Can't get my rear camera to mount on the plastic, keeps falling off

nizmoz

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I have a VIOFO A129 PRo Duo, and the rear camera on my hatch keeps falling off. I tried new tape on it (the tape it comes with), still wouldn't stay. Any ideas on what else I can do to get it to stay put? This is on a new car with 200 miles, and I cleaned the plastic with alcohol too.
 

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This is a problem often seen, the tape provided with cameras are a type that work best on a more even glass surface, so you need to get another model tape that are better for the surface of a cars plastic trim.
I cant give you a specific tape but i am sure someone will fill in soon on this matter.
 
3M dual lock tape will work on the plastic, the included tape needs a smooth surface to work so won't work on the plastic trim
 
Will some 3m VHD tape work? I have some of that around.
 
New plastics often give off oils for a while and they prevent the stick. A little petrol rather than alcohol may solve the problem, giving it a few seconds to sink in, but be careful, petrol can be dangerous.

I recommend sticking it to the glass, better stick and far less chance of vibration issues.
 
3M VHB works by surface tension, it needs a smooth surface, the textured interior plastic trim will be a problem regardless of how you clean it, it's not smooth enough for the adhesive to work as intended
 
you can also glue a magnet to your camera mount, and another magnet behind the plastic trim, two neodymium magnets will grab each other like a SOB.
I have used a similar approach just with a magnet grabbing on the bare metal frame of my rear hatch, that have worked for many years with single channel cameras and rear cameras of dual systems.
 
There's a LOT of texture in that plastic trim. The texture greatly reduces the surface area available to the tape to adhere. I had the same in one of my vehicles and ended up having to smooth out the area where I wanted to mount the camera (masking tape to outline the area and sandpaper to smooth it).

Edit: Instead of the tape supplied with the camera I use this instead. Adheres much better to almost all surfaces -


Even though it says 'permanent' it can be removed with a bit of effort.
 
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you can also glue a magnet to your camera mount, and another magnet behind the plastic trim, two neodymium magnets will grab each other like a SOB.
I have used a similar approach just with a magnet grabbing on the bare metal frame of my rear hatch, that have worked for many years with single channel cameras and rear cameras of dual systems.
I didn't even think about that and love the idea. I'll have to find some magnets to do it with if I can't find any tape suitable. I also have some 3m grey double-sided tape that is used for car emblems. It may work too. Fun stuff thanks
 
I have just used the provided dual sided tape, that grip fine on my shiny neodymium magnet, if you put a magnet on top of the plastic trim you might also want to secure it so it can not slide around when the camera are not installed ( i take my cameras off the glass / rear hatch ( front and rear ) when i clean the inside of the windows )

I have also used this magnet approach on a side camera, using a mobius with magnets on it, attaching to a peace of sheet metal folded over so it could slide over the headliner and under the door rubber seal.

Pics of my rear camera,,,,, okay nowadays i have several, due to rear hatch design the size of my magnet is also just enough to space it out as i need.

img_20180412_191820-jpg.37452

img_20180412_191843-jpg.37453
 
Thanks, so far the VHD tape is holding, but if it doesn;t, I did order magnets and will go that route. Don't want to stick it to the glass as I have new Xpel XR Plus tint that I don't want to damage.
 
Don't want to stick it to the glass as I have new Xpel XR Plus tint that I don't want to damage.
I don't believe tint gets damaged when you remove a camera, as long as you don't use any sharp tools to remove it, which you shouldn't do anyway since they could damage the glass. The only time when it might is if the camera is mounted at the very edge of the tint, then it could pull the tint off.
 
I have a VIOFO A129 PRo Duo, and the rear camera on my hatch keeps falling off. I tried new tape on it (the tape it comes with), still wouldn't stay. Any ideas on what else I can do to get it to stay put? This is on a new car with 200 miles, and I cleaned the plastic with alcohol too.

The Black 3M VHB #5952 tape and Dual Lock tape are not good candidates for attaching cameras to textured automotive plastics. Instead, try the Scotch (3M) Grey #4941 VHB tape instead. Unlike the black tape, the substrate is conformable acrylic and it will adhere quite well. I've been using it for years to mount cameras and other accessories to heavily textures plastics in my Toyota with far better success than the black stuff, including my "ceiling" mounted side cams on textured plastic. When the time comes, it also removes more cleanly than the Black VHB tape or Dual Lock. Clean with the surface with isopropyl alcohol before applying the tape if you decide to use this method.

4951.jpg


P.S.
Despite what you have been told here, the tapes work with adhesion, not surface tension. That is why 3M uses the term "adhesive" when referring to their VHB products and Dual Lock products. Type #5952 (black) does however adhere much better to smooth surfaces but that has to do with the type of foam substrate it comes with.

