[Waldorf]

Hello everybody! :wavey:

This HOW-TO documents the installation I went through to install a backup camera and LCD rear view mirror. I hope this all makes sense, but if it doesn't feel free to PM me and I will answer any questions. :wiggle2:

Okay, I bought this "kit" on eBay that included a backup camera with mounting bar that attaches over the top of the license plate using the same bolts as the plate itself:

a rear view mirror with built-in LCD monitor:

video cable with RCA jacks on both ends as well as wire for the camera power and ground:

wiring harness:

and some very poor instructions:

The instructions did not match the hardware supplied. For instance, the wires coming out of the camera itself are black with one having a white stripe. The instructions show a black wire and a red wire. I have to email the supplier 3 times before they told me the wire with the stripe is the 12V power lead!
My install began with the camera itself. :Banana01:

I started by removing the plastic panel on the inside of the liftgate. Here it is already removed and leaning against my house:

There are two bolts, one in each of the hand hold slots at the bottom of the liftgate:

Here is some views of the liftgate with the panel removed:

In order to pass the video and power/ground wires into the liftgate, I had to remove the chrome (ABS) plastic bezel above the license plate:

There are two bolts/nuts and two plastic clips that need to be removed in order to release the bezel. The nuts and clips are shown here:

The plastic clips need to be squeezed together to fit through the hole after the nuts have been removed. Here is a closeup showing one clip and one bolt/nut:

Now the video and power/ground wires can be passed through the bezel opening for the release handle and under the little notch already on the bezel. I suppose this notch and the other one like it, are required to allow any moisture to drip out if it gets behind the bezel.

Here you can see the video and power wires dangling down. I know, it's hard to make out where they are coming through, but there is an opening through the liftgate steel to allow the release handle to penetrate and the wires simply routed through there without issue! :chuckle:

Now the power/ground lead was plugged into the black connector and the video cable with the RCA jack was plugged into the yellow connector. These wires were then taped to the existing wiring harness under the liftgate and routed around the window to the top of the liftgate where the flexible rubber grommet thingy connects the liftgate to the inside of the vehicle at the headliner.

...this is the end of part I. Please see the rest of the install in subsequent installments (you are only allowed 20 inserted images per post....blame the man, not me!!!) :chuckle:

Thanks!

 

[Waldorf]

HOW-TO: install backup camera PART II

Thanks for your interest in reading this! if you got this far, you must REALLY be interested! :chuckle:

Okay, here we go after that intermission...

This picture shows how I used a stiff wire to fish the wires through the double walled part of the liftgate and down to the rubber grommet (removed from it's hole):

The hardest part of this install (physically) was the routing of the video and power wires through that darn rubber grommet thingy! I taped the wires to that same stiff wire and threaded it through the rubber grommet but there was very little room in there!

Next, I routed these wires along the edge of the headliner across to the right side of the liftgate opening. There is just enough room to push these wires under the edge of the headliner so they will be concealed by the plastic strip. I had taken the strip off to ease this part of the installation.

Next, the right quarter panel must be removed to get at the wiring inside. Here is the quarter panel and note the two tie down holders. These must be removed using a Torx screwdriver first!

Then the "C" pillar panel must be removed. NOTE, you have to wedge open the little square cover at the top of this panel (it's attached at the bottom so insert a small flat screwdriver at the top and carefully lever it out) and then you can remove the screw inside with a Philips head screwdriver.

Once this is off, then you can carefully pull the panel off the metal clips that hold it to the body frame. Now you will see something like this:

The power and ground wires that were routed across the edge of the headliner can now be routed down the wiring harness, taped off as you go, until you get the the ground connection. Attach a ring terminal to the end of the ground wire and secure it as shown here:

Now the fun begins! You have to find the reverse power wire that comes out of the taillight assembly and using a tap connector, secure the camera power lead to it:

Next, you need to make another tap off this circuit to run a wire to the front of the vehicle to power the rear view mirror LCD monitor. This wire as well as the video cable need to be routed along the edge of the headliner all the way to the "A" pillar in the front of the vehicle near the windshield. I just tucked the wires under the edge as I went along and in some places under the rubber weatherstripping or the pillar panel covers.

