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I'm going to be adding a slide-in camper to my 2013 Frontier Pro-4X which will require removing the tailgate when the camper is on, meaning I'll lose use of the tailgate's OEM back-up camera when the camper is on. I want to have use of a back-up camera both when the camper is on and when it's off, and I want the back-up camera image to be displayed in my truck's OEM stereo console display unit. I'd rather not have to switch between 2 sets of camera wiring every time I take the camper on and off, and I'd like to have a consistent centered back-up image perspective that I'll be accustomed to, so I'd prefer to have a single camera in full-time use mounted at the top center of the license plate. Two limitations I can think of: the top of the camera must be less than 1 inch above the top of the license plate to provide enough clearance for the tailgate to swing open, and the camera/mount shouldn't obscure the license plate (I've heard of people getting ticketed in certain states for having a camera mount that partially covered the name of the state on the license plate).
So I'm trying to decide whether it makes more sense to (a) remove my truck's OEM camera from the tailgate handle and mount it somehow at the license plate, or (b) install a new after-market license plate mounted camera along with a wiring harness bridge so the after-market camera can be plugged into my truck's OEM stereo console display unit.
I will have a car stereo shop do the job, and they are recommending option (b) as likely being more straightforward and less expensive (due to less labor time) and avoiding a potentially wonky mounting of the OEM camera at the license plate. And they say a reasonably priced after-market camera will provide a higher quality image at night than the OEM camera. A couple car stereo shops have estimated about $200 for option (b) and perhaps $300 or more for option (a).
But before I give up on option (a), I thought I'd ask if anyone here knows of an after-market license place mount that could be quickly & easily adapted to accommodate a 2013 Frontier's OEM camera, and if anyone knows from first-hand experience how much labor time it should take to remove an OEM camera from the tailgate, mount the OEM camera at the top center of the license plate such that it clears the tailgate, and weather-proof the resulting opening in the tailgate handle?
Also, I've heard that the back-up parking lines seen in some OEM stereo console display units come from the display unit rather than from the camera, and that adding an after-market camera with parking lines can result in two different sets of lines appearing in the display. Can anyone confirm whether the back-up parking lines seen in a 2013 Frontier Pro-4X's OEM stereo console display unit come from the display unit or the OEM camera, and if they are from the display unit then is there a way to turn them off?
Thanks
So I'm trying to decide whether it makes more sense to (a) remove my truck's OEM camera from the tailgate handle and mount it somehow at the license plate, or (b) install a new after-market license plate mounted camera along with a wiring harness bridge so the after-market camera can be plugged into my truck's OEM stereo console display unit.
I will have a car stereo shop do the job, and they are recommending option (b) as likely being more straightforward and less expensive (due to less labor time) and avoiding a potentially wonky mounting of the OEM camera at the license plate. And they say a reasonably priced after-market camera will provide a higher quality image at night than the OEM camera. A couple car stereo shops have estimated about $200 for option (b) and perhaps $300 or more for option (a).
But before I give up on option (a), I thought I'd ask if anyone here knows of an after-market license place mount that could be quickly & easily adapted to accommodate a 2013 Frontier's OEM camera, and if anyone knows from first-hand experience how much labor time it should take to remove an OEM camera from the tailgate, mount the OEM camera at the top center of the license plate such that it clears the tailgate, and weather-proof the resulting opening in the tailgate handle?
Also, I've heard that the back-up parking lines seen in some OEM stereo console display units come from the display unit rather than from the camera, and that adding an after-market camera with parking lines can result in two different sets of lines appearing in the display. Can anyone confirm whether the back-up parking lines seen in a 2013 Frontier Pro-4X's OEM stereo console display unit come from the display unit or the OEM camera, and if they are from the display unit then is there a way to turn them off?
Thanks
