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Rear view mirror backup camera install

US6x4

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OK - one last project before the snow flys! 😁

For as sexy as an M813 with a cargo cover is, it has a massive blind spot behind it which could hide a Prius or a taco truck or even a short bus full of children. I installed a rear view mirror that is actually a backup camera to show me the whole picture while I'm driving, parking or backing up and prevent crunching something I don't want to.

I started with an Auto-Vox V5 Pro because it only has 1 wire running to the mirror, it has front & rear cameras to record trips, and the GPS will display my actual speed since my speedo won't (16.00R20s).

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A picture of a TV screen is usually polarized or whatever that distortion is called. To the human eye it's bright and clear.
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So here's what involved:

Our center windshield frame post is already drilled for what I assume is a rear view mirror so I'm using those original holes that were already sized at a #21 bit to tap to 10-32. The plan is to hide all the wiring inside the hollow post.

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Since the mounting arm that came with the camera and even the optional mounts are made for angled windshields instead of flat/vertical glass, I decided to make my own mount and the flange of that helps locate the transfer punch for the 1/2" wiring hole.

The bracket is simply a 10 gauge flange with 1/2" hole, a section of 1/2" x 0.049" wall stainless hydraulic tubing and a 22mm ball bearing drilled thru at 11/32" and then slightly counterbored to 1/2" on one end.

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After the trial fit I shortened the tube 1/2" and got it tig welded all the way around. The ball bearing ended up being made out of heat treated 521000 alloy so it had to be annealed before it would drill.

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~800°F
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US6x4

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After annealing:
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Time to drill some new holes in the post & cowl. The third hole is for the GPS antenna wire.
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Grommets installed and wires ran. The gauge cluster and defroster deflectors will hide the wires and the GPS puck. I found some of my wife's craft wire and put it to work getting the main 12-pin cable up through the post.
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On to the mirror which had to have its original mounting arm disassembled to swap it with the new one.
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US6x4

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It took a bit to figure out the way the ball & socket mechanism was constructed and it's actually really simple and strong. There are several fingers that are a molded part of the square plastic plate and then there is a circular metal spring wrapped around those fingers like the oem heater hose clamp springs from the 60s which supplies the tension to keep things tight. Simply pry the supplied arm with ball out of the socket and then press in the fabricated ball mount like a shoulder that popped out of socket.
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Now the mirror is ready to mount and the cable can be connected and then forced down the hole and into the post. The splice ends up just above that bottom grommet.
20221030_151637.jpg

A removable cover reveals the micro SD card slot for recording trips and things as well as a USB type port for connecting a laptop.
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For the power wiring i hijacked wire 569 which carries 12 volts for the pre-heater circuit and spliced into it with a wye connector.
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I am having second thoughts about my new wire from the wye on 569 to the pre-heater switch being skinny 14 ga while the 569 wire is twice as thick (mostly insulation). I don't use the pre-heater but if I do my new wire might get too hot...
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All done and all mounted up and no wires showing anywhere!
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*the supplied cables end up being more than enough to reach the camera back by the pintle hook so no extra cable was required.
 

Mullaney

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After annealing:
View attachment 883344

View attachment 883345


Time to drill some new holes in the post & cowl. The third hole is for the GPS antenna wire.
View attachment 883346

Grommets installed and wires ran. The gauge cluster and defroster deflectors will hide the wires and the GPS puck. I found some of my wife's craft wire and put it to work getting the main 12-pin cable up through the post.
View attachment 883347

View attachment 883349

View attachment 883348

On to the mirror which had to have its original mounting arm disassembled to swap it with the new one.
View attachment 883352

View attachment 883354

View attachment 883355
.
Nice! Really good looking installation - and thanks for sharing all the picures!
 

Superthermal

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I am way behind you as far as getting some electronics in my ride. Just finished with mounting 6 of 8 16s with runflats. Next is winch or Detroits. Nice to see some niceties put into an 809 series. I was thinking heated seats would be a nice or like you did here a sweet camera set up. You have me thinking! Which is always a good thing.
 

US6x4

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...Nice to see some niceties put into an 809 series...
Niceties are fun but I do love capabilities too like the detroits you mention. Heated seats would be a good one and I still need to do an air bag for the driver seat.

lately I've been tossing around the idea of adding a RT-524 radio under the passenger seat to plug in to my intercom...
 
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