Back up Cameras?

[Utah Dually]

Looking for a wired back up camera that fits the 2001 3500 extended cab. The Hopkins 50002 system looks good and has good reviews, but they don't say it will fit the 2001. It is just a license plate camera. Anyone have any experience with these, or have a better suggestion. I just want to use it to make hooking up the trailer easier. 

[AGPTurbo]

Wife got me one at costco for Christmas. It's a yada brand but I'm sure it's made by someone else. It is wireless and is crystal clear with a 5 inch color screen. Makes life easier for sure, and I wired it to steady power so I can see back there anytime I want.

[Utah Dually]

Good to hear the wireless works well.... Everything I seem to read says to stay away from the wireless on a truck.... I am glad it works for you... thanks a bunch. Wireless would make it easier to install that's for sure... 

[War Eagle]

On my gen 3 truck I used the Edge CTS Insight for gauges and added the backup camera feature.  It is a license plate camera and had to be wired to the Insight mounted in the cab. 

 

It can see in the dark as well as daylight and the camera angle (view) is adjustable.  It is wired so that when I am in reverse the camera comes on and I can also turn it on if I want to when I am not in reverse. I didn't want to add an additional monitor (screen) in the truck so the Edge was an option that allowed me to avoid having to do that.  The camera option was a tad spendy compared to prices of other brands/options.  Here is a link where the back up cameras were discussed previously

 

http://forum.mopar1973man.com/index.php?/topic/4953-backup-camera/

 

I have had mine on for several years now and I am pleased with it's performance. 

[flagmanruss]

They ought to be installed in the rear tail lights.  LOL!  I've managed to back into low items that I couldn't see...  both sides on different occasions.  The taillights were easy to replace but there's small dents that I need to get fixed...  when I get the rust fixed. 

I'm pretty good hooking up with the tennis balls on a wand...  but then I dont have a cap or camper back there.  The tennis balls are better than my old stick through the V & judge from the mark on the gate.  Only complaint is the wand is not quite tall enough, must be on the bumper...  rather than on the actualy Reese insert.     

[Mopar1973Man]

I see people relying on rear camera too much and end up striking something on the side of the cab or trailer. This because the driver is busy watching the camera too much and not the sides of the cab or the side of the trailer in the mirrors. So be careful still.

[joecool911]

Nice for turnarounds on Forest roads. See that you're not going over the edge.

[Utah Dually]

Thanks Guys.... Does anyone know the color of the wire in the trailer pig tail for reverse power?

[Mopar1973Man]

Here you go...

2002-Dodge-Cummins-trailer plug.pdf

[Utah Dually]

Thank you a bunch.... I guess most of these cameras that are built to plug in between your pig tail and trailer plug don't match up to our older Dodges. So the wired ones are not plug and play so to speak. But the only thing you really need to do is to cut off the adapter plug, then wire in the red or power wire to the back up light wire in the pig tail and the black wire to ground. Not to bad, only one splice. I guess some people do wire the power into a switch so they can turn on the back up camera any time they want. Not a bad idea if you are towing long distances. 

 

I learned a lot about cameras in a short time. Thanks a lot for the wiring diagram Mopar Man.... What would we all do without your help..... 

[IBMobile]

Years ago I put a wireless camera on the back of my 5er so I could check on the boat that is tow behind it. The distance was to much and could not get a picture. It would work when the camera was 5 feet or less from the truck's rear bumper.  

[flagmanruss]

Yes, indeed.  A buddy crunched the back of his quad-cab (no rear doors) turning around his horse trailer with living quarters.  It's very wide.   I'm too afraid of JINKS to say more! 

If it was not going to be used often...  a magnet mount could be used.  I sure could have used one when I clipped a parked car with the toyhauler a couple of years ago.  The truck fit but when I turned, the trailer turned inside me, of course.  And the trailer was widerto start with.  The trailer was high enough that the trailer body was over the car nose...  but there is a heavy steel member in front of the axles.  Police had to be called & the unfortunate incident put to the insurance company.   The owner of the other car was unpleasant to deal with.  I got a citation out of it.  The correct decision would have been to waited for a spotter. 

About every crunch could have been avoided with a spotter.     

[Utah Dually]

I have an industrial aluminum topper on my truck, so hooking up to the hitch can be problematic when you are by yourself,  Which is most of the time for me since i only tow my race car and I am a one man gang.  i can't see behind my truck at all. If I am going to back my trailer into a tight spot I always get a spotter, or I just don't try it unless I can get 90 degrees to the slot which lets you see both sides backing up. Having to turn into a tight spot without a spotter is asking for trouble in my mind. 

