Alternate Backup Camera F-250

[Kispiox]

I have a Hawk FWC scheduled for delivery in a couple of weeks. It will go on my 2011 F-250 Lariat 6.7L Power-stroke Diesel 6 3/4 truck bed. I am told that the tailgate will need to be removed. Because the factory backup camera is located in the handle of the tailgate, so goes the camera. My preference is to try the camper first with the tailgate able to close in back of the camper, but the inside space available to do so is just an inch or two shy of allowing that to happen,....Or so told by FWC Rep? So, the tailgate must go away. The existing camera height is about right in the middle (lower third) of where the new camper door will be. That height functions well. I would also like to preserve the interface with the existing system so that it automatically comes up on screen when the transmission is placed in reverse.

Okay, so question is,.... Do you folks have any creative solutions for an alternate camera type and location? Does anyone have any thoughts on if in fact the camper can be mounted inside of the tailgate of the 6 3/4 F-250 truck bed? I am all ears!!!

 

[Ramblinman]

Sounds like your going old school .... like my dad used to yell at me when I was trying to back up with a trailer ... use your mirrors boy!!!!

Sounds tricky t me

Good problems to have though Congrats on your new camper. Be sure to post photos .. I am tire kicking an F-250 for my Hawk.

 

[wetcoast]

Amazon has some nice backup cameras for under $40 and they are well reviewed. I have one but have yet to install it.

 

[Kispiox]

Thanks for the help. I was just hoping someone here would say, oh yeah just buy this camera and it plugs right into the ford plug and go hook up your boat. I would think it to be a pretty common transition that some third party could make a buck doing. How many truck campers and/or fifth wheel trailers go on F-250s? The answer is quite a lot and all are faced with this issue.

Has anyone mounted a Hawk FWC inside of the F-250 tailgate?

 

[Riverrunner]

You might check out some forums that are specific to your truck. Or what I would do is call a reputable car stereo shop in your area. They will likely be your best resource and if they are any good, they will have a solution.

My truck is old and I so all I did was replace the head unit and mount the camera on the bumper over the license plate. I use it for hooking up trailers and it's one of the best mods/accessories I've added, even more so with the camper.

 

[Kispiox]

Riverrunner, thanks did that. There are options, but all require either tapping into the rear wiring loom, which will negate the navigation/audio/video system warranty, or mounting another monitor in the cab so the system is separate and apart from the ford system. That being the case, will need to turn it on as a separate action every time I want to use it instead of it just coming up when in reverse. Waaaa, waaaaaa, waaaa,... I know life is tough. I will just have to suck it up butter cup. Life is good! My preference would be to just get the camper inside of the tailgate, give it a slam, use it to hook up my boat and go find another river whenever I want to. Thanks again!!

 

[Riverrunner]

Gotcha... I don't think a new Hawk is going to allow you to close the the gate on a shortbox. Not from what I have seen and researched.

Can you remove the camera from the gate? or will that still void the warranty? I think I'd just bite the bullet and tap the feed in the rear and call it good. Being an '11 you probably don't have a lot of warranty left. But then I've never been one to worry about that stuff. I need and want my rig a certain way and I'll do what I need to. If I void a warranty...oh well... gotta pay to play.

 

[ntsqd]

Or perhaps you can buy a second Ford camera and install it where ever you need/want it to be?

 

[jha6av8r]

Or perhaps you can buy a second Ford camera and install it where ever you need/want it to be?

That's what I'm going to do. Either by a new GM camera or try and find one in a junk yard.

 

[Kispiox]

Thanks everyone. I am going to get the Hawk put to bed and then figure out the best answer. Right now, based upon what I know, I am thinking that I will purchase a replacement Ford camera, rig a different mount just above the license plate and then make a ford plug to ford plug connection, then bundle up the extra wire and call it a day. Bam,schhhwwweeet. It is probably better to not mount it on the camper so that if I jack the camera free for an extended stay somewhere, the camera is attached to the truck and it is one less connect/disconnect. It will not be at the same height as the existing camera, but we can't have everything we want, not in this world anyhow. Thank you all again. I will post a picture of whatever I finally come up with.

 

[leadsled9]

I have a 2010 F250. I removed the camera from the tailgate.....drilled one small hole in the center of the metal panel below the camper.....and remounted it there. Works just like it always did.

The camera has been there for 4 years now with no issues. I also enjoy the dotted lines that the factory Ford camera has.





