Back up camera

[Npdchief07]

I just bought a new travel trailer and have pick up Wednesday. They offered a back up camera installed for 649.00. Is it helpful to have one?

[tdiller]

Npdchief07 wrote:
I just bought a new travel trailer and have pick up Wednesday. They offered a back up camera installed for 649.00. Is it helpful to have one?

Depends on the brand. My trailer came with a furrion plate on the back. The furrion model comes with a smallish 3 or 5 inch monitor. I opted for a system from Tadi brothers with a seven inch monitor and a longer (stronger) wireless connection. Just got back from a 2,000 mile trip and I would not be without an observation camera ever again on a trailer. More so for looking for what may be behind you when you go to change lanes.

[jfkmk]

I had one installed on my new camper. Surprisingly it was the same price as on Amazon and they installed it. I find it pretty useful for seeing my spotter as I back up as well as I keep it on while traveling.

650 sounds a bit high though.

[SoundGuy]

Npdchief07 wrote:
I just bought a new travel trailer and have pick up Wednesday. They offered a back up camera installed for 649.00. Is it helpful to have one?

What would be helpful is if you told us just which trailer you're buying and what the make / model of camera is, the reason being that some trailer manufacturers are now delivering some of their trailer models already prewired for specific camera systems, Furrion being one of them. Whether the trailer is prewired or not obviously then has a bearing on whether the cost is reasonable for the benefit of being able to see behind the trailer.

[2edgesword]

If your trailer is back-up camera ready (on the back of the trailer there will be a mounting bracket and the trailer is pre-wired to power the camera) then the $649 is about $300 higher then the cost on Amazon. If it's back-up camera ready the installation is very easy.

If they have to install a mounting bracket and tap into the trailer wiring to make the trailer camera ready, and you don't want to mess with cutting into your new trailer to do this yourself, then the $649 seems reasonable IMHO.

[Bumpyroad]

what is the size? the one on my highlander is too small. one on tacoma is great. there are not for RV towing however. price is too high, should be easy to run wiring external to the TT bottom.

bumpy

[johntinacamping]

Is it helpful to have one? Yes. Is $649 a ripoff? Yes again. I installed one on my travel trailer for $50. Take a look at this video for the install I did, but mine is permanently attached to the outside rear of the camper, at the crest of the roof: DIY Travel Trailer Rear View Camera

[bgum]

CampingWorld has them on sale now for 350. Made by Voyager which is one of the best. Easy to install just tap into running lights on back. Screen plugs into 12 in tow v. You can do a lot of installing for 300 + tax.

[DutchmenSport]

Is it a wireless system or is it a wired system? If wireless, what is the distance from the rear of the trailer to the dashboard of the tow vehicle. Unless technology has improved, one reason wireless back-up cameras never worked well for travel trailers is because the signal distance is not far enough to reach end of trailer to tow vehicle dash. That's why I never got a system, and hard wiring was something I never wanted to deal with. Find that answer first and then consider what your are spending your money on.

As far as being helpful? Absolutely! Anything to help view behind is a help!