Rear Vision System for the Tow Vehicle

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Project Summary:

I pulled my new Trailmanor 3024 home in a driving snow storm in December of 2003.  We are first-time campers and I've had little recent experience towing a trailer.  One disappointment is that I cannot see anything but trailer in my rearview mirrors.  This Winter, I set out to create a rear vision system.  I realize that there are permanent and temporary use extended side mirror systems, but I wanted to go the technical route.  Below is the detail of my system.  My plan is to use this system only when towing my trailer.  It takes about 1 minute to install both cameras and a few minutes more to install the LCD monitor.  Feel free to with any questions or comments you may have on this system.

Finished product pictures:

Exterior images:

Interior images:

Here's a side view of the LCD monitor. You can see the 6" Panavise mount that I am using.  It's from their CCTV product line.  The monitor is solidly mounted.  The 2 video inputs and the power are all on the one cable seen at the left.  All the connections are made inside the shifter housing.
	Here's a from view of the LCD Monitor.  I have mounted and swiveled the mount and monitor so I have a good viewing angle from the driver's seat.  It's far enough to the right to not interfere with my right leg, yet I can still pull the emergency brake handle and the 2WD/4WD shifter as well.

Bill of Materials:

Construction Process/Steps:

1. Obtain materials
2. Re-drill center hole in bottom of each camera bracket to accept 3/8" hex bolt
3. De-burr holes, drop 3/8" hex bolts down through brackets and secure with lock nuts
4. Remove and discard antenna studs and 4 bolts and remove and save black plastic bushings and 4 nuts and lock washers from 
   each CB antenna bracket
5. Create slot where holes were drilled in CB antenna bracket and back plate
   (in order to span the height of my luggage rail)
6. Mask glass in front of camera lens with masking tape
7. Sand the camera brackets, camera sun shades, CB antenna mounting brackets & back
   plates and camera bodies
8. Mask last 2 inches of cable going into back of each camera
9. Coil and bag balance of camera cables - seal bags
10. Spray prime all items in 5 above including all hardware items (nuts, bolts and washers)
11. Spray paint all items in 5 above including all hardware items (nuts, bolts and washers)
12. Mount CB antenna brackets (using purchased 1/4-20 x 2-1/2" hex bolts and saved
    nuts and lock washers) on side luggage rails as far to the back of the vehicle as possible
13. Replace black bushings into top side of mounted CB antenna brackets
14. Assemble camera brackets and sun shades to each camera and tighten screws but leave
    loose enough to adjust for now
15. Drop each camera assembly (with 3/8" bolt pointing downward) into black plastic
    bushing in each CB antenna bracket
16. Secure each camera assembly with 3/8" lock washer and 3/8" wing nut
17. Reposition each camera for tilt and direction, then tighten camera bracket and sun
    shade screw and wing nuts

Comments:

This process does not address the mounting, powering and cabling of the LCD monitor to the cameras.  I plan to cover this after I receive the Panavise mount for the LCD monitor and get all the interior wiring put into place.

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Last update: 11/05/2004 10:13:09 PM