Works just like factory....just slightly lower angle. You can see the guidance lines still work great....lined up perfectly with my ball hitch. The camera comes on only when the truck is in reverse....exactly like the factory set up.



When it comes time to sell the truck, I can remount the camera in the tailgate....put a small plastic plug in the hole.....and everything is back to factory.

Cost for this mod was zero. I had some old pieces of sheet metal laying around....and mounted the camera to one of them....I then used industrial strength velcro to mount the camera perfectly. It looks just like the factory mounted it there to begin with.

 

[leadsled9]

As a side note, I hated losing my standard rear view mirror when the camper was mounted......trying to get a good rear view through the tiny opening in the camper door window was a bummer. Besides, I prefer to leave my rear window curtains closed to prying eyes.

So, I mounted a second camera to my license plate...that had a nice video display that mounts over your standard rear view mirror....and I have it wired to work with one of my "outfitter" Ford factory switches. Here is the license plate mounted camera.



Here is the factory rear view mirror with the video screen mounted over it.





Here is a picture of the Ford "Outfitter" switches with the rear camera switch. I leave this camera on all the time....but wanted it switched for those rare times when you want it off.....like when some bozo is tailgating you at night and his lights are blinding bright.



That gave me back my standard rear view mirror with the camper mounted. This camera has a 110 degree wide angle lens.....so there are virtually no blind spots behind me.

Best of both worlds....the Ford factory backup camera is still factory wired to come on only when the truck is in reverse (displays on GPS screen, just like factory).....and the "full time" rear view camera is mounted to the Ford factory Outfitter swiches (displays on video screen mounted over factory rear view mirror). I run this camera all the time just like a real rear view mirror. Note that for this application I got a camera without any dotted lines so it will look just like a standard rear view mirror...only with better viewing angle (110 degrees).

 

[Kispiox]

Leadsled9, thanks that is exactly the kind of feedback, solution that I was looking for. Thank you all. I will post the final solution.

 

[leadsled9]

I forgot to mention that the video screen mounted over my rear view mirror has two video inputs.

I also mounted a camera above the license plate of my trailer. I switch the input to that camera when pulling the trailer so I always have rear view then too.

 

[ntsqd]

Lead, source for the camera system that you added? I'm liking your "rear view mirror" solution.

 

[leadsled9]

It was the Boyo VTC461R Rear-view System. I don't know if they still make that model. It was installed in my Tundra for a couple of years and has been in the Ford now for four years. Still works great.....no complaints.

The camera that came with this system is on the back of the trailer.....the additional camera installed on the Ford is
Boyo VTL422C.

 

[Marshfly]

There is a much cleaner solution for this. There is a product called a lockpick.
http://www.coastaletech.com/synclockpick.htm

It allows you to plug in any aftermarket camera to the factory harness and use it on your display. It also does all sorts of other cool stuff. But it does what you want without cheesy tacked on monitors or remounting the factory camera.

 

[Kispiox]

I took a brief look (not study) and it appears to do what I am after. Thank you much for your reply. My camper install is on the 15th. I am going to wait to get ti on board before I proceed further. Whatever, I end up doing, I will take pictures and get back here to advise all who have helped.

 

[jlrray]

Not sure if they have a Ford version, but I am planning on using NAV TV http://navtv.com, Adding a second camera and the automatic switch. When the camper is connected, it will use the secondary camera, when its not -- it uses the default camera in the tailgate. It has also an added benefit of allowing my wife to input destinations in the onboard GPS without giving us grief.

 

[photohc]

I have a 2013 F150 with the tailgate video camera on the ford emblem. When the Hawk is installed on the truck, the tailgate comes off, so no camera. The solution is to mount a second camera on the license plate but latched into the existing harness. As you know, removing the tailgate involves the disconnect of the camera by disconnecting the plug for the camera harness. You can purchase a camera harness from Ford for around $20-25. This is the harness that is inside the tailgate that is connected to the camera and exits the tailgate to be connected to the harness on the truck going to the front of the truck. I figured out the wiring for the video+ and video- and 12+VDC and hooked up an inexpensive license plate camera to this harness. When using the Hawk, I plug in this second license plate camera into the truck harness and the camera is now activated like the original. (not as nice but much better than no camera).
When I'm done with the camper and the tailgate goes back on, I disconnect the license camera and put the OEM tailgate camera back on. Seems to work great.