Rear view cameras for 5th wheel

[Bob&Jan]

Montana high country 331RL. It appears to have a pre installed access point for a camera on the rear just under the light in the center. Is this correct?

What is the best rear view camera?

[chuckster57]

Most common is the Furrion mount. There are a couple options, as in view and ability to add side view cameras.

I don’t have one, but I have installed a LOT of Furrion and have had extremely few failures or complaints. It is wireless and the camera is powered from the clearance light, or directly to the battery, seems to be a roll of the dice which way the factory did it.

[sourdough]

I have the same trailer and had the same thoughts. Ordered and received a HaloView (?) unit for the trailer. When I received it I decided to return it after looking at it. It has a very nice monitor but it is so large I just couldn't see trying to put that in the cab of my truck. It was considerably cheaper than the Furrion units and had good reviews. I also ordered a mount specific for the pre installed Furrion mount on the back. I've backed trailers all my life so figured I would do without until it proved to be a problem. If I had something being towed behind my 5th wheel I would have kept it.

[+Ruff Rider]

I normally have the wife spot for me. She tells me if I am going to hit something. If you don't have a wife i hear a camera may make a nice substitute. LOL I always get out and look just to make sure what my next move might be.

[chuckster57]

DW’s job while I’m backing in is to stay out my mirror view and put the cat in his carrier. I have no issues getting out a couple of times as I’ve been doing it that way for years. If I was towing something behind the fiver a camera may be a good idea.

[Bob&Jan]

Thanks to all of y’all who replied

[Silver_]

Mine is configured for the Furrion cameras as well. It would be nice to have, especially backing my 39 footer into the narrow covered storage spot right next to a pole from 90 degree by myself, but, dang, they are pricey for what they are. The cameras and monitors are pretty low end and the wireless transmission tech is readilly available. The ONLY reason I can see that they charge so much is because the trailers are already set up for them and they think people will just go ahead and pay it.

I just have a hard time justifying $400+ ($800+ for the kit that includes the side cameras) for a camera system that cost a fraction of that cost to make.

Mirrors, spotter, and GOAL will work for me for now.

[LewisB]

Our 39' Raptor came with the bluetooth camera included - I think it is a Furrion. For years, the DW has always spotted for me; we use small hand-held Midland radios. The camera is ok - but it hasn't changed the way we do things because I don't trust the camera. Sometimes it stops responding (freeze frame) and sometimes just goes black. When backing, I can't count on it to always work.

I thought it might be nice on the road sort of as a "rearview mirror" behind the trailer. But it tends to be choppy and cut-out regularly there as well - it's like right on the edge of communications range and regularly loses comms and has to reconnect - this either freezes the frame or goes black.

Would I spend $400 to replace it - No, probably not. When it works, it is nice to have, but I can't count on it to work when I really might need it. If I was buying one, I would focus on communications quality over other things. I'd rather have a lower resolution camera that always works as opposed to a high resolution camera that only works part time. I'd probably consider hard wiring as opposed to over-the-air camera communications.

Just sayin'...

[Camp CA]

Originally Posted by Bob&Jan

Montana high country 331RL. It appears to have a pre installed access point for a camera on the rear just under the light in the center. Is this correct? What is the best rear view camera?

Location under the red lights is correct as shown 12 minutes into the youtube video below. At that location, you can rotate it up for an extended view behind the trailer. I also have camera but they do not provide any significant benefit over the truck's side view mirrors, partly since the monitor cannot continuously show split screens with all the cameras.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jF203S3L4zs

Ditto Furrion, as others have said.

[AbHDToyHauler]

I bought my camera from Costco (made by (rearview system)RV Systems) and it was wireless. Worked ok when parked or moving very slow but image disappeared at highway speeds. I finally figured out that this was because it sent only the changed part of the image to save bandwidth and at highway speed the lines flying by etc was too much for the computer to handle. I returned it (that's why I love Costco ) and bought the wired version. It was not easy to do but if you are handy it's a great setup. I ran wiring under RV to front and put the included Jack there. Then I ran the vehicle cable under my truck and put the included jack into box beside my fifth wheel hookup. They supply a curly connection cord to connect trailer camera to truck. I have cable in bottom of my console bring connector to monitor out when required and made a nice little stand that sits in my console and also holds my Garmin RV Gps so it's all easy to see, and remove and store when not in use. I like to know what's coming up behind me so I can plan my moves. Side mirrors only see so much. Sorry for long explanation.

