Wireless rear camera solution for a 2020 Chevy with the rer trailer camera ability

[tgodrich]

OK, So I have a 2020 Chevy 3500 with all the options, including the rear trailer camera option. The Chevy solution to this is a wired camera, the wire plugs into a tri-axial port on the back of the truck bumper, and you have to run a cable to the back of the trailer to the camera. Sloppy solution Chevy. This should be wireless these days. And the worst of this is that the camera does not have night vision. I need that too Chevy! And the Chevy camera is way more than my Furrion was, and needs to be mounted so low it would need to be where the rear window of the trailer is.

I have explored the Furrion forums, as well as looked into the location of the Chevy camera module, which is behind the rear seat back on the passenger side. The camera module is where all 11 cameras on this truck come together. I have not yet seen a wireless solution.

I have a Furrion rear camera already mounted on my 303 RLS that works well both daytime and night, and is wireless. I pick up the wireless video on a separate Furrion monitor (about 5") in the cab. Now that I have a full navigation / camera screen built in the trick cab, I don't really want another monitor in the cab.

So, on to my question for a solution: I would like a wireless solution for my camera that would interface to the existing truck camera system and operate as the trailer camera. As I said, the port comes out the back of the truck. This is a tri-axial cable port. I suspect tri-axial since the Chevy camera needs both power (12 volts) to power the camera, plus a video signal feed, and ground. So far I have not found anybody who can confirm this is so, though. However, the electrical engineer in me figures this would be how they would do it. Ideally, a solution might be perhaps a dongle that would talk to my Furrion wireless camera, and would plug into the bumper port. Or plug directly into the camera module behind the rear seat, in place of the cable from the rear bumper port..

Chevy, are you listening? We need a wireless solution here, with night vision.

I am hopeful there is someone out there already that has dealt with this for the Chevy camera system. But this is a new Chevy feature, so not sure a solution is in hand yet.

I hesitate to tap into the wiring harness on the truck since it is under warranty. Any mods to the wire harness will void the warranty.

Note that the power to my Furrion camera is through a GD supplied 12 volt wire at the pre-mounted camera mount. This was hot all the time, though, so I drilled a hole from the camera mount into the inside of the cabinet in the trailer, and added a switch to the 12 volt power. I can now turn the camera off when parked since I don't need it.

As an engineer, here are my thoughts (also, I find myself with a lot of time on my hands during this COVID crap):
Open the little Furrion monitor. Find the video feed from the wireless circuit to the monitor input. This has to be a simple video signal. I doubt it is HD, but that would not matter much anyway. Tap into this video signal and bring out to either a video port I could mount on the monitor, or a wire from the monitor to a video connection. Then create a cable (or buy the cable from Chevy) that connects to the port on the bumper. Figure out which wire in the tri-axial connector is video and bring that to the video plug on the Furrion monitor I created. If all goes well, the video should not be available on the truck camera system. I could route the cable from the back bumper under the truck and into the cab, and just put the monitor under or behind the back seat. Assuming my bumper port also has that 12 volts available, I would use that wire to power the Furrion monitor.

Anyway, that is my thought process at this point. An already created solution would be nice, but I have not found it.

Thanks for listening,

Tony

[Guest]

I doubt auto manufactures are specifically monitoring a trailer technical site but I'm also curious as to why manufacturers use a harness for the trailer cameras. GM and Ford both do this. From what I know about this system, you will lose a couple features such as the invisible trailer and rear object detection by mounting the camera at the top rear of the trailer. Looks like the location of your trailer rear window prevents mounting the camera in the optimum location. Maybe a bracket can be used to get the camera into a reasonable location? Valid point on lack of night vision which is odd.

The object detection would be a great feature to have but without this feature I would never trust any camera while backing into a wooded campsite. You may want to check with the dealer to see if the camera can be attached to the window as long as its not in an awkward location.

Jim

[jaymee317]

OK, So I have a 2020 Chevy 3500 with all the options, including the rear trailer camera option. The Chevy solution to this is a wired camera, the wire plugs into a tri-axial port on the back of the truck bumper, and you have to run a cable to the back of the trailer to the camera. Sloppy solution Chevy. This should be wireless these days. And the worst of this is that the camera does not have night vision. I need that too Chevy! And the Chevy camera is way more than my Furrion was, and needs to be mounted so low it would need to be where the rear window of the trailer is.

I have explored the Furrion forums, as well as looked into the location of the Chevy camera module, which is behind the rear seat back on the passenger side. The camera module is where all 11 cameras on this truck come together. I have not yet seen a wireless solution.

I have a Furrion rear camera already mounted on my 303 RLS that works well both daytime and night, and is wireless. I pick up the wireless video on a separate Furrion monitor (about 5") in the cab. Now that I have a full navigation / camera screen built in the trick cab, I don't really want another monitor in the cab.

So, on to my question for a solution: I would like a wireless solution for my camera that would interface to the existing truck camera system and operate as the trailer camera. As I said, the port comes out the back of the truck. This is a tri-axial cable port. I suspect tri-axial since the Chevy camera needs both power (12 volts) to power the camera, plus a video signal feed, and ground. So far I have not found anybody who can confirm this is so, though. However, the electrical engineer in me figures this would be how they would do it. Ideally, a solution might be perhaps a dongle that would talk to my Furrion wireless camera, and would plug into the bumper port. Or plug directly into the camera module behind the rear seat, in place of the cable from the rear bumper port..

Chevy, are you listening? We need a wireless solution here, with night vision.

I am hopeful there is someone out there already that has dealt with this for the Chevy camera system. But this is a new Chevy feature, so not sure a solution is in hand yet.