 

I ordered the Hopkins HM50002 rig which is designed to be a hitch back up camera. I will let everyone know how it works if you are interested. 

[joecool911]

I feel your pain. I change trailers 2-3 times per week for work. I deserve a backup camera.

[Yankneck696]

I have been backing up to & backing up trailers since I was 9 years old. My Mom couldn't do it, so I did when going to the dump. Why bring a trailer to the dump weekly, you ask? Well, I lived in a wealthy town & collected bikes, minibikes, gokarts, lawnmowers & fixed & sold/gave them away. I also picked up reel to reels, TVs, HiFis & replaced tubes in them & sold them (Yeah, I am dating myself.

This one time at band camp... Oh, at the boat yard, I had just hauled a 29' Formula & had to get it in the shop. There was 1' of clearance. It was Friday after work & the boys had been drinking. 4 of them come out to direct me. All are giving me different directions & 1 of them was intentionally giving me wrong directions. I shut the truck down. Pit it in 1st (Granny box with 5.38 gears). Went in the shop, poured a stiff 8 count Mt *** & Coke. Sucked it down.

Told the boss, "Keep all these drunk fools right here. Walked out to the truck, Started it up, Pulled it forward, closed my eyes & figured it. Opened them & backed it right in. 3" on 1 side & 9" on the other. Moved the drill press (Heavy mother) to get 2' pass space, poured another stiff Mt *** & Coke, pulled out my tape measure & got 21" from the prop to my boss's head. Sat down & looked at Kenny(Who was intentionally steering me wrong) & said, "I never need your assistance for anything, you A$$****". Sat down & the boss looked at me & said, "That's how you drive a damn trailer". I asked him how he liked it & he said, "I never turned around to watsh. I was just watching the eyes watching you & knew it was alright, until I saw theit eyes focusing right behind me & then I heard you clutch & jam it in 1st & shut down. I knew it was fine". Yeah, I worked for a crazy man, but learned the most in in my life in 3 years of working for him......

 

Ed

[Utah Dually]

Well I got the Hopkins 50002 back up camera. Which is not made for our trucks, but can be made to fit with a little work. The wiring harness on the Hopkins comes with a dual sided plug that fits between the trailer outlet plug and the truck trailer pig tail. However, the plug it comes with does not fit our Gen 2 Dodges. Which is really no big deal. The only thing the plug is picking up is power from the back up lights and ground. So you cut the plug off, which leaves a hot wire and ground to be spliced into the existing trailer pig tail. The Purple/Black wire is the power for the back up lights, and there are two black ground wires in the harness. Both are very easy to access.

 

The camera and distance sensors come mounted to a replacement license plate holder. That probably is a direct replacement for newer Dodges and Chevys, but our license plate holder is a built in part of the plastic piece that fits behind the bumper and is not removable. No big deal. The replacement part mounts with the top two holes, our Dodges mount the license plate with the bottom two holes. So you have to mark and drill two top mounting holes for the new holder. Our license plate holder has some cleats at the top you slip the license plate under and secure it with the bottom two bolts. I didn’t want to grind those off because some day I might want to take this device off. Again, no big deal, I just aligned the top of the new plate with the top of the existing piece, drilled the two holes on the top, which goes thru the metal support piece behind the plastic, and mounted the new plate on top of the cleats. Worked out well. You also have to drill a 11/32 hole thru the back to thread the camera cable thru. Can of corn.

 

I wired the power and ground to the trailer pig tail with a couple of spade connectors so I could unplug it easily if I ever want to. Turned the key on with the truck in reverse and the camera came alive. It has a couple of different modes, a wide view for backing up, and another Hitch Mode which gives you a very close line of reference for the hitch, and puts the view downward somewhat.

 

Way more work than hooking it up to a Chevy, but it fits our trucks and works well. Can’t believe how easy it is to hook up the trailer now. I nailed it the first time. Well worth the effort and the money wasn’t that bad. More work hooking it up than the money it cost.

 

http://www.etrailer.com/Backup-Cameras-and-Alarms/Hopkins/HM50002.html

[Old_Sparky]

The Hopkins sound more like what I need.  With dark windows and a camper shell, backing up at work at night in the rain can be a real pain.  I need something that can see wide angle to help me out, not just something to help hook up a trailer once or twice a year.  

[Killer223]

vizualogic used to make one. i designed it. not sure if they still sell them. had wired and wireless. if you go wireless get the 900 mhz not the 5 ghz.