Reverse Camera - Seeing the tow ball

[Coolcol Moderated member Find all posts View Profile Close Coolcol]

Hi all, I can see most of the ball now, 2/3 at the very least.
I elongated the camerea mounting hole to slide it more rearward, removed the camera shrod (black plast cover thing)& finaly filed out the bottom of the cover plate in the wheel cover. The piece you remove to get to the cover bolt. As this is painted black plastic I repainted the filed down edge so its not noticable.

[yowie Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close yowie]

Has anyone managed to figure out if it is possible to view a second camera (for a trailer/caravan) on the standard screen?

I don't know about the standard screen, however, I have a larger aftermarket unit (Clarion) with a rear view camera mode, and the installer added an extra wire to the unit so that I can use the reversing camera on the van. A toggle switch allows me to change between the Prado camera and the van camera.

The installer informed me the Prado reversing camera runs off 6 volts, not 12 volts as in the rest of the vehicle.

[yowie Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close yowie]

Double post.

[cbm8880 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close cbm8880]

I just put my plastic tow ball cover on the top of the ball, angled slightly backwards. I can see it fine through the camera.

[4alh Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close 4alh]

Another Simple Reverse Camera Mod.

After permanently ditching the wheel cover, I unscrewed the bracket for the rear camera and ground away a small section from the lower protective cover.
I can now see my tow ball in the camera field of vision. Takes about 15 minutes from start to finish and makes backing to hitch up a breeze.
Red line in first photo shows original cover profile. Yellow line shows where I've removed material.
Second photo shows new field of view. (That's my recovery hook indicated by the red arrow, and tow hitch is even more readily seen when installed.)

[brogers Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close brogers]

After permanently ditching the wheel cover, I unscrewed the bracket for the rear camera and ground away a small section from the lower protective cover.
I can now see my tow ball in the camera field of vision. Takes about 15 minutes from start to finish and makes backing to hitch up a breeze.
Red line in first photo shows original cover profile. Yellow line shows where I've removed material.
Second photo shows new field of view. (That's my recovery hook indicated by the red arrow, and tow hitch is even more readily seen when installed.)

I just unscrewed the little shroud that you ground back, its just not needed, second time i've done this mod on both my 2010 and now 2016 prado (in fact it was done the day I got my 2016 prado home as the first mod I did)...and yep, can easily see the two ball.

[cuda Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close cuda]

I tried removing the little shroud but still can't see the ball. Is this due to having the wheel cover still in place?

Thanks

[4alh Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close 4alh]

Cuda, you'd have to leave the wheel cover off.

[404pug Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 404pug]

I too removed the shroud to minor effect BUT with the Treg hitch in place it can easily be seen. If just the tow ball it is JUST not quite visible but a piece of rubber or plastic about 2 cm long attached to the goose neck makes it visible with the wheel cover on.

[404pug Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 404pug]

Update: I put the ball back on today and can't see it. Very simple solution. I have a plastic tow ball cover so I just put a white zip tie through a hole in it and had it sticking out to the rear about 30 mm. Presto. I can see about 20 mm of it in the camera. If you don't have the tow ball cover just put the zip tie under the tow ball and tighten it. So easy and it it is soft so it will damage nothing [ like knees.]

[Usernamewill Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Usernamewill]

I got my towbar installed on Monday, first thing I did was pop it in reverse and look for the tow ball haha. No love though. Then I wondered if there was anyway to 'see more' as there is a big blind spot across the bottom of the screen.

This thread delivers!

Cheers, Will

[4alh Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close 4alh]

You could just leave the small cover off altogether like brogers suggested. I just modified the cover and put it back on to give that little bit more protection for the camera.

[Usernamewill Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Usernamewill]

All done, and I can see the ball! Good stuff!

Will

[RB80 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close RB80]

Nice one, I can see!