I haven't seen a lot of threads on this topic. Maybe most of you are wheeling rather than navigating suburban parking lots, but hey.

I am looking to install one and would love to get the collective wisdom in one thread. Questions to answer that are specific to the D2

Where should it be mounted? I've seen license plate ones, and ones that just need a hole drilled in the bumper. Thoughts?

How to get the wiring into the cabin? I figure the CB radio folks can chime in here. I'd like to use an existing grommet if possible. There has to be one for at least the rear wiper, right?

Where to getter and ground? If it is close by, say in the right taillight trailer connection, that might be good.

 

I installed one i got off Amazon for about $30.

License plate mount ones are useless since Disco II brackets are off center. I actually made a small bracket out of a small piece of steel and mounted right above my factory trailer hitch. I'll upload a picture as soon as i get her back from the shop this week.


However a heads up. Running the video wire is a pain in the ***. I suggest a wireless kit if your funds allow.


This one seems to have pretty positive reviews

 

Used my father's back up camera for the first time a while back and hated it.
To be honest the screen is in the wrong place, I dont' want to back up while facing forward. Camera is nice, sees some things but I want my eyeballs pointing in the direction I'm going. Now put the screen behind the driver pointing forward and it might be useful.

Looking at just a little screen while backing up a 4500lb machine reduces it to playing a video game — doesn't seem at all safe to me!

 

or when i'm trying to line up the receiver hitch to my boat trailer or see how much space i have before i bump into the car behind me since there is a good 4 feet of space i cant see behind my car trying to parallel park.


But you're right, back up cameras are probably useless.

 

I really like the back up cameras on my Sorento and Explorer. I always learned to back up using the side and rearview mirrors, so facing forward is normal to me. You can back up a lot closer to other cars when parallel parking or lining up trailers.

Can't speak to the specific setup you're looking at but I for one like the back up camera.

 

I installed a cheap camera I bought of amazon for around $12 and hooked it up to a Magellan GPS that accepts a video input. The one I bought mounts above the license plate and it works fine. You adjust to the placement pretty quickly. Between the factory license plate light and those awesome vinyl circle stickers covering the holes in the rear door skin there are plenty of places to run the wiring into the truck. Wirng it did suck, though. The unit I bought had this tiny plug that was supposed to allow the wires to be snaked through the vehicle but the rubber duct that connects the rear door to the vehicle is packed with wires so it is a tight fit. I ended up just cutting off the plug and soldering up the wires after I got them through. I tapped into the reverse lights under the center console to power the camera. When you shift into reverse, the camera turns on creating a signal. The GPS unit senses a signal at the auxiliary input and transfers the image on the screen over from GPS to aux. video. Works pretty slick. The camera is a cheap piece of crap but it has worked for a year already. I like the way it works so I'll probably upgrade to a better camera next time, say maybe a $25 one.

Regarding using the screen to back up, they work great. I've driven plenty of trucks with dump bodies, utility bodies and also many pickups pulling large boats and box trailers and the only way to see where you are going when backing up is with the side mirrors. Using a camera to make an image on a screen with reference lines on it is way better.

Another option which works pretty well is the proximity sensors that you install in the bumper. The are quick to rig up and make a progressively more rapid beep as you get closer to an object. The kits typically even include the hole saw, and they are less expensive than a camera and screen setup.

 

04duxlr: it sounds like any way you slice it, the rear door skin is coming off. Ugh. Time to go find threads on that.

 

Well, if you don't have a parking distance control, the truck may still have the basic harness for it. Always fun to have spare cables already run for you. Here's two pages from the RAVE. BTW - when you look in the circuits manual, those really tiny numbers are the connector numbers and pins, switch to the electrical library connector list and you have a color photo of the location. Spare audio cables might exist as well depending on your radio version.

 

I hope you are referring to the inner door panel. That comes off pretty easily. Just check in RAVE if you aren't sure how to go about it. It's probably worth getting some extra panel clips to replace the ones that will break before you start. Also, if you are planning to go with bigger tires this would be the time to flip the spare tire mount.

 

Oh yeah. I meant inner door "card". Given it is cold in Boston now, I'm sure I'll break 100% of them now . I'll add it to the to do list, eventually.