Ed Petrow

I have had the same problem with my 2023 GMC 2500 HD Denali auxiliary cameras and have had to replace my connector several times over two years of towing a large enclosed trailer. It is especially troublesome when someone unfamiliar with these poorly designed connectors unhitches the trailer from the truck by pulling on the cable instead of carefully using the GM finger grips. When replacing the Amphenol RF Connector Plug 31-14393, I've carefully removed the unique finger grip strain relief that covers the RF connector and replaced it following careful crimping of the new connector parts. There is a helpful video on the process of crimping and fitting these kinds of connectors prepared by a knowledgable engineer from AmphenolRF on YouTube I found this video and discovered the AmphenolRF connector 31-6802 is a direct replacement for the older 31- 14393 that is not easily available from RF electronics stores such as DigiKey. This time, I'm going to use the 31-14393 in place of the 31-14393 but I would also like to use a better finger pull as mine has been removed and reinstalled about four times so it is starting to feel loose. Has anybody found a better finger grip strain relief for this application? I'm wondering if I can simply use a silicone sealing system and an O-Ring which probably won't hold the connector into the bumper socket as well but it would certainly be easier to install and remove. The combination of the small, spring loaded doors on camera sockets at the bumper and the size and shape of the cable strain with finger grips are simply a poor design. There must be a better solution to use the otherwise excellent HDMI POE camera system as auxiliary cameras that are the same as are used in many other GM positions as back up cameras, etc. Also, the instructions for the GM auxiliary cameras (GM part number 84876818) suggest running the rear and /or interior camera cables over or under the trailer. If you are able to replace the connector described above, you should also be skilled enough to cut the RG58 50 ohm cable and crimp BNC male and female connectors where needed to allow you to route the cable inside your trailer the rear mounting position to the hitch area.