Trailer camera and hooking up BP trailers

[reay6790]

Does anyone use a trailer camera that they like? I have an excursion and a hawk 2horse with a dressing room that I would love to put a camera in so I can see what my boys are up to when I’m hauling. It would really give me peace of mind while driving.

Also, I can hook up super super quickly if I have someone helping me back up to get lined up. However, if I’m doing it by myself it takes me FOREVER. It makes me so mad because I like to be independent and I know sometimes in an emergency there isn’t someone always around to help me. Would a backup camera or some other device help? I don’t know if it is difficult for me because I’m in an SUV, but it drives me insane and I hate having to ask people for help when hooking up.

[rmax]

I have a wired system,it comes with a quick disconnect at the hitch. After having one for a while I can’t imagine being without. You will be amazed what they get up to back there.The monitor can handle 3 cameras so I added a small bullet camera that I picked up on ebay for $20. and installed it in the upper bracket of the hitch. First time everytime hooking up now.

http://www.videosystemsbyjim.com/horse%20trailer%20wired.html

[Equibrit]

You can streamline your hookup with simple pieces of tape, one set on truck, other on trailer. Line them up from your driving position, and you’re in the right spot.

Baby monitor could work ? It could also double as security system.
http://www.samsungsv.com/Model/Detail/31/Samsung-SEW-3036W-Baby-Monitoring-System

$179.99 @ Target.

[kcmel]

I use those yellow balls on sticks to line up my truck and trailer if I am by myself.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200470566_200470566?cm_mmc=Google-pla--Towing--Towing%20Accessories-_-17760&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=17760&gclid=CMHxy9DzsrsCFYl9Ogod_hkANg

I tried the tape idea of Equibrit’s, but it didn’t work as well, because I still had to figure out how much further back I needed to go.

[saddleup]

I got “hitchin’ rods” (Amazon has them) and they changed my life. I can hitch up really quickly now, all by myself, and they were about $30 or so. Both rods have magnets on the ends, you put one on the trailer and one on your hitch and just line them up…when you’re in the right spot the one on ball falls off.

[Equibrit]

[QUOTE=kcmel;7313295]

I tried the tape idea of Equibrit’s, but it didn’t work as well, because I still had to figure out how much further back I needed to go.[/QUOTE]

You use one horizontal, and one vertical piece of tape on the truck and the trailer - then no problem.

[Jim_in_PA]

Relative to hooking up…having my backup camera is an amazing thing. Most of the time, it’s a “one and done” experience as I can back up and put the ball right under the hitch with precision. I did paint a white line on the centerline of the hitch to enhance that accuracy, especially when there is low light. My backup camera is on my vehicle from the factory and features both boundary and a centerline. It just so happens that it is staring directly down onto my hitch ball so I can clearly see when that ball goes under the hitch where it needs to be. The backup alert on my vehicle is also helpful as it just reaches the “constant warning” point when the ball is where it needs to be.

For the internal trailer camera, you can power the camera by battery, by tapping into the light circuit (requires you run with lights on even in the day) or by wiring in a separate power tap from the hitch connection.

[wildlifer]

You can actually use one of those $99 backup cameras from AutoZone as an in-trailer camera. If you have steel, just magnet mount it, if not, adhesive of choice, and then you can just make a disconnect point as your hitch.

As for actually hitching, I had the yellow balls, but the telescoping rod on one broke. I’m a pretty damn good backer/hitcher, but on “bad hitching days” it’s so annoying. The balls were a big help and I do have another mirror trick that works really well.

I do have “hitcher’s pride” that makes me not want to cheat, but the older I get, back and knee arthritis keep shrinking that pride…

[cnvh]

I bought the tennis-balls-on-telescoping-rods thing from Harbor Freight, but the first time I tried to use them, they didn’t work (big shock, coming from HF and all, lol), so I’ve made do without.

Getting lined up straight to the trailer usually isn’t too much problem, other than having to sometimes get in and out a couple times to make sure… as for backing up FAR enough to get the ball under the hitch, once I’m lined up straight and have eyeballed how far I’ll need to back up, I find it helpful to leave my door open and watch the GROUND next to me, rather than look in my mirrors. For me, it’s a lot easier to guesstimate moving distances of 6" or 12" if I pick a spot on the ground to stare at while moving backwards.

[ElementFarm]

I have exactly what Jim in PA said.
a factory installed backup camera with centerline makes hooking up EASY! I used to get it first-time-every-time, but this fall had to replace the hitch/tongue on the trailer. The new one is black (vs the original gray) and with the dark color and zero contrast with the black counterpart on the truck, I now occassionally need 2 tries. But it’s AMAZING, works in low light, and impresses the crap out of people watching me hook up who don’t know I have the camera.
I can’t imagine life without it, and frankly it’s the best $ I’ve spent.

[King_s_Ransom]

For those whose trucks did not come equipped with back-up camera, has anyone used this: http://www.iballhitchcam.com/

Looks like a very simple, targeted-use device. Easy installation, camera can be repositioned as needed for hooking up to trailer, or placed on back of trailer for backing up the whole rig, or placed inside trailer for keeping an eye on the horses. The 9-volt battery makes truly wireless.

