How do I route dash cam wires?

[eddieparker]

I have a fitcamx I want to install with the rear camera option.

Installing the front cam was easy but I'm unclear how to route wires without them showing. Is there a trick to pop the panels without damaging them?

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[dmitry]

A ton of useful information about this

https://www.macheforum.com/site/thr...hardwiring-a-dashcam-and-radar-detector.5542/

 

[vsguru]

I have the front/rear FitcamX. I too was worried a bit about the rear cable routing but it was really easy. No panel popping required. This YouTube video helped a ton:



Enjoy!

 

[rhfritz]

I installed a front-facing dashcam that installs onto the rear-view mirror. I used pry tools and ran the power wires underneath the headliner and down the left pillar, underneath the dash, and to the front USB Port where I could get power without dealing with the fuses. For the rear-facing camera, which powered itself from the front camera, I ran the wires underneath the headliner to the right and all the way to the back.

Where the camera mounts to top of the rear hatch so it can look out the window, I had to jump across the gap and leave slack in the wire for the hatch movement. And while the excess wire hangs down, I have the bundle neatly cable-tied, and it's entirely hidden from view by the rear headrest.

Aside from the initial pry, once started I can mostly push the wires in with my fingers. Clearly less professional than the approach above, the installation took about 30 minutes. And if the camera fails, I could likely pull out the wires in 5 minutes. Oh, and I should mention that I used ShoeGoo as the adhesive to mount the camera to the plastic at my desired location. It's plastic-friendly. And I can pop-off the camera with no residue or evidence the camera was even there. I had tried various tapes, but they all fail with time and heat.

 

[Kamuelaflyer]

I have the front/rear FitcamX. I too was worried a bit about the rear cable routing but it was really easy. No panel popping required. This YouTube video helped a ton:



Enjoy!

Thanks for that link.

 

[ChehRob]

Alternately can you record and save camera input after an event? Tesla allows it. Friend saw a woman do a deliberate cut in panic brake to get rear ended to another car. He saved it and called State Patrol after getting home. They wanted a copy so he sent it.

 

[eddieparker]

I have the front/rear FitcamX. I too was worried a bit about the rear cable routing but it was really easy. No panel popping required. This YouTube video helped a ton:



Enjoy!

Thank you! I used this video initially and it was great, but he sort of glossed over how to run the wires in the back. I ended up just jamming it in with the tool and it looks OK? That said, I'm not sure how to get rid of the excess wire. Do I just stuff it in the back pillar? Or did he actually pop off the last frame pillar and run it there somehow?

 

[eddieparker]

Alternately can you record and save camera input after an event? Tesla allows it. Friend saw a woman do a deliberate cut in panic brake to get rear ended to another car. He saved it and called State Patrol after getting home. They wanted a copy so he sent it.

From what I understand the FitCamX will support this, but since it runs off the 12V battery they don't recommend you do it unless you setup a separate battery just for that sort of 'sentry' mode.

I'd totally love to do/have that but as a cable-running-newb when it comes to cars it might be a future task for me more than anything.

 

[eddieparker]

Thank you! I used this video initially and it was great, but he sort of glossed over how to run the wires in the back. I ended up just jamming it in with the tool and it looks OK? That said, I'm not sure how to get rid of the excess wire. Do I just stuff it in the back pillar? Or did he actually pop off the last frame pillar and run it there somehow?

I overcame my inner coward and just pried out the back panel: so much room for activities!

 

[HuntingPudel]

If you haven’t read the FitcamX thread, please see that. ??

 

[jgillmer]

Alternately can you record and save camera input after an event? Tesla allows it. Friend saw a woman do a deliberate cut in panic brake to get rear ended to another car. He saved it and called State Patrol after getting home. They wanted a copy so he sent it.

They also call that scam "Swoop 'n Squat." I had a guy do that to me in LA in 2005. Roared past me, swung into my lane, and then slammed on the brakes. I nearly was able to stop in time, but that last 10 mph speed on collision, while only scratches for him, damaged my front grill, radiator, and triggered the hood to start to do the crumple safety bend (not major - but still required hood replacement. First thing out of this guy's mouth was "if you give me a $1,000, we can keep this off of insurance." Um, nope. Called it in, and even told them I think the guy was committing fraud. Nothing came of it except my insurance increasing as I was considered at fault for hitting him. I wish I had cameras like I do now - I could have put that guy out of his crooked business.

 

[jgillmer]

I overcame my inner coward and just pried out the back panel: so much room for activities!

Lucky you have excess cable - I had, like an inch of give after running mine. If the MME was even slightly bigger, I would have had to get a cable coupler and extension to finish the job.

For those looking to add a camera set up: As others said, it's easy - largely running the cables along headliner. With a small plastic hook that looks like a mini back- scratcher, it's easy to create enough space to nudge the cable in without having to take down the headliner (and the challenges that come with detaching and re-attaching the delicate plastic clips). Just take your time - nice and slow to avoid creasing or marking the headliner. 30 min, start to finish.

 

[vsguru]

I just stuffed the extra cable into the final back panel with no issues. There was plenty of cable left too, even after moving the camera to the right side to keep the camera from having an upside down rear view and to keep the cable "clean" (not wrapping back over the camera). It would have saved a small amount of time if FitcamX had offered the software option to vertically flip the image so I could've kept it on the left side.

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