Back-up Camera-- helpppp :) 56K warning!

[desentrix]

***CLIFF NOTES: Anyone have any ideas where to place this where it won't get in my way without mounting on the dashboard?!

Alright. So here's the problem.
I got a rear back-up camera from my friend for my future b-day that's in the distant future.

Here's what it looks like:


I don't want to glue the mount to my dashboard, b/c it obstructs my radar detector/ my GPS.
So as a result, I decided that I will hard-wire it.

Is this a good place to put it (in the crack between the hazard/CD player)? I figure that I won't have to use my hazards that often, nor will I have to change the time that often.


Second, should I bother to make a custom mount for the camera? Here's the one for the camera fully tilted. Notice the restricted movement.


Here's the one for the Garmin GPS, 360 degrees in wide movement.


I'm glad he knows I don't want to puncture holes in my car. This mounts into the existing license plate holes.

[desentrix]

Oh, yah. Anyone have any ideas on how I should make the mount?

[workerant]

I have similar problem with my GPS. But anyway, I don't want it constantly in my car so I just take it off.

Technically you only use this when you backup. So why not make it like a portable DVD player having it collapsable? And I am not sure the dash board is a good location cause the sun will be directly burning it.

If you want it nice and a part of your car than best to cut and integrate it to be part of the car. Go all the way and make it look nice than go half way having it fall and etc.

[lucky777]

Not sure why you want back up camera on Camry but if it is really necessary I'd rather go with back up camera that has screen integrated in rear view mirror.

[bandit]

I would put that along the side of the A pillar on the driver side. This wont be in the way of driving (thats where I had my Garmin on my old car). Plus, its near the side view mirror.

What about under the HVAC and above the cubby door?

As for that radar detector, mount that high! Either above or below the radar detector. It will get a better view of frequency when cops are scanning. Mounting high will allow it to look through other car windows and possibly trunks instead of being blocked.

See how I got mine mounted (dcemureviews - 2009 Toyota Camry SE Magnetic Grey). gene112601 also has his mounted high...

[tvsjr]

Dash mounting is problematic - the whole dash will move in the event of airbag activation, turning whatever's on the dash into missiles. Mount high and stay away from the A-pillars too (curtain bags). The screen in the mirror seems to be the best bet.

[bandit]

No matter where you mount, it can be a missile. Just flying glass particles or anything flying into the car are dangerous. Also, why even jinx yourself or even think of something like that. So as long it doesnt prevent anything from deploying, its fine.

You have gene and peach who have gauges covering the curtain side airbag, you have officers with dash mounted strobes, radios, computers, etc.

[lammydi]

Originally Posted by tvsjr

Dash mounting is problematic - the whole dash will move in the event of airbag activation, turning whatever's on the dash into missiles. Mount high and stay away from the A-pillars too (curtain bags). The screen in the mirror seems to be the best bet.

Originally Posted by dcemureviews

No matter where you mount, it can be a missile. Just flying glass particles or anything flying into the car are dangerous. Also, why even jinx yourself or even think of something like that. So as long it doesnt prevent anything from deploying, its fine.

You have gene and peach who have gauges covering the curtain side airbag, you have officers with dash mounted strobes, radios, computers, etc.

I agreed with tvsjr though. For your safety, it is best to make sure you have a clear path from those airbags in case they deploy.
Officers have all those equipment because they are a neccessity to their job and their/other people lives. They "might" have the professional disable the airbag already. Plus their car is redesing for their job. We can't compare our daily driving camry to the policer car.
Safety comes first.
To the OP, I mounted my portable GPS onto the radio screen using a suction. You can give that a try.

[bandit]

Originally Posted by lammydi

I agreed with tvsjr though. For your safety, it is best to make sure you have a clear path from those airbags in case they deploy.
Officers have all those equipment because they are a neccessity to their job and their/other people lives. They "might" have the professional disable the airbag already. Plus their car is redesing for their job. We can't compare our daily driving camry to the policer car.
Safety comes first.
To the OP, I mounted my portable GPS onto the radio screen using a suction. You can give that a try.

But a police car (marked or unmarked) as well as the officer is just as susceptible to accidents as a daily driver. They get into high speed chases, speed through streets, run lights, etc. Also, after the cruisers are no longer in use, the cars are put up for auction and sold to normal people like us. The money is used for other state use (at least thats how it is where I am). Of course, they strip it back down to stock. So I dont think airbags or any safety features are deactivated or removed. Disabling airbags is like the city/state saying we dont care about the safety of our officers..we just want to write tickets and catch the bad guys.

Those equipments are just set up and installed in place of/over the stock pieces or there are additional mounts installed.

So safety comes first? What about the safety of the officers? No safety if airbags are disabled.

Plus, I think if you got into a big enough crash, that you'll be worrying more about being pinned, crushed or anything bigger killing you. Also, thinking about how the curtain side airbag is deployed, if the GPS or backup camera display was on the windshield, wouldnt the airbag force it towards the window?

