Converting a Non-Camera Tailgate to a Camera Tailgate

Has anyone here done such a thing? I know it sounds odd but the camera ones have three additional holes on the bottom. One for the wiring harness and two for clips to hold the harness away from being crushed.

I should have this completed by tomorrow so I will post the AFTER pic. For now, here are the BEFORE pic.

 

They make a kit for this with the new handle. They can even come with a locking handle.

Kit
https://camera-source.com/toyota-tacoma-backup-camera-for-aftermarket-monitors.html

YouTube video
https://youtu.be/hBk7dfWCgR0

 

I used a Pop and Lock locking tailgate handle with the camera option on my '05 then put the Pioneer camera in it- pretty straightforward.

 

Good stuff. Not sure if I understand though.

My truck came with a camera and I was a beta tester for Pop-N-Lock for the one that splices into the door licks so that when the car locks, so does the tailgate.

I have to recreate the openings on the bottom of the tailgate so that I can pass the harness up into the tailgate. The OE camera has a good sized connector that connects to the OE camera.

I guess if I wanted to make a shortcut, I could just drill a hole, cut or unpin the connector, use a grommet to protect the pass through and the repin or splice the wires back to the camera connector.

 

Oops I didn’t watch the video. Watching now Thanks! Is this your video?

Edit: I see around 2:00 passing the wire through drain hole. I will check but I think, I will still recreate the OE hole so I don’t have to mess with the OE camera connector.

Thanks

 

Take a look at this thread from MJonAgs32. I used this with other threads for the wiring and adding my oem camera.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/diy-oem-tailgate-camera-in-pre-09-taco-lots-of-pics.153585/

 

Yep. Spot on. I guess my “new” tailgate came from a pre 2009. Thanks

 

No, it's not mine. Found it when looking to add a back up camera to my 2006. Still have yet to do it though.

 

I think you're overthinking this, just put the wire in some sort of loom and run it through one of the drain holes (the drain holes were plenty large enough for the plug on the Pioneer camera). I installed mine several years ago and it's been fine, it doesn't pinch the wire or anything. Just use some wire ties/zip ties to help hold the wire loom where you want it so that you don't get a big loop of wire hanging out and call it good.

 

LOL - Probably the best answer here!!!

 

Probably not necessary as this has already been done on this board.

 

Anyone can provide sizes and exact location of the holes?

 

I just drilled a hole on the far left side of the tailgate and you don't need any other holes.