Back-Up Camera

Originally posted by Sleepless A quick update on the Smart Hitch backup camera system.  I finally bought one and find the performance is flawless, but found one installation problem.  In Florida (and I imagine several other states) the license plate tag being the expiration date is in the upper right hand corner of the plate.  When the bracket housing the camera and sensors is installed, it almost completely covers the tag, hiding the registration expiration date.  I have emailed the company, requesting a solution to the problem and should have their response within the next few days.  My plate is sandwiched between the rear bumper and the tailgate, so I can't imagine a satisfactory solution from them.  Something to think about if you are considering purchasing the Smart Hitch.

I looked at mine this morning and to the right of the shifter there was almost no room before hitting the center console stack.  What little room there is, is covered by the shifter.  The only "good" places that I could see are on top of the dash to the left and right.  Down low on the left is open but it would be hard to see and it would get kicked all the time.

On my TV, there is a flat area on the dash immediately right of the gear shift lever.  I don't know the thickness of the monitor, but if it fits, this may be my mounting location of choice. There are a few other areas that might also work without drilling any holes in the dash.

Doug, the Smart Hitch is still my hitch of choice.  I have not ordered one yet only because I can't find a suitable dash location to mount the monitor without having exposed wires.  Your Suburban and my Avalanche should have similar dash configurations.  Any suggestions?  I don't want to mount it on the windshield or disfigure my dash. 

Bob

When I bought the Avalanche, my first thought was to mount a removable mirror on the trailer tongue, angled to see both the coupler and the hitch ball.  After assessing the hassles involved in mounting, aiming and storing the mirror, I abandoned that idea.  Your suggestion seems to have more merit, but some of the same problems would still be there.

My "tennis balls" on shafts with magnetic bases work well, but I still prefer a higher tech solution such as the Smart Hitch camera which requires no setup and does not need to be stored.  It also has built-in sensors which assist in backing up and parallel parking. 

I may try your mirror suggestion this weekend, if the height of the camera beam will allow it to work.

My last TV also had a backup camera that shared the navigation system monitor.  It, too, was mounted high and was worthless when lining up with a trailer.  Everything becomes more difficult as you age.

Bob