Rear Dashcam installation in Dodge Caravan Suggestions

crimsondr

New Member
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Aug 28, 2016
Messages
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Country
Canada
Dash Cam
A119, A118C
Hi all,

I want to install a dashcam in the rear of my dodge caravan to record cars behind me. From what I've read I shouldn't install it against the rear door because of all the vibrations when opening and closing.

Has anyone installed a dashcam in the rear of a caravan? How did you power it? I wanted to hardwire it but I'm not sure where to draw the power from.

Thanks.
 
I don't have a Caravan, but did install a Mini2 on a Grand Cherokee, which opens similarly (I assume) as a liftgate. Mines attached to the glass, and I have it hardwired with a power wire from the front of the car. I routed the power wire along the headliner, and then had to fish that power wire through the factory grommet to the liftback portion. That way, the hardwire and camera all move as one unit when the liftgate is opened.

I used to have Mobius wired up the same way, and have had no problems with vibrations due to opening/closing. Mini 2 has been fine in this regard so far as well. The pic below is my install on the Mini2.

IMG_4198.jpg

IMG_4197.jpg
 
Thanks for the response! The wires on my liftgate disappear into the metal frame and I'm not sure where it comes out. I will have to examine it further to see what I can do. On the left side of the trunk I did find a cable inside the sidewall which might be the other end of the cables from the liftgate. However, I'm not sure how I can fish a wire through that.
 
To wire mine, I had to remove all the plastic trim around the liftgate. That gave me access to the grommet where the factory wires run. Then had to use a wire clothes hanger with the wire taped to it to fish it through.
 
To wire mine, I had to remove all the plastic trim around the liftgate. That gave me access to the grommet where the factory wires run. Then had to use a wire clothes hanger with the wire taped to it to fish it through.

Where would we all be without wire coat hangers for all those alternative uses we have for them? :)
 
To wire mine, I had to remove all the plastic trim around the liftgate. That gave me access to the grommet where the factory wires run. Then had to use a wire clothes hanger with the wire taped to it to fish it through.
Any tips on how to remove the plastic trim? Is it a difficult process?

Where would we all be without wire coat hangers for all those alternative uses we have for them? :)
My wife has been replacing all the wire coat hangers with wooden ones :(
 
Any tips on how to remove the plastic trim? Is it a difficult process?

My wife has been replacing all the wire coat hangers with wooden ones :(

Not too bad, but proceed cautiously. I would assume your trim is similar. Remove as many screws as you can see. Then, pry gently on an area and see what may or may not still be holding the trim on. In my case, there were many plastic snap on fasteners that release with a strong pull.

Oh No! And a lot of them are now plastic too! At least the metals ones are still easy to find though.

Yeah, the wife and I had to do a scavenger hunt for a metal one. Her first reactions was "you need a coat hanger to do what!!??" Took about 15 minutes of searching in various closets, almost everything is plastic now.
 
Yeah, the wife and I had to do a scavenger hunt for a metal one. Her first reactions was "you need a coat hanger to do what!!??" Took about 15 minutes of searching in various closets, almost everything is plastic now.

There seem to be so many once common items with "vital" alternative uses that are rapidly disappearing. Empty 35mm film canisters come to mind, as but one example. And what will we train the puppy with when there are no more newspapers!? :p
 
In the end I mounted my A118C to the plastic just before the tailgate, so the dashcam doesn't move. The wire was easily hidden along the seems of the ceiling and there's an outlet in the rear that I plugged into. Pretty painless this way. I wasn't that keen on fishing the wire so that I could have the camera on the tailgate itself. Although I did read someone mounting it on the tailgate but with a loop in the wire so that it had slack when opened. If I don't like the position I may change it later. Thanks all for the help!
 
In my teenage years wire coathangers were called a 'universal muffler bracket' by us poor kids and that's what held half our cars together. Dry Cleaners still use them and every car should have a couple in it stored next to the roll of duct tape. Just too useful to live without :D

Phil
 
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