Hi. I’ve recently bought a Ford transit campervan. I’ve always been used to driving big cars and am very confident reversing both using mirrors and sensors. I live rurally so reversing into passing places is a daily event!
This van has a camera mounted high above the doors. I just can’t get on with it. It will be useful to make sure no-one is behind me on a campsite but I’m struggling to judge my distance with it.
I’m thinking of fitting sensors into the bumpers. Any advice on what to get? Which are easier to fit and use? Advice appreciated as I’ve only had them on one car and they were there when I bought it second hand. Thanks.
Can't advise on sensors as mine are OEM but does your screen for the reversing camera not have guide lines? My aftermarket one in the van does & they can be adjusted to my preference.
Quote: Originally posted by spiritburner on 19/11/2020
Can't advise on sensors as mine are OEM but does your screen for the reversing camera not have guide lines? My aftermarket one in the van does & they can be adjusted to my preference.
No. There are no guidelines and I can’t see an option to put them on. It’s vague and I’m finding it pretty useless to be honest. As I said the only use will be to make sure there isn’t a child or dog behind me!
dont worry about having distance lines on the screen as long as you can see the back door of the van anything on the screen then is a warning to stop and investigate, youll soon get used to it, i used to have a plastic reversing screen that stuck onto rear window like coaches have, can buy them in halfords and it was a great aid could see right behind. just practise on a empty carpark reversing into bays then youll get an idea what you can see just using mirrors and screen.
the trouble with aftermarket sensors is they can pickup and start buzzing all sorts can be a pain, but if fitting them make sure the kit will fit the van ie cables long enough, i fitted my own on both vehicles, the only trouble was trying to find where the right cable to connect to is. and most vehicles have a canbus electric ecu so best left to someone who knows what they are doing to conect into circuit.
Many retro-fit reversing cameras / sensors are stand alone and don't connect to the Canbus. They simply take power from the reversing light.
My van had a camera, but no screen. Not much use so I removed it. The reversing sensor was a strange device that used radio waves and had an aerial under the rear bumper. It was useless. It would detect any defect on the road, but miss out on large obstructions. I removed that too.
I remember the reversing screens - a Fresnel lens that stuck on the rear window and gave you a panoramic view behind the van.
------------- Two drifters off to see the world.
I'm tired of reality, so I'm off to look for a good fantasy.
Practice, that’s all. For parts of Scotland, it’s handy to be able to reverse half a mile on single track without going onto the soft verge. Extra useful practice if that includes a blind corner. I’m sure there’ll be an industrial estate where you can have a long way to practice reversing safely, but do include some junctions.
And yes those stick on things were cheap but very effective. I had a small one clipped to my Golf rear window because of areas I couldn’t see, before sensors were fitted.
My reversing camera was factory fitted and I couldn’t get the guide lines to show on the screen using the controls on the screen unit.
It came with a hand held remote control ,which I never used it, but when I played around with it I found it gave me the option to display/not display the guidance lines.
Not sure if yours has a remote control handset?
Just a thought
Quote: Originally posted by barry915 on 20/11/2020
My reversing camera was factory fitted and I couldn’t get the guide lines to show on the screen using the controls on the screen unit.
It came with a hand held remote control ,which I never used it, but when I played around with it I found it gave me the option to display/not display the guidance lines.
Not sure if yours has a remote control handset?
Just a thought
It has got a remote but I haven’t found lines on it. I will go and play some more. I thought the remote was a waste of time since you’re sat in the drivers seat! Maybe I missed something!! Thanks
You can still get the fresnel lenses. I was thinking of getting one myself. I wondered if they would melt when you put the back screen demister/heater on in the winter?
Quote: Originally posted by Jax365 on 30/11/2020
You can still get the fresnel lenses. I was thinking of getting one myself. I wondered if they would melt when you put the back screen demister/heater on in the winter?