I finally got around to installing my backup camera and have decided to give a short tutorial for others. My truck is a 2017 XL-STX- Scab with 8" touch screen. If you have an XL without camera then chances are you are NOT pre-wired. An XLT without camera and it's 50/50. Also, I cannot verify if this applies to 4.2" screens but it should.

First, have a look at connector C406. This connector is located between your spare tire and the back bumper, it routes up into the tailgate. If you already have a White/Green (that's white with a green stripe) and a Brown/Violet then you are pre-wired and can stop reading now. Mine contained only the two wires for the tailgate lock. Picture below....



I found that the factory indeed ran these wires into harness number C316 which is located near the master cylinder on top of the fender well. This is the solid grey connector, the one with a cap on it shown below. Notice the White/Green wire as well as the Brown/Violet in the picture below. (Cap removed.)

But these wires stop here at the "front" of the connector. From this point on is where Ford used a different harness all the way to the back of the truck. Originally I wanted to add the wires at the back of this harness but Ford "capped off" the hole making it very difficult to install any new pigtail connectors. So instead I decided to pull the video wires out to tap into them. Note that there are three twisted wires here. White/Green, Brown/Violet, and Black shielding cable (not used) See below...

This is where I added my video connector. Below is a picture of my connections before I cleaned it up and taped it up.

From here it's a matter of running a standard video cable to the back of the truck. Most cameras will come with this cable, mine was 18' long which was the perfect length.

For power I tapped into the Green/Brown wire located at the back harness. This wire is for backup lights. I ran the ground to the ground location on the left outer frame at the rear. Just a 12mm socket to loosen the ground bolt.

I went with a license plate camera for now but swapping out to a different camera in the future will be a breeze now that my video cable is zip tied to the harness behind the spare.

I used Forscan to enable the camera which is much smoother and easier than I anticipated.

 

great info thanks

 

Man great write up.

 

could this work as a rear backup camera ? found a couple in the trash bin here at work.. I mean the little camera by itself not the whole assembly.

 

I dunno, is it even a 12 volt camera? I recommend part #FL3Z9943400AA. Then install a $15-$20 backup camera from Amazon in it and you can get a near factory look. Here's a pic of mine...

 

why didn't you just drill the tailgate handle ? and do you have a link for the camera ? there are several on amazon , thanks in advance .

 

I contemplated the same thing, to drill the handle, but in the end decided on a license plate mounted camera for now. It actually works pretty well as I have it adjusted to just catch the bumper in its line of site. (I didn't have the courage to drill into my brand new truck.)

To be honest though, I would prefer something high resolution (like 720p if possible but limited to the standard video plug). This one does its job of keeping me from backing over obstacles, I'd just like a fancy picture. Someday I'll plug the video feed out of my video camera, or GoPro, or even just my DSLR camera into it just to see what the picture looks like and to explore possibilities.

As for your video install, once the video input is run to the back of the truck you could plug and play almost any camera. That's why I went budget to begin with. I got the job done for about $30. $20 for the camera and $10 in various connectors. Now I've got the time to explore what I really want and to invest into that while all the "work" is done.

 

You could change out the handle for one with the camera hole for $25.

http://parts.autonationfordwhitebear...rt_name=handle

 

Do we have a part number for the OEM cable on camera equipped trucks that goes from the C406 connector up to the lock/camera?

Wouldn't it be ideal to bring the signaling and power cables down to the C406 and just add the needed pins there?

 

1. Tap the rca into the harness in the engine compartment.
2. Run the rca from the camera to engine compartment rca.
3. Black and red wire from camera for power from reverse light.
4. Turn on backup camera in Forscan.

That's it?

I just put one in with the reverse rearview mirror screen. Its awesome when the lighting is just right but that's like 20% of the time. Can't see the imagine in the mirror very well.