I hesitate to tap into the wiring harness on the truck since it is under warranty. Any mods to the wire harness will void the warranty.

Note that the power to my Furrion camera is through a GD supplied 12 volt wire at the pre-mounted camera mount. This was hot all the time, though, so I drilled a hole from the camera mount into the inside of the cabinet in the trailer, and added a switch to the 12 volt power. I can now turn the camera off when parked since I don't need it.

As an engineer, here are my thoughts (also, I find myself with a lot of time on my hands during this COVID crap):
Open the little Furrion monitor. Find the video feed from the wireless circuit to the monitor input. This has to be a simple video signal. I doubt it is HD, but that would not matter much anyway. Tap into this video signal and bring out to either a video port I could mount on the monitor, or a wire from the monitor to a video connection. Then create a cable (or buy the cable from Chevy) that connects to the port on the bumper. Figure out which wire in the tri-axial connector is video and bring that to the video plug on the Furrion monitor I created. If all goes well, the video should not be available on the truck camera system. I could route the cable from the back bumper under the truck and into the cab, and just put the monitor under or behind the back seat. Assuming my bumper port also has that 12 volts available, I would use that wire to power the Furrion monitor.

Anyway, that is my thought process at this point. An already created solution would be nice, but I have not found it.

Thanks for listening,

Tony

Tony,
I am in the process of install the Echomaster system on my 2017 GMC Denali 3500. This was not a piece of cake by any means by it is a GM approved add-on. It includes the cameras on each of the side mirrors as well as the wireless trailer camera. The wireless receiver mounts on the inside of the back window of the truck. I also opted to add the third brake light camera. These all integrate with the 8" display. No splicing of wires. Everything plugs together. My trailer is a Momentum 320G. I have not used the trailer camera since I am just finishing up that piece of the install. I would contact Echomaster to see if there is a wireless solution for you.

John

[Txfivver]

I recently went from the Furrion wireless camera to the Ford wired one on my trailer. The difference in picture clarity is night and day. The Furrion worked ok I guess but the signal would drop in and out and the picture would freeze up. 43 feet of trailer tip to tail plus another 12-15 feet of truck to get to the monitor is a long way for a wireless signal to go. Yes the wired camera is a bit of a pain to install but well worth it in my opinion. I didn't see what type of trailer you have but the Solitudes should have a satellite access plate in the roof that drops down into the front storage bay. From there fish it up into the pinbox and plug it into the truck from there. Works very well.

[tgodrich]

I recently went from the Furrion wireless camera to the Ford wired one on my trailer. The difference in picture clarity is night and day. The Furrion worked ok I guess but the signal would drop in and out and the picture would freeze up. 43 feet of trailer tip to tail plus another 12-15 feet of truck to get to the monitor is a long way for a wireless signal to go. Yes the wired camera is a bit of a pain to install but well worth it in my opinion. I didn't see what type of trailer you have but the Solitudes should have a satellite access plate in the roof that drops down into the front storage bay. From there fish it up into the pinbox and plug it into the truck from there. Works very well.

Anybody know if there is an access plate on the Reflection 303RLS for wire access?

[howson]

Anybody know if there is an access plate on the Reflection 303RLS for wire access?

Depends on the year, Tony. Yours is a '15, right? In that case the answer is no. Sorry. (It would help if you filled out your sig line! https://gdrvowners.com/forum/gdrv4li...-to-your-posts)

[JLaRue]

I recently went from the Furrion wireless camera to the Ford wired one on my trailer. The difference in picture clarity is night and day. The Furrion worked ok I guess but the signal would drop in and out and the picture would freeze up. 43 feet of trailer tip to tail plus another 12-15 feet of truck to get to the monitor is a long way for a wireless signal to go. Yes the wired camera is a bit of a pain to install but well worth it in my opinion. I didn't see what type of trailer you have but the Solitudes should have a satellite access plate in the roof that drops down into the front storage bay. From there fish it up into the pinbox and plug it into the truck from there. Works very well.

I recently purchased a '21 Silverado and it came with the trailer camera and I want to install it on my '20 Momentum 351M. I have have the Sat access plate on the roof but curious what the process is to feed the camera wire through it and how to properly seal it afterwards. Did you have to remove the plate or just drill a hole into it and pass the wire through? Just use self leveling roof sealant afterwards or something else?

Thanks!

[Txfivver]

I recently purchased a '21 Silverado and it came with the trailer camera and I want to install it on my '20 Momentum 351M. I have have the Sat access plate on the roof but curious what the process is to feed the camera wire through it and how to properly seal it afterwards. Did you have to remove the plate or just drill a hole into it and pass the wire through? Just use self leveling roof sealant afterwards or something else?

Thanks!

Sorry for the late reply JLaRue, I haven't been on in a while. My camera is mounted on the back of the trailer and the cable runs down the roof (covered with white eternabond tape) to the satellite access plate. The plate is removable so you can run the cable down the channel provided. I got lucky in that the hole in the roof and the cable tube lined up perfectly and it dropped out right in the front storage bay. It's secured to the aluminum beams in the roof of the bay and through a small drilled hole into the front battery compartment. and on up into the pinbox. It pulls out with the trailer 7 pin plug and plugs into the small 12 pin plug Ford mounts below the 7 pin in the bed sidewall. This cable also connects to the bluetooth repeater in the battery bay for the Ford TPMS, this all came in the kit when I ordered the truck. The same cable from the camera also has a split off cable to connect to the yaw sensor mounted on the pin box for the Ford pro trailer backup assist. That's a busy little cable!! By the way the satellite plate in the roof was resealed with sealant like it was originally.