Towing cameras

[flipper35]

My wife just bought a 1979 Avion travel trailer. The mirrors on the truck are OK as far as seeing down the sides, but I see there are cameras for the rear of the camper that connect wirelessly to a screen in the cab. Are these worth the effort? It would be nice, especially for backing the trailer. Currently there is a set on sale for 50% off and you get two side view cameras for free.

Just looking to see if they are worth the monetary and time investment.

The window has since been replaced.

[Scott Douglas]

I have a friend with a car hauler trailer that set one up of his own devices. It was a wired system. I believe he went wireless when he replaced his truck. Says it's invaluable for his operation which is basically a one man show.
Having dealt with trailers since I was a kid, I'd say it's well worth the price of admission as it would have made Dad's life a whole lot easier rather than relying on us kids to give him directions.

That's a nice looking trailer your wife has there. How long is it?

[911 Rod]

I think it's worth it just knowing your bikes haven't fallen off the back.

[flipper35]

Originally Posted by Scott Douglas

I have a friend with a car hauler trailer that set one up of his own devices. It was a wired system. I believe he went wireless when he replaced his truck. Says it's invaluable for his operation which is basically a one man show.
Having dealt with trailers since I was a kid, I'd say it's well worth the price of admission as it would have made Dad's life a whole lot easier rather than relying on us kids to give him directions.

That's a nice looking trailer your wife has there. How long is it?

It is a 34'. To get it parked at our house (highlighter section south of the silver Durango), I have to drive in and around part of the driveway, back it in to the general area, disconnect to move the truck on the other part of the "y" and reconnect to finish. Pain in the butt.

[greglepore]

I had a wireless system and it failed 2x. After the last time, I put a 4 input video switchbox under the dash. I have 3 cams currently, one on bumper for backing, one on bed front to see gooseneck hitch, and one inside the trailer to keep an eye on horses in transit. My headunit allows me to turn on monitor without reverse light wire being tripped, but you need constant 12v to camera for that (only one currently wired is the inside trailer one-with a kill switch for storage).

I'm temped to put a 4th (wired) on back of trailer, not so much for steering guidance as for safety as you can back into/over something that is otherwise hidden (ie a dog). I would do it wired.
I ran a video extension cable to rear bumper of truck and used a rca union (just a thing with two female ends) to join to another extension cable from the camera. Would need a 2nd cable for a trailer rear cam.

[Scott Douglas]

This is a google maps photo of our old garage where I grew up.
We had a 24' Boles Aero Zenith tandem axle trailer that we parked in the red zone.
That zone had about 2 feet of clearance width wise for us to work with. Dad had come up with a 'picture frame' chain link fence which we could take down along the alley side.
We'd park the trailer in tail first for a long time but that put the door on the alley side of the parking spot.
Once he got the 'hitch' set up made and a tongue wheel that could take the weight we parked it tongue in first so the door was on the 'yard' side.
We'd get the trailer within 1" of the garage either way we parked it.

[flipper35]

Our 16' cargo trailer sits up on the north side of the concrete section and I have a caster for the tongue and use the garden tractor to pull it up tight to the house and put the sand pad back on while it sits. Makes it secure and I can still get in and out of the rear ramp for loading the bikes and mini-jeep.

Don't have a similar option for the travel trailer.

Greg, for wired I would assume there is another connection to get the signal into the truck? We plan to put lithium iron phosphate batteries in since there are no batteries now. Maybe a solar battery box to keep them tendered properly.

Eventually she wants some type of solar for aux power if we boondock. Maybe a generator if we need to use A/C.

Shower drain leaks and the inside/outside thermometer doesn't work. There is a softer spot in the floor up by where the window was broken. Will fix that when we replace the flooring.

A/C works, running/tail lights work. Plumbing with a hose all works. Shore power and battery power works, even with a small 12v old lawn tractor battery connected for now. Need to fill the fresh water tank to test the water pump. Water heater has a slow leak at one of the pipe fitting joints. Missing the rear brace for the awning.

It is also covered in lichen so that will be a time killer to scrape it all off. I printed a soft spatula to use to scrape the majority off.