[lammydi]

Originally Posted by dcemureviews

But a police car (marked or unmarked) as well as the officer is just as susceptible to accidents as a daily driver. They get into high speed chases, speed through streets, run lights, etc. Also, after the cruisers are no longer in use, the cars are put up for auction and sold to normal people like us. The money is used for other state use (at least thats how it is where I am). Of course, they strip it back down to stock. So I dont think airbags or any safety features are deactivated or removed. Disabling airbags is like the city/state saying we dont care about the safety of our officers..we just want to write tickets and catch the bad guys.

Those equipments are just set up and installed in place of/over the stock pieces or there are additional mounts installed.

So safety comes first? What about the safety of the officers? No safety if airbags are disabled.

Interesting....I'm gonna have to talk to my friends, who are cops, to see what exactly they have in their car and what their takes on this.

[GT-R]

Originally Posted by lammydi

Interesting....I'm gonna have to talk to my friends, who are cops, to see what exactly they have in their car and what their takes on this.

Ask 'em about the shotguns too...

[tvsjr]

Well, I happen to be a firefighter, and have lots of cops for friends. So, let me address a few issues.

Note I said "missile". Flying glass, things shifting around, etc. are all to be expected in a crash. What can kill you is when something not tied down gets in the deployment path of the airbag, accelerating the object to 200mph. Yes, I've seen a person killed when a radar detector, mounted in front of a curtain airbag, smacked them in the head (to be fair, the victim was probably dead anyway... but that detector caused substancial face/head trauma including a fractured skull, and that certainly didn't give the victim any better chance of survival).

Police cars often ARE equipped with airbag disables - typically for the passenger-side bag. In addition, the airbag deployment zones are known (note that the whole dash doesn't come apart in most squad cars like it does in the Camry), and equipment is specially built to stay clear of said deployment zones. Typically, laptop computers do require the passenger airbag disable - I have a Motorola workstation in my truck, and do have an airbag disable in place for the passenger bag. I don't want to eat a 12.1" flatscreen monitor. You will also find that vehicles typically used for squads are becoming more and more designed for such service - in the past, you tossed a console in and called it good. Now, the Charger comes with a console mount already in place. Most vehicles have at least some, if not all, warning lights pre-mounted. No more drilling the A-pillars - they are specially built and have spotlights pre-installed. Most squads also do NOT have curtain bags, just the driver and passenger units.

Shotguns are typically installed either in the trunk or vertically to the prisoner partition, keeping them outside the range of the bags. Done properly, they are in a heavy steel mount that supports the weapon in two places and retains it in at least one. Typically, if mounted properly, the shotgun doesn't move.

Gene and Peach chose a dumbass place to mount their gauges, and, should one of them wreck out, they may pay the price. Recall that airbags typically deploy in the range of 200MPH. Being in front of one of the bags can result in significant trauma - enough to be fatal. That's why firefighters will typically chain an undeployed airbag if it can not be rendered safe. You probably don't want to know about the 3000psi (or so) stored-gas cylinders up in the headliner area, which can turn into little bombs if you damage one.

I am in the process of installing warning lights and radios in my Camry. I will not be mounting anything to the dash - I have one light stick that will mount behind the rearview mirror, and that's it in the windshield area.

Do what you want... I only speak from experience.

[McNose13]

I mounted it thusly:

Monitor... mounted on the glass, above the rearview mirror (towards the passenger side). I hardwired a 3 port cig lighter in the glovebox and ran the cable up behind the clock and across the dashboard, up the A-pillar and across the top.

Camera... I cut the mount that it came attached to so it's just the camera and box-ish part, bent an L bracket and attached that to a license plate bolt, then, using 3M double stick tape, attached the camera to that. I had to cut a small hole behind the license plate light to run the wire into the trunk. The camera is actually pointed downward so I can see about an inch or 2 of the bumper- it shows the closest 5 feet to the car, which is completely unviewable sans camera.

Overall, I like the set up. I tried a cheap backup monitor built into a rearview... hated it- very shakey.

b

[desentrix]

I guess I'll just mount this up @ the driver's side visor is. I originally was going to fabricate a sliding rectangular extension there. The visors too short--the sun still blinds me from the side.

Oh yeah, the back up camera is primarily just to see low objects behind my car. Here's the story-- came home late after work. Woke up to leave for work assuming the path was clear in the driveway. Reversed, and backed up into the huge trashcan someone brought out for trash day.

Long story short, I have a dent near the Toyota emblem. Its not too noticeable since that area is weirdly shaped to begin with.

[workerant]

Originally Posted by tvsjr

Note I said "missile".

Yep, should remove all missiles before driving.

Originally Posted by tvsjr

You probably don't want to know about the 3000psi (or so) stored-gas cylinders up in the headliner area, which can turn into little bombs if you damage one.

Are you saying every time I start my car it pump 3000psi into that cylinder to be ready for the collision?