Does anyone know if the reverse sensor can be added on.

 

that you could not add the factory system on at the dealer. The factory system is integrated really well into the truck.

However, there are after market alternatives you could add but they might not be as effective...


Again, this is what I was told by the dealer I spoke to. It'd be nice if a dealer that frequents the board could comment.

 

I looked into this. Holes would need to be drilled in the bumper, not a good idea. The chrome finish would be compromised, with ensuing rust.

 

I have added the Parking-E reverse sensor system, and I love it.

I drilled two holes in the ABS plastic just outside the license plate area, and used two hanging brackets on the outside of the bumper.



Pictures are located on my gallery.

 

Robb1313, that is pretty sweet that it tells you the exact distance. How much was that puppy? And does it only work in reverse or does it constantly give you a read out?

 

It gives exact readout down to 12". Then it's a constant 0.00 plus a steady beep.

I have had this give me returns from as far away as 17 feet!

It can be made to measure constantly, but I have mine wired to the reverse lamp power, so it's only on when I'm in reverse. With the way some people taligate, it would be nice in court -- imagine taping the distance (your passenger of course) and then in court when the person who rear-ended you says they were not tailgating, and you can show them at 3 feet!

I got the four sensor system, it was $297 delivered. I'd recommend getting the drill bit from them, the one I found was 7/8" (22.22?mm) and the hold I drilled in the plastic was just a hair larger than I liked.

http://www.backingsafety.com/shop/index.htm

 

pepatrick,

They do have some that don't drill into your bumper where it can be seen. They have one that attaches underneath the bumper and hangs down a little. I didn't like that, so I ordered one that they do have to drill two small holes and you put the controller inside and it talks to you, letting you know how close you are getting. I am getting that from www.americancampershells.com. I always get the best stuff from them.

 

I looked at the american camper webpage but could not find the sensor -- do you have a more specific link?

I did some pretty intense research on the subject, and the Parking-E was the only sensor providing digital readout down to 12 inches. All the others seemed to go to a solid tone at 3 feet.

Does the talking sensor have distance resolution down to 12 inches?

Also, it can be very distracting when backing, until you get used to it -- I'd advise everyone to not let the novelty of a new "gadget" get the better of them -- don't forget to look in the mirrors!

 

I would be interested if anyone has talked to a dealer about adding on the Reverse sensor system. I realize you would have to drill a bit, but wondering what a dealer would say.

 

Funny you mention reverse sensors. I drove a FX45 Infiniti this weekend with the technical package and when you backed up a camera showed you a picture where you were backing in the 7" navigation screen. It was real time..awesome . Now that's a backup system.

 

My Kenwood KVT-911DVD has support for doing that. I'd just have to buy a camera, mount it and run the cable. But I have the reverse sensors so I don't really fell like it is worth it.

 

Robb1313,

I would recommend calling them. Ask for Jay or Jeff. They have installed a couple already and can answer any question you have. I haven't had mine installed yet...waiting for my tonneau to have it all done at one time.

breser,

I am looking at the kenwood you have. How is it? Is the picture clear? It's between that and the Alpine and the Pioneer. I plan on adding the camera to it once i get it. I don't know if you have ever seen the Infinity FX35, but a friend of mine has one and his navi is awesome, he just had the DVD added to his front screen. It only had the DVD in back. It came standard with the FX35. Enough about the FX

 

I looked at all three. I didn't really see an appreciable picture difference between the Alpine, Pioneer or the Kenwood. All three seemed to have a pretty good picture.

I would definately recommend going to look at the interfaces in person. I find the Kenwood interface kinda clunky and not as visually attractive as the Alpine and Pioneer interfaces for the stereo. However, I find the Kenwood nav interface great. Once you get used to it isn't bad and most of the time I don't find myself having the stereo interface displayed but just the nav and using the remote to control the stereo portion.

The main thing that pulled me to the Kenwood was Sirius compatability. XM doesn't have competely commercial free music channels and lacks NPR stations. Living in the mountains my FM reception is spotty so Sat. Radio is a big improvement for me.

But overall I wouldn't say I'm overly impressed with Kenwood's product. But it suits my needs and the small things that I'm not impressed with aren't that huge of a deal. And of course there are other drawbacks to the other units. The Alpine unit doesn't allow you to freely adjust the angle of the unit. You use a button to adjust it and the motor moves it to certain stops. The Alpine unit also lacks touch screen. I don't remember any draw backs to the Pioneer but there were a few.

Look at the thread for my truck for a lot of discussion about the KVT-911DVD and my issues with it.

 

I can't believe that a manufacturer who sells products for ~$300 has such a cheesy website. The pictures are of such low definition and distorted you can't even see what the products look like.

Rob1313, is this Parking-E a quality product in your honest opinion?

 

I am impressed with the Parking-E system. It is a bit pricy, but since I want precise resolution the digital display is a must -- The audio portion (which bugs my wife no end) can be shut off so you only have a visual indicatior ...

The install was a breeze -- but sinc I didn't drill the metal portion of the bumper, I didn't have those worries.

So, the short answer is yes, I like the quality!