Auto Backup Camera: How To Install A Backup Camera On Your Car, Truck, SUV, Or RV

Do It Yourself (DIY) Wireless Backup Camera Installation

Interested in a wireless rear view backup camera for your auto? It is very easy to do it yourself.

A backup camera on whatever type of vehicle (car, truck, SUV, motorhome, van, anything!) you are driving will help you see what you cannot see with your rear view mirrors. A backup camera can help you avoid hitting another vehicle, running over a pet, or running over a child while in reverse.

Installing the VR3 Wireless Backup Camera is very easy and can be installed on almost any vehicle. The camera does need to connect to the electrical harness for power, but the connection between camera and the monitor, which can sit on your dash, is wireless so you don't need to worry about running a cable to connect the two.

An Overview Of Installing Your Own VR3 Wireless Backup Camera System

Before you start, before you even purchase a VR3 Wireless Backup Camera, you should take a look at your vehicle, and make sure you have a way to get the camera's power cable from the license plate area to the wires that power the backup lights.

The camera is designed to mount on the license plate, and should get it's power from the same wires on the wire harness that power the backup lights, so the camera is only transmitting when the backup lights are on.

It is very important to be sure you can do this before buying a backup camera kit. The first vehicle I tried to do this on was a pickup truck with a cap on the truck bed. I had bought the camera first, then realized that to get to the backup lights, I needed to remove the cap. Now I don't think too highly of putting a cap on a truck bed because I also noticed that to just change a bulb in one of the tail light assemblies, I would need to remove the cap. Maybe it was just the particular truck/cap combination I was working with, but it'll certainly be something to think about if I ever get another truck.

VR3 Wireless Rear View Backup Camera Box

Materials You'll Need To Install Your Own VR3 Wireless Backup Camera System

All your materials should be included in the VR3 Wireless Backup Camera Kit, you'll just need a pair of pliers and whatever you need to remove the license plate and tail light assembly. You'll need a drill if you need to make your own hole for the power cable, and you might need some electrical tape if you don't want to use the solderless terminals in the kit, or just want to play it safe, and wrap your splices in tape when you are finished connecting to the power.

VR3 wireless Backup Camera In Box

Installing Your Own VR3 Wireless Backup Camera System Step 1:

The first thing I did was to make sure I had a hole near the license plate and a path from there to my tail light assembly.

Luckily the car I decided to install the backup camera on had a hole just behind the license plate light holder, it doesn't lead to the inside of the trunk, but to a space between the bumper and trunk.

I was able to undo one of the tail light assemblies, and let it hang out over the bumper. Then fished the camera's power cable to the light assembly's hole in the car's chassis.

Above Licence Plate

Behind My Tail Light

The Back Of My Tail Light Assembly

Wire Behind The Bumper

Snaking The Cable Up From Behind The Bumper

Installing Your Own VR3 Wireless Backup Camera System Step 2:

Identify the positive and negative leads, the black should be the negative. Then just use the supplied connectors to connect to the proper leads. There are instructions in the kit that explain how to safely test and identify the positive and negative leads.

I would wait until I was sure the camera was working before putting the tail light assembly back in place. If you are going to wrap the connections with tape, I would also wait on that and do it just before finishing with the tail light assembly.

Easy Splicing Crimp

Installing Your Own VR3 Wireless Backup Camera System Step 3:

If you didn't secure the camera in the first step, this is where you want to make sure you do it. You can mount the camera at the top or the bottom. I mounted mine at the bottom because my plate didn't already have screws in the bottom holes, so I used two of the extra screws included in the VR3 Wireless Backup Camera Kit.

The kit includes several different bits of hardware to help mount the camera. There's some shims to help aim the camera, but I understand that the new camera have a tilt adjustment.

Mounting to the bottom seemed to make more sense to me because the top of the plate is set back further into the bumper, so it looked like I'd get less chance of the bumper being in part of my view by having the camera at the bottom.

VR3 Camera On License Plate

Installing Your Own VR3 Wireless Backup Camera System Step 4:

Now to put the monitor on the dash. I took the easiest way out. I selected my spot, put the velcro mounting tape in place on the dash, and on the base of the monitor holder.

The monitor can be removed from the holder so you can take it with you when you leave the car. I already had a 12 volt adapter splitting my cigarette lighter into three positions with an open spot, so I just used the 12 volt adapter that came with the monitor.

The kit comes with a power cable that can be connected in the fuse panel. I could have connected it that way, but decided not to.

VR3 Wireless Full Color LCD Monitor On The Dash

Testing Your Own VR3 Wireless Rear View Backup Camera System!

Now you can test your backup camera. If you connected to the correct wires in the wiring harness, then the camera should only be on when the vehicle is in reverse. The display is color LCD with adjustments to deal with lack of light and too much light or glare.

Once you know the camera is working properly, wrap your connections with electrical tape if you had planned to wrap them, if not, maybe you should consider doing it, it'll help keep the weather out of your wire splices. Then put your tail light assembly back into place.

