Where to mount reverse camera on a D3?

[hpal]

Hi All,
I've been given a reverse camera kit and want to fit it to my Disco 3. The monitor is a 7" and fits nicely in the centre dash. It has 2 inputs so thinking of buying a second cheap camera and mounting it on the front as as off-road camera. The camera it comes with is not small but it seems very good and has good night vision too and is waterproof, I just can't find anywhere to mount it (inside the car wont work as it reflects off the glass). I want to be able to see the towball for reversing onto a trailer and keep an eye out while reversing down the driveway. I thought of removing the white trailer socket and putting it in that space but it seems a pain to remove, has anyone done this before? Or buy a smaller camera (pic attached) and sit it between the tow lug and the trailer socket. I still want a decent camera though. Both options would require a suitable hole for the camera to look through in the plastic tow cover. Not keen on the numberplate camera because it's harder to fit on I would like it close to the towball and centre of vehicle.
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[LRD414]

I thought of removing the white trailer socket and putting it in that space but it seems a pain to remove, has anyone done this before?
Pretty easy. Some details in this thread > 12S Tow electrics (white plug) removal (https://www.aulro.com/afvb/l319-discovery-3-and-4-a/223901-12s-tow-electrics-white-plug-removal.html)

Cheers,
Scott

[Tombie]

Down there will be hopeless...

Get a small camera and mount it where the Factory one goes.

[goofyr]

I got mine fitted on the number plate light housing. I watched the guy do it and it seemed straight forward.
Can't give detailed instructions though as I didn't do it. I have a D2 with the camera fitted near the tow bar and as soon
as I get the chance I'm going to try to move it to the number plate light housing, as its not much use when I'm towing something.

Cheers,
Randy

[DiscoMick]

I also put mine on the number plate and picked up power from the reversing light.

[hpal]

I hooked the camera and screen up to test it and put it near the trailer plug and it all looked good to me, why would the tailgate handle be a better spot? I just think it's off centre and it might be harder to line up the towball. It seems to get a good view where i'm thinking of putting it, and if i'm actually backing a trailer then I just use mirrors anyway.

[Tombie]

One word. Perspective... [emoji41]

[hpal]

Ok, what if i got something like this and stuffed it all in the tailgate handle? will it fit? I could just put power to it from the numberplate light, doesn't matter if the camera is going all the time, i'll just switch the screen on and off manually when i need it. Just a thought...
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[RANDLOVER]

My D3 came with an after market camera fitted to the tailgate handle/number plate holder. Are you sure about reflections, as on my D2 I had a camera on a bracket wedged between the trim and the glass powered from the reverse lamp holder and it was fine.

[hpal]

yeah I tested it out, it's because its an IR night vision camera the led's reflect off the glass and you can't see a thing on the screen. I could do as you suggest with a non IR camera I think.

[LRD414]

Ok, what if i got something like this and stuffed it all in the tailgate handle? will it fit? I could just put power to it from the numberplate light, doesn't matter if the camera is going all the time, i'll just switch the screen on and off manually when i need it. Just a thought...

This is very close to the factory position in later models and having reversed on to the camper's tow hitch many times I don't find any problems with the offset from centre line. You should be able to pick up a reverse light power feed and bring it to that position too; from trailer plug loom in left rear up into tailgate and down to handle.

Scott

[hpal]

Thanks Scott,
Sounds good, the only reason I suggest the wireless is that I want to avoid the hassle of threading the wires under all the trim and through the tailgate grommet, it looks like it would be a pain.

[LRD414]

Thanks Scott, Sounds good, the only reason I suggest the wireless is that I want to avoid the hassle of threading the wires under all the trim and through the tailgate grommet, it looks like it would be a pain.
I didn't pick that it was wireless. Some cheaper wireless ones have quality/signal issues but if you get a good one should be fine. I've fitted LED lights to the tailgate and the trim and grommet are fiddly but straightforward. The trim pieces come off quite easily.

Scott

[DiscoMike]

I have had installed and supplied an after market reverse camera. The camera is mounted on a small bracket and was neatly mounted in the tail gate handle housing next to the number plate light. I get great visibility and can clearly see the tow ball and regularly back up to and connect my trailers without any assistance. I didn't install it so can't speak to ease but the installer didn't report problems and it has been in 4 years now without an issue.

[Tombie]

The wireless one still needs power.
The number plate lights aren’t always powered.. so you’ll need to run the cable to the Wiring.

I have a high end wireless camera and it needs a nice clean line to transmit to the front, outside the door skin likely won’t cut it.

[Globetrotter]

I fitted mine to the number plate light housing - a bit of a pain to run the cables up round the tailgate and then down to rear light. Used reversing lamp wire to trigger camera and then ran the rest to the front. Not hard if you take your time.

[hpal]

ok i'll do the tailgate handle camera. Either a little screw on one which I can put closer to the vehicle centre line and adjust th angle of it, or the numberplate light one if someone can ebay link me to the correct one. Reason I ask is that i suspect I need a 170 deg view camera if I dont the i may not get the towball in the picture along with everything else i need to see

[hpal]

DOne. Turned out nice. 😀

[NavyDiver]

I hooked the camera and screen up to test it and put it near the trailer plug and it all looked good to me, why would the tailgate handle be a better spot? I just think it's off centre and it might be harder to line up the towball. It seems to get a good view where i'm thinking of putting it, and if i'm actually backing a trailer then I just use mirrors anyway.

I agree to a point. Main reason I added a camera on my 2005 D3 to the number plate light housing was it keeps realativley clean and out of the way when I submerge the car in river crossings. It did help with lining up for the tow ball and trailer but did make it a triffle tricky to judge. I think my new 2009d3 camera will be added asap to the same spot as last time or even up in the lights on the rear door topside if possible. That would make hooking up trailer easy possibly if a wide angle camera was used. Just found a pic suggesting it might work https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e5/2005-2007_Land_Rover_Discovery_3_SE_wagon_%282011-07-17%29.jpg

To big a photo to load. It would be more central as well as high and out of the way of a slightly rough tow hook up which could kill a camera in the area your thinking of. if you not an off road nutter like me and very carefull hooking up the trailer then your spot should be fine of course.

Another advantage of the high spot might be for a dash cam . One I just brought but not yet fitted to my new D3 has a rear camera input. Some odd driving seen on out front is often replicated out back [bighmmm]