[Steve's 70-5]

Got a Haloview. It’s got a large screen, I sit it on the console between the seats. Use the camera more for driving than backing up. It nice to look and see what traffic is coming up from behind and when changing lanes. The camera does have a microphone in it. Can hear some one talking behind the camper.

[Northofu1]

I have the rearview safety hardwired also. Pig tail crapped out on me in a trip down east, called them and when I got home I had box full of cables waiting for me.
New truck and 5th wheel and just reinstalled it. Truck wasn't bad. Inside drivers side fuse panel on GMC they have a switched power spade for add ons. Plugged it in, pick a ground screw and ran power to dash. I use a steel plate on back of montitor and a heavy duty magnet stuck on top of stereo.
Found a grommet/plug under rear seat, drivers side, to run connector to bumper
Running cable down rv is a little more time consuming but not hard. I used wire loom.

[AbHDToyHauler]

Yes. Wasn't bad on my GMC either. I found a connector under center console right where I wanted to be and there was and accessory wire there so tapped of that with separate fuse. Nice tidy install and works great. One other thing I did was buy that split wire protection tubing and used it under truck and the trailer. Just followed the wiring that was already there. I did have to fish wires up inside the trailer (i came up from bottom) but I was good with that. So far after 2 years all good.

[JRTJH]

I have a "Rear View Safety" hard wired system. It's 12 years old, been installed on 3 different trucks and on two different fifth wheels. NEVER A MINUTE'S PROBLEM and works as good today as it did the first day I installed it. As for installation, it's no more difficult to "run a wire for a repeater" than it is to "run a wire for a camera".

So, as for installation difficulty, I'd rate both equal.
As for reliability, I'd rate the hard wired system the winner by a mile.
As for longevity, 12 years and still working like day one: That speaks for itself.

My recommendation: Don't waste your time, effort and money on a "second rate system" that works sometimes, doesn't work when you need it most and can "freeze" making you think you're safe as you ram into that tree that's still 20' away on the monitor and still not getting closer.....

[Chief Mole]

We use the furrion system as the fifth wheel was pre-configured for it. The only problem has been the operator forgetting to raise the monitor antenna prior to moving the rig. So I took me aside and held corrective training.

[Ironhawg]

We have the 331rl too. We've got a Furrion camera. It's useful for backing as it gives me a good view of my spotter. We also use it going down the highway for the co-driver to spot vehicles behind the trailer.

[RoadToad]

We have had great success with wireless Ip cameras subscribed to our cell phone hotspot.
Had 4 cameras on last 5th whl. One on bottom at front looking forward at truck tires, one on bottom at front looking rearward at trailer tires, one on bottom at rear looking rearward at boat trailer tires, and one high on the back looking at traffic behind us.
All run in a 4 way split screen with CamHi camera app on android phone screen.
My phone for Google maps, DW phone for Cameras.

[Ccrew]

I have the 7” Furrion Vision S system. Rear and side cameras. Works fine, no drama. Use it more driving than I do parking. If I had it to do over again I’d probably skip the sides as I don’t find them of much value. One thing not mentioned here is the Vision system also has night vision, it most certainly can see in the dark.

[Snoking]

Our 39'+ 5th wheel came with the mount and I bought the Furrion Observation model. It was hard wired from a 12V sconce light next to rear window. I installed a second switch on the light to be able to turn off the camera when parked. We parked the 5th as a summer home and purchased a Laredo 225MK and it had the same mount powered from clearance lights, so I move the camera to the new trailer. Driving on the road it is distracting having the camera on. I never had range issues I can drive 600 foot of so away from the trailer and still have signal. Chris

[Upland111]

I’ve installed a RVS on our 44’ Fuzion. Hardwired and works like a charm. I have to back in my storage and with this camera, a strip down the center of the barn and a rod off the back/center of the trailer I can put it in a he middle of the barn without spousal conflict. Lower price and no signal failure. Took me a couple of days to install completely. Powered from truck so don’t have to run trailer lights.