is a backup camera actually useful?

SactoSteve · 01-09-2023, 10:23 PM

I am pondering the utility of a backup camera. Posting specifically to the travel trailer section for responses unique to "our" backing situations. I don't think I particularly care about seeing behind the trailer while in transit?

I can see where knowing how closely you are approaching an obstacle behind you, during backing, would be useful, but is it also helpful when starting the maneuver of backing into a "spot"? Also, I can't imagine it would be of any use on the "blind side" during backing and a spotter would probably still be necessary. and I'm sure there are many things I'm not currently thinking of.

Looking for opinions and recommendations regarding the value of using a backup camera from folks with experience.

Thanks,
- steve

Marine359 · 01-10-2023, 07:35 AM

I don’t use a backup camera to back up. Just use it as a rear view camera while driving. It’s too hard and dangerous to use it for backing into a space. For that, I use a spotter.

Bigbird65 · 01-10-2023, 07:41 AM

Good morning, Steve. I am a strong advocate for using a rearview camera system when pulling a travel trailer, not so much when backing into a spot. My wife really is good at helping with that operation.
It acts as a very good rearview mirror, much better than using mirror extensions on the side mirrors. When passing a semi, I always know that when I can see the whole front end of his truck that it is safe to signal and pull back in front of him.
I do recommend the Haloview MC7108 system. No dropouts or interference.

Oconomowoc · 01-10-2023, 08:43 AM

I had one, got rid of it. I was beginning to get so much crap to look at while driving that it was getting comical (my wife thought) TPM, dash cam, rear cam, gps, dashboard gages. i got rid of the rear camera monitor to make room for my wife's magazines and snacks. When I back into my camping spot, i call my wife on her phone to spot me, and listen to her chat away with the campsite next to us. Nobody said it would be easy

**Eagle5** · 01-10-2023, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oconomowoc

I had one, got rid of it. I was beginning to get so much crap to look at while driving that it was getting comical (my wife thought) TPM, dash cam, rear cam, gps, dashboard gages. i got rid of the rear camera monitor to make room for my wife's magazines and snacks. When I back into my camping spot, i call my wife on her phone to spot me, and listen to her chat away with the campsite next to us. Nobody said it would be easy

Greetings Oconomowoc,
Spoken with great words of wisdom! I can see you will have much to add to these Threads.
Welcome to the forum.
Eagle5

Fred 2106DS · 01-10-2023, 09:48 AM

Steve, I use my backup camera the same as both Jim and Ken describe. My monitor clips over my rearview mirror so no additional space used on dash or console. I also use my camera for backing up along with a spotter (my wife). My monitor has superimposed vertical lines that can be adjusted both in/out, left/right and convergence so I know exactly where my camper is heading when backing up. I also have four horizontal lines to give me accurate distances when backing up. Each line represents 2 1/2'.

It also comes in handy for watching my spotter when checking that all the rear lights are working as they should before travel. My spotter will give me two thumbs up if brake lights are okay and left or right thumbs up for turn signals.

dkoldman · 01-10-2023, 10:23 AM

As a rule, if I am trailer anything, I never backup. So I do not need the camera to backup. However when driving & trailering, I like seeing the trailer is back there and ok. My camera is integrated with the Pioneer so I can easily switch it off to show something else if I wanted to.

But 90% of the time I am not trailering and I use the backup camera all the time and I am almost surprised to ashamed to say it is for backing up. Not sure why folks don't use to backup or see behind them? I would go crazy without. The backup camera is a must have for me. Besides, it stresses my wife to get out and give me directions. I use the side mirrors and rear camera to get in position I want, get out, eyeball and finish the maneuver.

I will be honest, very surprised to learn that folks that trailer a lot don't think of backup camera as value

SactoSteve · 01-10-2023, 10:27 AM

Thanks for these money saving responses.

-steve

Bigbird65 · 01-10-2023, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SactoSteve

Thanks for these money saving responses.

-steve

Does that mean that you have decided that you don't want one after most of the responses see good value in a rearview/backup camera?

SactoSteve · 01-10-2023, 11:16 AM

Still pondering. Comments, including the utility as rear view in transit, are inline with what I expected. Mostly curious if I was missing something underestimating the usefulness in backing.
We’ll probably get one but not high on the list right now.
- steve

Gunny Rio · 01-10-2023, 06:57 PM

Before we purchased our 1708FB… In 2021 we were returning home to Colorado from PA pulling our Chalet A-Frame Hardside Popup. I installed a full time rear view camera on that trailer to act as a rear view mirror in addition to the extended towing mirrors I put on the Tacoma.
Traffic was moderately heavy on I-70 at Boonville MO. I was in the right lane when I looked at the monitor and saw some mah-roon thinking they were on a Formula-1 track weaving in and out of traffic at a ridiculous speed. Only took a few seconds for them to come into the right lane and miss judge the closing speed. They slammed into the back of our camper so hard it buckled the left frame rail of the trailer and resulted in the axle being out of perpendicularity. That misalignment threw the trailer and truck into a very violent swaying skid. Took everything I had to try and counter steer out of it, not hit anyone else, and not ending up inverted on I-70.
Luckily everyone walked away w/o a scratch. The Chalet swayed so hard it was ripped from the truck, flipped over and disintegrated.
I swear that that camera gave me a split second warning to what was about to happen. I feel it saved our lives that day. I know some folks will think a rear view camera is just another cool gadget, but I swear to having one. It was the first add-on to our new 1708FB.

