This is for you guys that have hooked up a backup camera:

I'm probably going to buy one online tonight for flush mounting on the bumper of my '05 SuperCrew and am not sure on a couple of things. Last week I installed a Kenwood DDX6019, and am fine with hooking up to that, but how have you routed the feed to the head unit? Wire-tied to the frame and then in through the back of the cab and along the rocker panel? Under the cab and in through the firewall?

Also, do you pick up the 12VDC + from the reverse wire on the 7-pin trailer harness (I do have the tow package), or can you leave the camera 'hot' all the time and get power somewhere else - would that damage the camera?

Thanks, and I hope to be doing this install this weekend.

 

I installed a camera made by Vizualogic. It came with the license camera. I ran the wires through the frame, using a fish tape. To get the wires in the cab I ran them through the plug on the passenger floor pan the up into the dash. I ran the monitor cable up the piller and installed it on the windshield. I did use the 12v on the 7pin. It's the wire in the center I think it was blue. Mine can be on all the time because it is also hooked up to a ignition 12v circuit as well so I can turn it on and leave it on with the key. The set up I bought has a hook up for two cameras. It's the VIZUALOGIC HINDSIGHT c-1000 model.

 

Nice job there White. I already have the display in my Kenwood head unit and there seems to be tons of cameras on Ebay. They have an OEM-looking tailgate latch camera for Chevys but I didn't see an F-150 one. Gonna surf around during the next few days and order something up.

Thanks for the input.

 

I have the same kenwood as you.

I mounted the camera flush on the bumper of my truck and ran the power and video wire along the frame. Under the front pass floorboard you can pull the carpet up and there is a rubber grommet right there. i ran the wires thru that and sealed it up.

As far as wiring i ran the power wire for the camara and the reverse input from the kenwood to the harness on the fuse box. The camera only gets power when the truck goes into reverse. I figured this would be better then running ful power to the cam all the time.

Im planning on adding a switch later that can switch the camera on and off without the truck being in reverse so that i can see the rear if im towing and such. i have pics but will need to upload them if you wanna see.

 

Good timing - I ordered a camera last night and hope to install this weekend if it shows up in time. I wondered whether to liven up the cam with the ignition or just when the reverse light comes on - still up in the air about that. This truck is a beast to hook up to some of the trailers I have and I'm sure the camera will help out in that regard.

Love to see some pics but don't worry about it if it's a p.i.t.a. I love this Kenwood, and have the Sirius and Ipod modules, too.

Thanks for answering!

 

I too have the same head unit, and would be curious to see some pics. One thing I have read is that you should stay away fron the cheap CCD cameras on e-bay, and get a CMOS version.....the vast majority of the cheap cameras are CCD versions.

An off topic question - How do you like the sound of your SIRKEN1 with the DDX6019? I had a DDX7015 with a SIRKEN1 previously, and found the sound to be very compressed, and lacking and highs....not as good as a solid FM station.

CHIA

 

Crap, I'm sure that at $39.00 the camera I got off of Ebay is a CCD unit.

I'm planning to install the cam in the tailgate handle bezel to the left, opposite the lock, angled down slightly. I popped the back off of the tailgate and there's room on the plastic for about a 1.25" diameter camera - no drilling through the metal.

I'll take some pics when I do this job and post them here.

Re the Sirius, the audio with music seems to be just fine, even when cranked up with the stock speakers, no subwoofer. I am about 50/50 music/talk, put on a ton of miles per month, and all in all I have no complaints re: the audio. I'll compare with FM though and let you know. The Ipod adapater drives me crazy though, as it only 'sees' up to the first 256 artists I have. I got frustrated with it and don't use it much for that reason, but maybe I'll take a closer look and see if there's a workaround.

 

I got the camera from the ebay guy, and it's been great so far. I wired the camera power to the 12v on the trailer wiring, and the headunit switchover wire to the reverse wire on the trailer wiring. Works great, I love it.

 

Ok, I just took some pictures of mine installed.

Here is the monitor


Here is the camera. It's not scratched, just dirty.


Here is the route I took with my wires.
Like Fabian06SC said I used the plug hole in the passenger floor board.
I ran my wires through the frame. The camera works from the iginition, The monitor has a on/off switch or with the reverse lights. The unit has two inputs for another camera. I just haven't figured where to put a second one yet.


Here is a view from the back seat.

 

Nice job with that install. I bet it makes hooking up the trailer a LOT easier. I like the GPS up on the dash tray like that, too. It looks like I won't be getting my camera in until Tuesday but that's probably the way I'll route the wires as well.

 

Thank you, When you get yours done post some pictures.

 

Have you installed yours yet? If so, how about some tips/pics

I really like the idea of this location. I have a wide angle cam I'd like to put there. As far as getting to the handle, do you just take the access cover off and undo the 2 offcenter nuts, and plop the handle out? haven't opened mine but that's what some older f150's did i think...

 

well....after i posted this afternoon I thought "what the heck; I'll try mounting it back there." and i did.

It was soooooo easy. I put it in the handle opposite of the lock on the left. I did NOT even have to take the handle off the tailgate!

I need to get my digital camera here from work and Monday I'll try to post a pic or two.

Here's all I did:
1- remove trim cover with torx screws

2- drill pilot hole in back of the plastic handle (with tailgate down it's accessible)

3- check location with gate up and finish drilling hole (from outside facing tailgate) with a 1" wooden hole bit. The plastic is SO thin in the handles that it worked fine.

3b- tested video angle on a small tv next to truck (new HU not installed in truck yet ) , it's giving a good centered image slightly angled down

4- ran power and rca down through tailgate wrapping wire in elec tape where rubbing may occur and zip-tying to stay put

5- soldered power wires to a new 4pin trailer harness (with towing package i only use the round connector, my 4pin wasn't being used) using the top (green)for - and bottom (brown) for +. This means that the camera powers up whenever the parking lights/headlights come on. I didn't feel like running power wires or a new wired switch up front, I'll just turn on the parking lights to see cam up front

6- finished up by ziptying everything underneath.

Total work time took less than an hour. It's so easy not having to take the handle out. The camera i'm using is a wide angle waterproof one that came with a nifty screw in mounting thing and angle spacers that let you adjust angle you want before tightening. I'll put some pics in early this week...

 

can't wait to see pics.......nice!!!!!!

 

The good, the bad, and the wtf:

The good - I got my backup cam installed.

The bad - the damn thing was just too big in diameter to mount up at the tailgate latch without trimming away some sheet metal and I was afraid I'd wreck it for sure (I REALLY wanted it up there).

The wtf - the cam does work, but it doesn't come on auto when I shift into reverse like it should.

I tapped the 'reverse' wire from my Kenwood head unit into fuse #14 (05 SuperCrew Lariat), and am pulling the DC for the camera at the center backup light wire on the 7 pin connector - live only when in reverse.

It worked fine when I did a dry run by powering the cam with a wall charger and hooking up the purple Kenwood wire to the known hot on the cig. lighter to simulate reverse. When in any mode, the head unit switched to the cam when I livened up the wire, and returned to normal when I cut the juice. On the final install the head unit doesn't switch back and forth from a normal display to the backup camera when I shift in and out of reverse. It does work, but I have to **** around with the buttons to pull up the bumper camera display.

I'm now wondering if the trouble lies in the fuse panel, like a crossed wire or something. Man, I'd like to throttle the Ford engineer who designed and placed the fuse relay system in this truck. The '02's was on the drivers side, plenty of light and clearance.

It's getting dark out and I'm fairly well pissed off, but I'll figure it out one day this week.