Thoughts?

[kcmel]

[QUOTE=King’s Ransom;7316840]
For those whose trucks did not come equipped with back-up camera, has anyone used this: http://www.iballhitchcam.com/

Looks like a very simple, targeted-use device. Easy installation, camera can be repositioned as needed for hooking up to trailer, or placed on back of trailer for backing up the whole rig, or placed inside trailer for keeping an eye on the horses. The 9-volt battery makes truly wireless.

Thoughts?[/QUOTE]

Ooooh, that looks like a great Christmas present for me!

[rocky213]

I have had the iballhitchcam and currently have the trailer eyes cam. When I had the bumper pull, I used the iball hitch cam because I had to back up at an angle to hitch up and it always took me a few tries and alot of bad vocabulary words. It defintely helped and was easy to set up. It did take me a while to get used to it because I had my own system of backing to some taped lines on the truck and trailer. But when I moved to a new barn and had to back up at an angle, the tape idea when out the window and I used the iball instead.

I then got a new gooseneck trailer and it was much easier to hitch up. So, I really didnt need to back up camera and got the trailer eyes for the inside of the trailer. It works fine. I like how it doesnt need alot of installation. I did have to fiddle with it to optimize it but once I got it working, its been working great.

[Jim_in_PA]

[QUOTE=ElementFarm;7316829]
I have exactly what Jim in PA said.
a factory installed backup camera with centerline makes hooking up EASY! I used to get it first-time-every-time, but this fall had to replace the hitch/tongue on the trailer. The new one is black (vs the original gray) and with the dark color and zero contrast with the black counterpart on the truck, I now occassionally need 2 tries. [/QUOTE]

I believe I mentioned that I painted a white line on the centerline of my trailer’s black hitch. (Bulldog type) It’s about 1/2" wide and clearly visible in the camera…a great way to help with the issue you describe!

[Foxyrab]

If you’re trying to hook up your Excursion, you might want to try having the back hatch/door open as you back up to the horse trailer.

Line up the locking mechanism on the floor of your SUV (which should be in right over the drawbar) with the trailer jack. If the locking mechanism isn’t centered above the drawbar, put down a piece of tape above the drawbar on the floor of your Excursion.

Back up slowly until you come in contact with the trailer coupler, and then get out and look to see how far you need to pull forward in order to have the ball centered under the coupler. After a few times, you probably won’t need to get out to look, but will know that after you’ve made contact, you’ll need to pull forward “x” number of inches.

[Mali]

[QUOTE=King’s Ransom;7316840]
For those whose trucks did not come equipped with back-up camera, has anyone used this: http://www.iballhitchcam.com/

Looks like a very simple, targeted-use device. Easy installation, camera can be repositioned as needed for hooking up to trailer, or placed on back of trailer for backing up the whole rig, or placed inside trailer for keeping an eye on the horses. The 9-volt battery makes truly wireless.

Thoughts?[/QUOTE]

I had been wanting one of those for the past 6 months. I finally broke down and ordered it as a Christmas gift for myself/hubby. A few weeks back it was in the teens and I could NOT get the hitch/ball lined up to trailer out for a lesson. After a dozen tries and ALOT of cursing, I got hooked up. I ordered the camera when I got home. I’ve used it once, and really like it. Instructions say to only expect 2 to 3 hours of battery life, so I purchased a bunch of extra 9v batteries. We have a bare-bones '94 Chevy truck, so I don’t need to worry about any Bluetooth interference. Picture clarity is pretty good on the display (and in color). The only thing I don’t like, is the battery compartment requires a screwdriver to remove the cover. I’d much prefer a sliding cover. The magnet is really strong on the camera, and the camera did not shift at all during the drive.

[DancingArabian]

[QUOTE=King’s Ransom;7316840]
For those whose trucks did not come equipped with back-up camera, has anyone used this: http://www.iballhitchcam.com/

Looks like a very simple, targeted-use device. Easy installation, camera can be repositioned as needed for hooking up to trailer, or placed on back of trailer for backing up the whole rig, or placed inside trailer for keeping an eye on the horses. The 9-volt battery makes truly wireless.

Thoughts?[/QUOTE]

That looks awesome!

Has anyone tried using it as an in-trailer camera after hitching up?

[Mali]

[QUOTE=DancingArabian;7331274]
That looks awesome!

Has anyone tried using it as an in-trailer camera after hitching up?[/QUOTE]

Absolutely! It works wonderfully! In fact, I haven’t actually used it to hook up yet (hubby already had the trailer hooked up when UPS delivered my iball), so I stuck it in the horse area and monitored the horses as I drove to my lesson.

[nccatnip]

I bought this one to hitch trailer and love it. After about a year, the suction cup gave out so I emailed company to see about buying another one. Within 3 days, a box arrived at my door with a replacement free of charge.

http://www.peakauto.com/products/electronics/back-up-cameras/back-up-camera-43/