Make sure you use the enclosed zip ties to secure your camera's power cable. Don't leave any slack, you don't want any extra wire to get caught on something. You also don't want it to touch anything it shouldn't, like the exhaust pipe, which could damage it.

Make sure you have someone help you test the lights, unless you can mount a mirror behind you to watch them. It's very easy to do damage to any of the lights when you are handling the light assembly. It's also easy to accidentally disconnect of the wires that have poor connections, when you are handling the harness or light assembly.

When the camera is working, the lights are back in place and working correctly, then it's time to practice using the camera. If you've never used a backup camera before, you'll have to train yourself to look at the monitor while backing up. You'll also have to learn to judge distances with the camera.

Tie Up The Extra Wire

Tie Up That Loose Wire Hanging From Behind The Bumper!

Installing A Roadmaster/VR3 Backup Camera

Illustrated in a YouTube video

Roadmaster VR3 Wireless Backup Camera

You can equip any car with a rear view color camera and a monitor on your dash to extend what you can see through your rear view mirrors. This is a low cost way to see what's behind your car.

powered by YouTube

"What's In The Box?" - VR3 VRBCS300W Wireless Back-Up Camera w/ 2.5" LCD Monitor

By Roadmaster

VR3 VRBCS300W Wireless Back-Up Camera with 2.5" LCD Monitor

Amazon Price: $80.60 (as of 07/05/2009)
List Price: $99.99

"2.5 Inch Screen" Color LCD
- 4 Button Wireless Backup Camera
- 2.5" Color LCD Screen
- Complete with all accessories, Nothing else to buy
- Wide Angle Viewing
- Monitor Mounts on Dash, Vent or Visor
- For Use With 12 Volt DC Electrical Systems
- Cigarette lighter power adapter
- Great for Cars, Trucks, SUVs, RVs & Delivery Vehicles!
- Helps Avoid Accidents & Injuries!
(2.4 GHZ Wireless)

Avg. Customer Rating:

Usually ships in 24 hours

VR3 Wireless Back-up Camera System with 3.5" Color LCD Monitor

Amazon Price: $97.33 (as of 07/05/2009)
List Price: $149.99

- 4 Button Wireless Backup Camera
- 3.5" Color LCD Screen
- Complete with all accessories, Nothing else to buy
- Wide Angle Viewing
- Monitor Mounts on Dash, Vent or Visor
- For Use With 12 Volt DC Electrical Systems
- Cigarette lighter power adapter
- Great for Cars, SUVs, RVs & Delivery Vehicles!
- Helps Avoid Accidents & Injuries!
(2.4 GHZ Wireless)

Avg. Customer Rating:

Usually ships in 24 hours

Added Safety - VR3 VRPS100 Bumper Guard Parking Sensor

By Roadmaster

VR3 VRPS100 Bumper Guard Parking Sensor

Amazon Price: $39.99 (as of 07/05/2009)
List Price: $29.99

Improves parking safety
Easy to install and concealed
Peel and stick foil tape sensor for vehicles with non-metal bumpers
High output Piezo buzzer alerts with a beeping sound
Indicates object distance with different beeping frequencies

Usually ships in 24 hours

Great VR3 Deals on eBay

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Enjoy This Lens On Installing Your Own Auto Backup Camera?

Comments? What Do You Think About Do It Yourself Wireless Backup Camera Installation?

Lensmaster

MyCar wrote...

These should be compulsory on vehicles. You've made a really useful lens on how to install a backup camera and I thought the images were great.

Posted June 23, 2009

Lensmaster

chefkeem wrote...

Very useful info and nicely designed lens, Dan. Blessed! :-)

Posted June 09, 2009

Lensmaster

ByRoy wrote...

Great informative lens, every car should be fitted with one of these! 5*'s from me.

Posted May 26, 2009

Lensmaster

Laniann wrote...

Good job of explaining how to do this, you make it so simple that anyone could do this themselves. Your pictures are excellent. 5*s

Posted May 20, 2009

Lensmaster

spirituality wrote...

Great lens - you've been blessed by a squidoo angel :)

Posted May 01, 2009

Lensmaster

a_willow wrote...

Wow! You did excellent job with this tutorial! Blessing for this useful lens!

Posted April 10, 2009

Lensmaster

Tipi wrote...

I would love one of these! - This is something that could and would save lives.
A superb lens my dear! :-) - Susie

Posted March 14, 2009

Lensmaster

julcal wrote...

That is so great! 5*

Posted March 02, 2009

Lensmaster

lakeerieartists wrote...

I could use one of those when my car is loaded with stuff for my shows. Can't see out of the windows.

Posted December 12, 2008

Lensmaster

spirituality wrote...

What a good idea. I recently hit another car, driving in reverse, going ever so slowly and thinking I had space enough. No people hurt, but a lot of paper work ensued.

Posted October 23, 2008

Lensmaster

mulberry wrote...

Excellent job of demonstrating this. Thanks for featuring a couple of my lenses too! Unfortunately, I really need one of these backup cameras. In 33 years of driving all of my "accidents" were in reverse when I was being careful. :(

Posted October 10, 2008

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