The "A" pillar panel must be removed next. Note, there is a clip on a flexible plastic lead that needs to be disconnected after the metal clips are unleashed. This simply slides down out of it's socket and then the panel came be taken away.

The wires can then be routed down the "A" pillar to the opening along the side of the dash panel.

I used that same stiff wire to route the wires through this opening and under the dash.

Sorry, I didn't take many picture of these steps!

The wiring harness (shown in Part I) can now be attached to the respective leads. This is not a great photo as you can't really see what's happening here. Please review the wiring diagram provided in Part I.

I will attempt to describe what I did next. The green wire connects to the reverse signal wire pulled from the rear. I stripped the plastic jacket off the wires and attached the wires, then soldered them and covered them with heat-shrink tubing. The ground wire was tapped to the ground wire of another circuit under the dash, my LED light circuit (described in another HOW-TO...wink, wink!!), and the red wire is tapped onto the power lead coming from the battery (also for the LED circuit).

The video RCA connector is attached to one of the video in connectors on the harness (it doesn't matter which one) and the cable from the harness to the rear view mirror was routed in the opposite direction through the side of the dash, up the "A" pillar to the top of the windshield, then along the edge of the headliner to the area behind the mirror. Then the cable is connected to the new mirror lead with the provided connectors. The LCD mirror has spring loaded clips to attach to the U-Connect mirror.

That pretty much describes my installation! The mirror acts like a standard mirror until the Nitro is placed in reverse.

Thanks for reading my HOW-TO!!

 

[BackyardMechanic]

Absolutely sweet HOW-TO!!!!! How many hours did it take to do this install? What was the total cost? Would you say it is difficult to install or can a novice do this? I seen you've done other how-to's, Waldorf you must be the electronics guru!! :smileup: Sorry for all the questions.

 

[HighVoltageNITRO]

Great job with this how-to Waldorf. So, when do you attempt the hook up to MyGIG?

 

[Waldorf]

Absolutely sweet HOW-TO!!!!! How many hours did it take to do this install? What was the total cost? Would you say it is difficult to install or can a novice do this? I seen you've done other how-to's, Waldorf you must be the electronics guru!! :smileup: Sorry for all the questions.

thank-you for the praise, but I'm a mere novice at automotive stuff myself! I had lots of help from other members, specifically our real guru, NitroTech! I didn't actually add up the hours, but it took me the better part of 3 weeks, off and on, here and there, until I got it all working. The hardest parts were figuring out the poor to non-existent installation instructions from the seller, to the routing of wires through that flexible rubber grommet thingie on the liftgate to the determination of which wires to use for the reverse circuit. It cost me about $250 in total. All in all, it was a wonderful introduction to automotive wiring! :ura1:

 

[Waldorf]

Great job with this how-to Waldorf. So, when do you attempt the hook up to MyGIG?

thanks Tim! I had a blast doing this part and phase II is the connection to the MyGIG. I'm looking for the pins required to attach the wires to the back of the head unit. I have the pinouts from NitroTech, but no one is really sure it will take a second video input, even though the 08 Caravan, among other vehicles with MyGIG, seem to have this feature from the factory.

I read here today that a member also has a front mounted camera. I'm wondering if that one is for night vision or FLIR for avoiding biological entities (no Mulder, not aliens!) like moose, deer and humans! That would be cool too! :chuckle:

 

[Quiet Lunatic]

So how is it working John? Everything as it should be?
It would be an interesting project to fit back up sensors, the kind with an audible beep that goes faster the closer you get to an object. Just a thought.

 

[Waldorf]

So how is it working John? Everything as it should be?
It would be an interesting project to fit back up sensors, the kind with an audible beep that goes faster the closer you get to an object. Just a thought.