Bigbird65 · 01-10-2023, 07:08 PM

Gunny, I am so happy that no one was injured. The trailer can be replaced. I am with you on how important a rearview camera is and your experience really proved that. I will never go on a camping trip without one.

Morich · 01-10-2023, 07:27 PM

I like cameras and see value but there are always downsides, it seems.
One of those is that it can be a fight to keep from trusting handy items too much. We can feel safe and miss the small points!
One of those is the way we can feel we are looking and miss something small like a grill. When we are looking directly behind the trailer and seeing it clear, we can get into wanting the trailer to move but forgetting the tow vehicle has to often go out of line from where the trailer moved.
When the tow vehicle takes a different route, it can be easy to run over low lying things like grills or sudden drops in the pavement. They can jump up and bite the fenders!

I've proved that spotters can miss some of them but they do work better than cameras for moving and looking at all sides of both trailer and tow vehicle!
Don't let your spotter get so involved in seeing where the trailer is going and forget the things you can't see when they are right outside the passenger door.

SactoSteve · 01-10-2023, 07:55 PM

Wow!
Glad no one injured, or worse.
I believe I mighta hung up the keys after something like that.

All the best,
- steve

Scotty B · 01-11-2023, 09:02 AM

I loved the fact that I could not see what people were doing directly behind me when we pulled our trailer. It was a gift not having to deal with the stress of any road rage directly behind me. What would I have done differently if I could see it?

Bigbird65 · 01-14-2023, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scotty B

I loved the fact that I could not see what people were doing directly behind me when we pulled our trailer. It was a gift not having to deal with the stress of any road rage directly behind me. What would I have done differently if I could see it?

I really don't know what you are talking about. After pulling two different travel trailers over many thousands of miles, most using a rearview camera, I have never seen a case of road rage. I really like to know what is going on behind me. Safety is of prime importance to me.

Bughawk · 01-15-2023, 04:38 PM

I have a backup camera but I rarely use it. I found it distracting when driving and not all that helpful when backing into a campsite or my driveway. I find using my side mirrors a better way to guide the trailer. I also take a few orange traffic cones with me and I put them out when I am backing up the trailer where I can see them from my side view mirrors. The cones are easy to see and help me stay away of things I don’t want to hit.

The one thing about a back up camera is the direction the camera is directed. Mine looks down directly behind the camper. It is good to see what is on the ground but it misses anything that might be on either side of the camper or hanging branches, or other overhead hazards.

The cameras can be useful but honestly if you have a good spotter helping you back into a campsite that usually works well.

Safe journeys.

MadMaxWinny · 01-15-2023, 04:59 PM

I like mine so well (as a rear view mirror), that I put a splitter on it for a second screen so that I can leave the main screen on the map. Heading up a straight mountain pass, I always know how many cars are stacking up behind me before I pull over. I also agree with the confirmation that you know when it is safe to pull in front of a passed vehicle.

Also: the cameras mounted near the roof are not optimal. When I replaced mine, I mounted it right above the bumper.

dkoldman · 01-15-2023, 05:35 PM

Disclaimer: I don't pull travel trailers.

I am starting to get confused about the point of the thread? Is it to say that if your travel trailers comes with a backup camera, do you have value using it or to say, that you actually don't want it so much so that you wish to uninstall?

Also, is it safe to assume that when pulling a travel trailer, you always have a spotter? and if so; that the spotter is trustworthy?

I can put a 24' foot boat on a trailer anywhere I like on a dime using only side rear view mirrors, no back up camera.

But in my RV motorhome, technically, I have 3 rear cameras, 2 on the sides, and one on the rear, I would never buy an RV without those cameras. I only use them to my convenience. I can't imagine anyone removing them? But then again some people remove generators so it is preference.

gravityimage · 01-15-2023, 05:47 PM

I have a backup camera on our Winnebago coach, but when I was backing into a spot, I had a spotter helping me. While watching him instead of my camera, he allowed me to back into an overhead tree branch that I would have seen if I was looking at the screen, bending my ladder. If I had been watching my backup screen instead my spotter I wouldn't have hit it.
Bill