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This won't be a complete write up of all the steps taken, simply because I forgot to take a lot of photos during the install, but hopefully it will be a good general guide.
Installed on 2011 F-150 STX 5.0 V8
I wanted to install a camera in my tailgate handle and I went round and round about what to buy. There are a lot of options, this is just what worked best for me.
Rear view mirror (needed one anyway) w/ LCD monitor:
It installs using the existing bracket. Feeds along the headliner and onto the passenger side. I found the length of the positive wire to be a bit short and added 4" of wire to reach the fuse box.
The truck uses mini LP fuses, but you can't fit a LP add a fuse into the fuse slot, you need one with longer legs. I have 2 add a fuse's installed and used 2 fuse slots between 31-36 (I will get the exact numbers and edit this.) They turn on only when the truck turns on.
It comes with the hole saw you need in order to install it, runs video off an RCA cable and can be used for front or rear facing camera and has the option of guidelines or no guidelines. That, along with the fact that it's 480 TVL (maximum you can get from analog) is why I picked it; I'm using the same camera for my front facing camera install.
It comes with a red wire that runs inside the RCA cable, my assumption is folks who install this to a stereo use it as their stereo's signal switch. I however installed this camera to an actual switch and ran that wire to a fuse panel box I added in behind the glove box.
I ran an 8 gauge wire from the battery, through the rubber grommet on the passenger side firewall, pulled the side panel cover off the dash and used some tongs to grab the wire.
For the front facing camera I didn't want to drill into the bumper and am fabricating a bracket to use behind my grille:
My plan is to put two small rubber grommets in the smaller holes, then use black zip ties to secure it to my grille.
Finished up the install today; took way longer than it should have as I had a heck of time running my wires and getting the RCA through the firewall where It would come out someplace visible.
Because the camera is extra wide view it does pull in some of the grill and lower bumper, but it helps with parking and ensuring no small critters or children have wandered to the front.
Yes. The rear view mirror accepts two video feeds, though I did have to buy a female to female adapter for the secondary cable. The left switch turns on the front facing and the right switch turns on the back.
How is the picture quality of the rearview camera? I have an aftermarket system out of my last truck I have yet to install but I'm not a fan of the camera, picture quality is fine but it is a 1x1x1 square box camera and I don't know where or how to mount it. I like your rear mount. Could you post any more pics of the picture quality in the rearview?
I'll try to get some more later today, but it's 480TVL which is the max you can get. I have the Esky w/o guidelines on the hatchback and it's 420TVL and I can tell the difference.
This one isn't so great at night, but I don't know if that has more to do with the reverse lights being not the best, or that on the hatchback the reverse lights are closer to the camera and that helps. I'll have to do more extensive testing.
I think it works well. You have to play with your distances a little bit to get a feel for when your bumper is close to something. The camera does lower down a tad more, but then it begins to hide the lens and you can see that in the image.
04-04-2016, 03:59 PM
Front and Rear Camera Install w/ Pictures