Here is a chart for 3M's Dual Lock Fasteners. It is similar to how the VHB tape products work. In other words, they offer essentially the same products with different adhesives with different properties. So the Grey VHB tape has a conformable foam adhesive substrate whereas the Black VHB tapes are less conformable. The conformable tape will allow for better adhesion to a textured plastic surface.

dual_lock.jpg

greyVHB.jpg
 
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I don't believe tint gets damaged when you remove a camera, as long as you don't use any sharp tools to remove it, which you shouldn't do anyway since they could damage the glass. The only time when it might is if the camera is mounted at the very edge of the tint, then it could pull the tint off.
I've had my windshield eye brow damaged due to a camera tape that was on it. It looked blurry under it. So I won't put anything on tint again because of that. :(
 
The Black 3M VHB #5952 tape and Dual Lock tape are not good candidates for attaching cameras to textured automotive plastics. Instead, try the Scotch (3M) Grey #4941 VHB tape instead. Unlike the black tape, the substrate is conformable acrylic and it will adhere quite well. I've been using it for years to mount cameras and other accessories to heavily textures plastics in my Toyota with far better success than the black stuff, including my "ceiling" mounted side cams on textured plastic. When the time comes, it also removes more cleanly than the Black VHB tape or Dual Lock. Clean with the surface with isopropyl alcohol before applying the tape if you decide to use this method.

View attachment 53184


P.S.
Despite what you have been told here, the tapes work with adhesion, not surface tension. That is why 3M uses the term "adhesive" when referring to their VHB products and Dual Lock products. Type #5952 (black) does however adhere much better to smooth surfaces but that has to do with the type of foam substrate it comes with.

Here is a chart for 3M's Dual Lock Fasteners. It is similar to how the VHB tape products work. In other words, they offer essentially the same products with different adhesives with different properties. So the Grey VHB tape has a conformable foam adhesive substrate whereas the Black VHB tapes are less conformable. The conformable tape will allow for better adhesion to a textured plastic surface.

View attachment 53186

View attachment 53188
This stuff worked. Its held on several hours now. Glad I had this around. Even though I ordered the dual lock tape I'm happy this worked.

30c6de24d3b9db637c66e07b9e6a0882.jpg
 
This stuff worked. Its held on several hours now. Glad I had this around. Even though I ordered the dual lock tape I'm happy this worked.

I don't recognize which type of 3M tape you've got but I'm really glad to hear that it worked and I hope it continues to do so. Nevertheless, allow me to share my long time experience mounting dash cams. I have a strong hunch that other members here have had similar experiences.

Depending on the installation, the mounting surface, the camera, the environment, etc., what appears at first to be a successful installation may end in disappointment sooner or later. Many a time I've carefully mounted a camera and everything seemed great! Then, maybe in a few hours, days, a week, or even a couple of weeks, you come back to your vehicle and find the camera dangling from its cable, or peeling off the mount, or on the floor! The trick is to achieve a permanent bond and that is sometimes a challenge, especially with something like textured plastic. Sometimes the bond seems fine but after a temperature change something starts to go wrong. Or maybe you drive over a bumpy road and that's when a poorly bonded tape decides to let go. You never know how good a bond you've achieved until the camera has been installed for a while.

Also, keep in mind that VHB tapes (depending on the product) can take up to 72 hours after initial application before their full bonding cure is achieved. 3M advises waiting until the full bonding is achieved until you apply weight. Temperature makes a big difference in how long a period you need to wait but from my experience I find that once I apply VHB tape it is best to wait at least overnight before actually sticking your camera onto a freshly mounted camera mounting plate. Of course, if the mount is integral with the camera like a rear cam you have no choice but a small light weight camera should probably be ok. MIght be a good idea not to drive around too much until the full bonding process (cure) happens.

bond.png
 
And from that graph, if you are fitting it in winter, it is worth using a hairdryer to warm the glass, both initially and again after a couple of hours while applying more pressure, otherwise you may only get to 70% strength.
 
My experience is that in cold winter conditions it is not even worth trying apply VHB tape. No matter what methods I've tried there is always some level of residual condensation that prevents a decent bond in even just applying the tape to a surface in the first place. This may be different if you live in a milder climate or in mildly cool weather but if you are trying to apply tape in freezing winter temperatures, just forget about it. The tape itself quickly gets too cold to apply properly even when above freezing. 3M specifies 50º F or above.
 
I don't recognize which type of 3M tape you've got but I'm really glad to hear that it worked and I hope it continues to do so. Nevertheless, allow me to share my long time experience mounting dash cams. I have a strong hunch that other members here have had similar experiences.

Depending on the installation, the mounting surface, the camera, the environment, etc., what appears at first to be a successful installation may end in disappointment sooner or later. Many a time I've carefully mounted a camera and everything seemed great! Then, maybe in a few hours, days, a week, or even a couple of weeks, you come back to your vehicle and find the camera dangling from its cable, or peeling off the mount, or on the floor! The trick is to achieve a permanent bond and that is sometimes a challenge, especially with something like textured plastic. Sometimes the bond seems fine but after a temperature change something starts to go wrong. Or maybe you drive over a bumpy road and that's when a poorly bonded tape decides to let go. You never know how good a bond you've achieved until the camera has been installed for a while.

Also, keep in mind that VHB tapes (depending on the product) can take up to 72 hours after initial application before their full bonding cure is achieved. 3M advises waiting until the full bonding is achieved until you apply weight. Temperature makes a big difference in how long a period you need to wait but from my experience I find that once I apply VHB tape it is best to wait at least overnight before actually sticking your camera onto a freshly mounted camera mounting plate. Of course, if the mount is integral with the camera like a rear cam you have no choice but a small light weight camera should probably be ok. MIght be a good idea not to drive around too much until the full bonding process (cure) happens.

View attachment 53189
Agreed. And my car is a 2020 toyota highlander so the material it attachs too is similar to what you have experienced. I've ordered several other methods to mount it if this one fails to hold from the recommendations. Will see what happens.
 
all been discussed before.
 
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