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How to raise rear view camera using existing mount?


Matrix Meanderer

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Like many MHs the view from our rear view Camos camera is obscured by the bikes on the rear carrier. The Camos system will only take one camera so my options to get a clear rear view are limited. Changing the mounting position upwards is not an option due to the bodywork construction.

 

Has anyone fitted a vertical extension to the original mounting point?

Would need about a six inch extension possibly made from strip aluminium to clear the top of the bikes.

Any suggestions?

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Assuming there is enough spare cable to allow you to raise the camera, I would suggest using something more rigid than strip aluminium and possible bracing it back to the roof to avoid a shaking picture due to vibration on the move, but I see no reason why it would not work.

By raising the camera you may need to aim it at a tighter angle which might lose you some rearward view but unless you use it as a rear view device that probably will not matter?

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If you can use one piece of sheet aluminium formed to a vertical and horizontal 'L' shape and painted to match the van then fixed top and bottom,hopefully covering the old mounting point, it should not look too bad, after all most motorhomes are hardly a thing of beauty anyway!
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I believe the attached photo shows the rear end of an Adria motorhome like Ian’s, and it’s likely that the current position of his reversing camera will also be similar.

 

There are lots of ways to reposition the camera higher, and it should not be too difficult to obtain a sufficiently rigid mounting and a reasonably inoffensive appearance.

 

I’m doubtful that - if the camera were raised upwards, say, 6 inches - it would be practicable to cover it, nor can I imagine air turbulence being a significant issue provided that the mount were properly designed.

 

Fabricating the mount from aluminium sheet has been suggested as this material is readily available and, if thinnish gauge, can be easily cut and bent. If a single thickness of aluminium sheet were considered too flimsy, the mount could be made from two or more sheets laminated together.

 

I’d probably opt for stainless-steel sheet rather than aluminium, as it would not need protection against corrosion and would be a stronger than aluminium for a given thickness. The downside, of course, would be that it would be harder to cut and bend.

adria.thumb.jpg.75086f3e6f78aa9a41b8cb7c2bda0c73.jpg

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Ian, whatever measurements your extension are do check for cracking over time, remember the Comet Aircraft metal fatigue crash, the part doesn't have to wave about in the wind to start a fracture, use stainless nuts-bolts-screws if possible.

 

PS just seen Derek's notes. the total weight will add stress to the vehicle bodywork so supporting that area will be important (both sides if possible). Have you considered fixing the camera to the bike carrier. A pity you are not residing near Gatwick, soon make one.

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Derek Uzzell - 2018-09-16 4:59 PM

 

I believe the attached photo shows the rear end of an Adria motorhome like Ian’s, and it’s likely that the current position of his reversing camera will also be similar.

 

There are lots of ways to reposition the camera higher, and it should not be too difficult to obtain a sufficiently rigid mounting and a reasonably inoffensive appearance.

 

I’m doubtful that - if the camera were raised upwards, say, 6 inches - it would be practicable to cover it, nor can I imagine air turbulence being a significant issue provided that the mount were properly designed.

 

Fabricating the mount from aluminium sheet has been suggested as this material is readily available and, if thinnish gauge, can be easily cut and bent. If a single thickness of aluminium sheet were considered too flimsy, the mount could be made from two or more sheets laminated together.

 

I’d probably opt for stainless-steel sheet rather than aluminium, as it would not need protection against corrosion and would be a stronger than aluminium for a given thickness. The downside, of course, would be that it would be harder to cut and bend.

Thanks Derek for checking the layout of my MH.

BTW it seems ridiculous to me that Adria should factory fit the camera so close to the bike rack bars knowing full well that owners will fit a rack 8-)

I wanted to relocate the camera to the grey roof rack mounting but this is worse as it's set back and would result in a major blind spot.

Thanks for all the comments. I might still invest in a chassis mounted bike rack to resolve the issue.

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The attached photo is of the rear end of a Rapido 640F motorhome (like mine) that has the factory-fitted reversing camera and a (presumably) retro-fitted bike-rack. There’s little doibt that the rack when empty will interfere to some extent with the camera’s downward view, and it’s 100% certain that this will happen significantly when bikes are on the rack.

 

As you’ve mentioned in your original posting, it’s commonplace (I would have said “inevitable”) that, when a bike-rack is fitted to a motorhome’s rear body-panel, the downwards view of a camera mounted higher up on that panel will be affected badly when bikes are being carried.

 

Rapido does not provide pre-fitted mountings for a bike-rack, but Adria does. Just because Adria provides those mountings does not ‘force’ an owner to fit a rack - I’ve never carried bikes in or on my motorhomes and, if I owned the Adria model you have, I would not have fitted a rack to it.

 

The camera on the Adria is in the right place to obtain a good view down the rear body-panel if no bike-rack is fitted and, given the curved shape of the upper area of the rear panel, just moving the camera higher up the panel won’t be practicable (as you highlighted originally). Me, I’d be pleased that Adria had included bike-rack mountings in their design (even though I would not exploit that feature myself) rather than be critical that, if an owner chooses to fit fit a rack, doing this would conflict with the camera’s view.

 

It should be possible to rig up a camera-mounting framework that extends backwards from your Adria’s roof rack, but it would definitely look odd. If you carry bikes on the rack at all times, you might consider side-stepping the problem by fitting a 2nd camera beneath the rack - perhaps a camera that integrates into the surround of the registration-plate. Assuming that the monitor for your reversing camera system can handle input from two cameras, you could then use the low-level camera when reversing and adjust the high-level camera to provide a rear-view image while driving forwards.

1105631833_rapido640f.jpg.f4d10228d97226a08dc8935a05147fec.jpg

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I drove trucks (mainly non hgv) for a while years ago and we neither had rear view cameras or 'see through' rearwards vision and I, along with thousands of others, managed for years not to hit anything using just door mirrors and being careful.

 

As a different approach to a camera you could consider fitting a sturdy rear bumper (preferably one whose ends can be seen in both mirrors) and or low level reversing sensors (just do not rely solely upon them alone) to protect the bodywork and accept that when reversing in a confined space you may need guidance from others.

 

When giving guidance bear in mind that the driver will only be able to see you if you can see their face in the mirror, and that hand signals need to be exagerated and unambiguous.

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A reversing-camera system is (like a sat-nav) a driver aid and - although it’s possible to spend a lifetime driving large vehicles that have no through-vision without any untoward incident occurring while manoeuvring in reverse, any warning system (camera or sensors) has got to be helpful in guarding against damage or a tragic accident.

 

This video-clip shows an accident that might have been prevented if the car had a reversing warning system and the driver had made use of it.

 

https://www.newsflare.com/video/84549/crime-accidents/woman-reversing-car-runs-over-a-two-year-old-child

 

I’m far from infallible when it comes to driving and some 10 years ago I reversed my wife’s VW Golf hard into a lamp-post while getting out of the way of a caravan outfit that was attempting to negotiate a narrow track. The lamp-post was painted black and barely visible in the car’s rear-view mirror, but the simple truth was that I was distracted and not taking enough care regarding what was behind. If the Golf had had reversing sensors the accident might have been avoided. Considerable damage was caused to the VW’s rear end, but the car was elderly, making ominous noises when starting and corrosion was setting in. We replaced it when the 2009 scrappage scheme was introduced..

 

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