Any ideas on getting the remainder off? They also had some velcro squares fastened on and the manual suggests naptha for the anodized aluminum to get it off. So far it has not worked very well.

She found some luxury vinyl planks on closeout. Enough to replace the floor for $50. Little dark for our tastes, but can't beat the price.

Was an estate sale so it sat next to a corn field for a few years. New tires set us back over a grand for 7 tires.

[Scott Douglas]

Do you know how much it weighs?

[id10t]

My little Ford Ranger has/had a topper on it, the PO painted the insides of the windows with black paint. So... no view out the cab.

Not towing, but just for use in traffic and while backing up, I (well, my son) wired in a sub-$100 camera from Amazon that included 50' of signal cable, camera, monitor and mount.

Well worth adding, cheap too. I'd avoid wireless simply because that adds yet another layer of "stuff not working" and complexity.

[Scott Douglas]

Do you have a front hitch on your truck?

That's what we used once we got the Travelall.
My brother has made front hitches for his trucks and they work well.

[Scott Douglas]

Front hitch is the way to go for parking stuff.

[rfuerst911sc]

Agree 100 % a front hitch makes a huge difference . That 3 axle Avion is a big boy........... congrats.

[flipper35]

Originally Posted by Scott Douglas

Do you know how much it weighs?

6740# dry.

[flipper35]

Don't have a front hitch because prior to this I always used the garden tractor with the tongue caster to park the cargo trailer.

Friend of ours used a front hitch to park his motor cruiser in his pole shed and it worked great, though the alignment shop told him the boat goes in the back. Not sure how serious they were. Not sure I would have room to park easily with a front hitch either.

Thanks for the info on the wired units. Are the wired units powered from the tow vehicle or the trailer?

[greglepore]

Originally Posted by flipper35

Greg, for wired I would assume there is another connection to get the signal into the truck? We plan to put lithium iron phosphate batteries in since there are no batteries now. Maybe a solar battery box to keep them tendered properly.

Eventually she wants some type of solar for aux power if we boondock. Maybe a generator if we need to use A/C.

There is a long RCA cable that runs from the cam to the front of the trailer plus 8 ft or so-it gets looped around the trailer pigtail when parked. When in use, it plugs into a second long RCA that runs from the cab to the video switchbox under the dash. Because both RCA extension cables are male on both ends, I join them with a female/female coupler that stays on the truck end.

For power I bought a marine deep cycle battery at Costco. I have a large solar panel that keeps it topped when parked. I can run a few led lights and the awning without a/c, it also is the breakaway battery and powers an electric over hydraulic jack (man, its hard to crank lift a living quarters horse trailer). I have shore power as well for a/c and hot water, and a small tender on the battery so I don't have to bring the solar panel. Of course, the truck power is connected as well.

Video switchbox (not mine, but identical other than cosmetics) :https://www.amazon.com/Switch-Composite-Selector-BolAAzuL-Switcher/dp/B0CF1JGHL5


Coupler :https://www.amazon.com/VCE-6-Pack-Plated-Female-Coupler

Cable for trailer: https://www.amazon.com/Your-Cable-Store-50-Audio

For truck there are a number of 10-18 ft rca cables on Amazon.


Avions are nice trailers, I think that gen was built by Fleetwood? Airstream quality at lower price.

[MMARSH]

Originally Posted by id10t

My little Ford Ranger has/had a topper on it, the PO painted the insides of the windows with black paint. So... no view out the cab.

Not towing, but just for use in traffic and while backing up, I (well, my son) wired in a sub-$100 camera from Amazon that included 50' of signal cable, camera, monitor and mount.

Well worth adding, cheap too. I'd avoid wireless simply because that adds yet another layer of "stuff not working" and complexity.

I replaced the original wired camera on my motorhome with a newer wireless model. Wired it into the power for the running lights. That was almost ten years ago and it has worked flawlessly. Definitely like being able to see my toad behind the motorhome and great for lane changes when your at about 55-60 feet long.

[flipper35]

Yup, Fleetwood built. Pulls nicely, might be the independent suspension and triple axle.