Ingenious rear camera mount for after market bumpers (esp. pelfreybilt)

Anybody interested in a group buy for a fairly brilliant camera mount? My buddy Greg at Rock and Road http://rockandroadperformance.com/ in Loomis, CA came up with this for me when I told him I wanted to swap out one of the license plate lights for the rear camera which became obscured in the factory mount once I got my pelfreybilt bumper with gate to mount my spare. He designed and custom fab'd a mount out of aluminum that fits in the space for the passenger license plate light, so assuming your bumper takes the stock lamp cover, it will take his ingenious design. He has the design saved so he can now batch produce them out of stamped aluminum. Because it requires 2 bends, even if your bumper is a different angle than the 2nd gen pelfreybilt bumpers, with a slight bend one way or the other you should be able to get the mount dialed in just right. See attached pictures. I forgot to take one of the actual camera in my rear-view, but it is an even better outcome than I hoped for. I see just the very bottom of the spare (which I want to see so I will know if it might hit something), and a sliver of the passenger side of the bumper. Great spot to still be able line a hitch up.

If enough people are interested I'm sure he would be willing to produce a batch. And for those of you in NorCal, if you need any custom metal fab (esp bumpers) or heavy duty custom shock work he is the best in the business! He also made some wicked sliders for me (third picture).

~TacoWoods

 

Why would moving it to the bumper where it could easily be damaged in a minor rear end accident better?

 

If you have a swing away tire carrier like his the rear view camera is blocked

 

I understand that, but why not relocate the camera higher up so it lessens it getting damaged in a rear end crash/minor bump. Maybe inside the tire?

 

Design your own if you don't like it?

 

How much do those things go for anyways? Maybe $80/$90? Doesn't seem like something I'd be all that concerned about.

 

If your rear bumper is getting hit hard enough for that area to be a concern, you've got bigger issues on your plate.

 

Interested. Any idea on cost?

 

Very cool solution, OP. I don't have an aftermarket bumper, yet, or a rearview camera, but I can definitely see it's usefulness. The fill plate traction holes on those sliders are unique, too; I like.

 

just relocated mine to the swing out, half the view is blocked. This is a clutch idea!

 

Cool idea OP. Not sure about $80 though. And you do know there are 2 styles of cameras? 12-15 and 09-11. Pelfrey sells a pair or brackets for $25 FYI.

You can see my camera, higher up like others suggested, on my swingout here

 

I'm interested but I should specify I have an 08 which didn't come with camera (and assume no pre-wiring) but always wanted one backup camera and have aftermarket Kenwood stereo (double din display) and eventually plan to get the pelfreybilt rear bumper with spare tire and jerry can carrier. Would I be able to get a camera from same size & style?

All the ones I've found on ebay, Amazon and others are for rearview mirror or a completely separate display. Would be interested in this mod if can get same style small camera that I could mount in bumper same way. Any help is appreciated. Thanks

 

@Tcomaboy I've attached another pic for you, and @Pikles808 and @EatSleepTacos are both absolutely correct. Spare tire blocks factory location. While I do have a prinsu coming from @zscott any day now, to get above the spare I would have to mount it all the way up there, which is obviously not a viable solution at all. The second best option i have seen is the pelfreybilt mount as demonstrated by @fatfurious2 - I actually ordered that but wasn't too stoked on it. The mount was pretty exposed and you had to zip tie the wires to the gate. I have the fold down bench on the back of my gate, and I could see myself hitting the back of the camera where the harness clips in and damaging the connection. This is a much cleaner and more protected location. Mounting the camera in the spare itself would prevent you from seeing the bumper and if you actually had to use your spare tire you would have to remove the camera. As for where it is mounted now, if I'm ever in a collision that damages the camera in the recessed part of the metal bumper, I will have much bigger problems on my hand, esp. if that rotopax if full of fuel at the time.

@stickyTaco and @fatfurious2 I have reached out to Greg at Rock and Road and will see if he has numbers for what price point and how large a batch it makes business sense to him. I doubt he would charge $80; I'm guessing it would be closer to $40, maybe at most $50. Bare aluminum you can paint yourself. And he could probably update his design to have a cutout for the 12-15 cameras too.

@Tonka08 I can't help you with the camera system itself. Maybe you can find an old tacoma in a junkyard where you could get a full camera system on the cheap.

I've also attached a picture of what the field of view looks like in the video screen in my rear view mirror.

 

@Fitz235 @Pirhett @stickyTaco Greg at Rock and Road already got back to me. He says he could do each one for $20 (which should include shipping since it is such a small piece), but would probably want at least 10 orders on the first round. Such a solid guy. Isn't even really interested in making much money on it. Just loves what he does, and does it very, very well.

 

I'd be in for one if he can come up with something for my 2012...no big rush since my bumper isn't going on until later this summer.

Did you use your existing camera and if so how'd you fill the hole in the tailgate handle? Is it possible to get a pic with the receiver installed (or just confirm that you can see the ball in the camera)?

 

@stickyTaco He says he will be able to make the 2012 ones too. Because I have the other mount that came with my bumper he can use that as a template.

You will definitely be able to see the ball on your receiver with the camera in this location. It will depend what your receiver is like where exactly it is in the image on the camera - but you shouldn't have any problem seeing it. That was one of the most important things when I concocted this plan. The factory mount position is covered by the piece of plastic adjacent to the tailgate handle. So you don't even notice it is missing once you move it.

I will get a group buy list going!

PM me if you want to be added - need to know if '08-11 or '12-15.

 

Rear Camera Mount Group Buy:

1. @stickyTaco ('12-15)
2. @henryp ('08-11)
3. @rob1208 ('12-15)
4. @JMPNFSH ('12-15)
5. @Spixelz ('12-15)
6. @gainman ('12-15)
7. @thebaker ('08-11)
8. ?? @Pirhett ('12-15) <but two too many holes in bumper already>
9. ?? @Bruce988jl ('08-11) <but on stock bumper>

 

I'm in for a '09 model!

 

@TacoWoods, I'll be running a high clearance bumper with a fairly large drop on the receiver (9" or so).

 

How are u veiwing it in ur side mirror?