to hide in. I know that sounds weird with a 13 foot Boler but it was the case.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Alex Adams

Floyd, I have the dometic clamp on towing mirrors which are great! Though even with those, there is a blind spot that was big enough for a motorcycle to hide in. I know that sounds weird with a 13 foot Boler but it was the case.

I have CIPAs for my Ranger(none better)... but I also have small blindspot mirrors on my stock mirrors. They do just what the name implies. See the otherwise invisible SUV?
Also you could put a small convex stick on mirror over the axle on the side of the trailer, placed in view of your regular vehicle mirror.

[Darral T.]

[QUOTE=k0wtz;673158]i consider a rear camera a major distraction but that is my opinion.

And I TOTALLY disagree! Obviously the people that criticize them have not used or tried them?

I dont see how they're any more distracting than a rear-view mirror. I know without mine, I cannot see directly what's behind me. SEVERAL times before that, I've started over only to have someone whip out from behind me and me nearly pull over into them....THEN who's fault would it have been???

As long as I own my Scamp or ANY trailer, I will NOT be without a rear-view camera....no matter what it takes me to get it working. I speak from experience.

[Dave Fish]

I don't feel the need for a rear view camera with the Campster and I find the one in my wife's CRV to be pretty useless but it was essential with the class A. We towed a car, so it was good to keep track of what was going on back there behind that big box as well as making sure it was clear to change lanes.

Be sure to select one that is suitable for how you plan to use it. The field of vision varies. Ours had a wide angle, 130 degrees I think, which worked well for both on the road and backing.