I've been looking at backup cameras for the truck for awhile. I wanted something integrated, as a 3 inch screen sitting on the top of the dash just doesn't do it for me. That led to screens integrated into rearview mirrors, but all the aftermarket ones you see at local auto parts stores have terrible mirrors. Above all, I didn't want to spend more the 250 bucks if I didn't have to.

I was looking at oem type mirrors online, and had found a nice gentek unit that I thought I was going to end up purchasing, when I happened upon a thread where Tylus mentioned he had installed an OEM F150 mirror in his rig. I hadn't even considering the possibility of using an OEM mirror, but as it turns out they are made by gentek anyway, and there is an online source where they are much cheaper.

The online source usually sells the mirror as a package with the oem f150 backup camera for f150 guys wanting to retrofit. I didn't like the f150 emblem camera (having two ford emblems on the tailgate isn't my type of thing) and it was more then I really wanted to spend anyway, so after finding out that any aftermarket camera would work with the oem mirror, I sourced just an OEM mirror for ~150 bucks, and picked up a cheap camera from amazon for ~30 bucks.

The f150 guys were using oem mirror harness that can be bought for 50-60 bucks, but considering all I needed was the connector (I was going to have to do a custom wiring setup for the whole thing) that was too rich for my blood. Again, I had found an example of an F150 owner who had made his own harness using a ~5 dollar connector ordered online (later on I found out TYlus did it the same way), so I ordered one of those, modified a bit to fit, and spent 1 hour getting the wires into the tiny slots.

Got it all wired up yesterday and I am very happy with the image quality, even with the cheap camera. THe camera is supposed to be weatherproof but at that price if it last more then a year I'm fine with it.

OEM mirror


Mounted the camera in the rear bumper


Shows the trailer just fine!



IN the end I am in this for less the 200 bucks, and met my goal of having something that is integrated and functions great as a normal mirror. I am happy.

 

Very nice!! Do you have any links to where you sourced the parts?

 

This is the ebay seller I got the mirror from.
eBay My World - nailsandsales

He/She did not have just a mirror listed, but I ebay messaged them and they said they had them available, one without the sync microphone and one with. I obviously did not need the sync mic and that mirror was cheaper, so I purchased that one, but when I revived the mirror and bench tested it I could not get the screen to come up. After searching the part number I found several people having issues with that mirror, including one person one had gone through 3 different versions from that ebay seller. No one seemed to be having issues with the mirror with the mic integrated so I ended up sending the non-mic mirror back, paying the difference and getting the mirror with the mic. Zero problems with the integrated mic mirror. My thoughts are is that the wiring diagrams floating out there for the non-mic mirror are either incorrect or there is some connection that the mirror needs that we don't know about OR that someone at some point screwed up a non-mic mirror, sent it back to that ebay seller and now the seller is just sending out (and receiving back) the same inoperative mirror. I would recommend just getting the integrated mic mirror and not having to deal with it.

camera
http://www.amazon.com/Rear-Camera-Ni...3636158&sr=1-1

Connector
3M - CHG-2016-J01010-KEP - Rectangular Connectors - Connectors - Allied Electronics

 

if you need tips on wiring it let me know and I will point you in the right direction.

 

I appreciate that. There are still a few other things on the list before I venture down this road, but I will take you up on that once I decide to go for it. Cheers

 

glad I was able to help you out some. I like your camera as well. On my 2009 Mustang, I had used that exact same camera inside the rear hatch keyhole. It lasted 1.5 yrs with daily rain and high humidity and was going great when I sold it

As for the mirrors, there are the 2 different yr styles with different pinouts...so 4 different cameras floating around. I personally believe that is the main cause of people not getting them to work. I bought a Sync one personally because the wifes Expy has a non-sync mirror that I plan on swapping so her Bluetooth radio looks OEM vice the annoying mic it currently has

 

I've had these types of cameras before. Just a heads up, be very careful when you wash your truck. I cover my camera with a tennis ball. I wash my truck often in the winter due to the salt and I don't know if it's a combination of the weather/moisture but I can't get them to last more than a year or so...

 

Very nice and thanks for sharing. I have been kicking myself for not the getting the damn backup camera when I ordered my truck.