It works great, even at night! I have a little remote control for it also> I can switch between video feeds and even rotate the image in all directions even flipped left to right! I can use the remote to adjust the picture like a TV set!

There is a member from Oz that said he has a front mounted camera as well. Not sure the application for that unless it's FLIR or something for seeing in the dark, but isn't that what headlights are for? :chuckle:

The backup assist mod would be cool addition! I don't think that was an option when I purchased my Nitro. Are you thinking of adding that for your wifey?

 

[Quiet Lunatic]

It works great, even at night! I have a little remote control for it also> I can switch between video feeds and even rotate the image in all directions even flipped left to right! I can use the remote to adjust the picture like a TV set!

There is a member from Oz that said he has a front mounted camera as well. Not sure the application for that unless it's FLIR or something for seeing in the dark, but isn't that what headlights are for? :chuckle:

The backup assist mod would be cool addition! I don't think that was an option when I purchased my Nitro. Are you thinking of adding that for your wifey?

I couldn't afford to. I'd have to put them on all four sides of the Nitro.:chuckle:

 

[DrTaz]

Hey ... nice job on this! Very well done and functional as can be!

 

[Waldorf]

Hey ... nice job on this! Very well done and functional as can be!

thanks buddy!
It was a lot of work, I learned a lot, and I had a ton of help from my forum buddies! :smileup:

 

[DrTaz]

thanks buddy!
It was a lot of work, I learned a lot, and I had a ton of help from my forum buddies! :smileup:

Hard work, lotsa hours, and a lot of help from the forum. That and a Timmies coffee or seven, and you've got yourself a good day.

 

[BuzzMTL]

Very Clean Install Great Price For the unit too... Must of had some agravating moments well done!!!

 

[Blue ram]

Waldorf
My back up cam kept getting pretty dirty.
And the manpurpose was to see rirectly behind the read bumper to make sure no small kids are there.
Bonus I can now see the trailor hitch as well.
Dont need anyone to guide me anymore.
I will place pixs on site.
http://www.nitroforumz.com/PHOTOPOST/showphoto.php/photo/5659

 

[Douglas]

This is a great mod, I wonder if there is a wireless unit available? I was wondering about where to put the monitor but the rear view mirror makes all the sense in the world. If there was a wireless model, probably just an on/off switch and not hooked to your reverse. Thanks, Douglas

 

[alarming101]

I want one! I like the LCD built into the mirror. See if you can notch the tag so that you can mount the camera bracket behind the tag so that you only see the camera, just a suggestion. Anyway, very nice job with great pics. Thanks

 

[Uncle Murphy]

Dr Taz,
Can you teach me how to do the moving signature thing please?

Thanks,

 

[centrefold]

Hi guys, i'm new here and to be completely honest, i don't own the nitro i have in my garage but i have stripped it all down to empty and am installing an aftermarket stereo/camera/GPS/remote start viper alarm in it for a friend. I can provide pictures or how-to's if anyone needs some help with any of the above, however i'm in Australia so i have the backwards version. WHICH is why i ask this question;

I'm installing a Pioneer ND-BC2 rear-view camera on the back that will connect to a Pioneer AVH-P6050DVD receiver (i think the US alternative is AVH-P6000 or something similar). The camera lead itself is 7 metres and the ground/power wire 3 metres from the control box so i want to tap into the reverse light power wire as close to the front of the vehicle as possible, i've seen the pictures here but can someone clarify the exact colour and front-most location of said wire?

This is the first chrysler/dodge i've worked with.

Cheers.

 

[Dave Montanya]

Seriously, I kinda gave up finding something useful. But this post really helped me through. Thank you!

 

[Scar0]

Welcome to the forum @Dave Montanya . When you have a chance, head over to the Newbie Section and say "Hi".
Tell us a little about yourself and your ride.
That way we can welcome you all proper like.

Funny you posted in this thread today. I just installed a dual dash camera and used this very thread to get the quarter panel loose to run the wire to the rear cam.