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Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist?


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Posted

Just bought an 05 Sierra last weekend. Since it's my first non-car vehicle, it's been difficult getting a feel for where it ends. I've found a few aftermarket systems at: http://www.sportsimportsltd.com/paasvebase.html, but I don't know if they're any good. Let me clarify that I do not work for this company - they could sell complete and utter crap for all I know.

 

Has anyone installed a rear parking assist system on your truck or other vehicle? Where'd you get it from and how much was it? TIA from a newb. :)

 

EDIT: I tried to use the search feature first, but it kept experiencing problems. Sorry if this is one of those, "what type of exhaust or air intake should I get" type of questions.

Posted

i have a van with the rear sonar parking assist, and on my chevy truck

i went with the back-up camera with dash mounted monitor. there is no

comparison. the back-up camera is INCREDIBLE. i can back up to a

honda accord and put my rear bumper 1" from the hondas little bumper.

i can see everything behind me just like i was standing back there. the

black and white monitor gives you like night vision, so i can see everything

even at night. there is not that much price difference between the two

types of systems. i had mine installed and i would not want to be without

it now. hope this helps. :):cool::eek::P:D

Posted

So it sounds like it'd be redundant to have both (sonar and a camera). I'm planning on dropping one of the navigation systems available for the Yukon Denali into my truck soon, and I've already found an interface for it that will work with a camera. But I thought having both would be a "fail-safe", in case there is very little light available.

 

Thanks for your input! :)

Posted

Welcome aboard. Might I suggest you check out supporting vendor JP Customs. I know Jason was working on rear parking assist for the nbs trucks/ute's at one point.

Posted

A carryover from my previous post on this subject.

As an owner of both the sensors and the camera, I have a lot to say about this. I am glad I tried both and will stick with both.

 

This is the website where I got my reverse detectors:http://www.12voltshop.com

I actually got a BAT-2W instead of the shown SV1201. They are the same except the BAT-2W has a digital readout for distance. In the end, that display is useless - you are better off with just the beeping.

618555_5.jpg

Here is a another website that carries a fairly low cost reverse detector. http://www.autotoys.com

 

Installation was pretty easy. Remove a tail light assembly and shave some insulation off the reverse lamp wires. Then connect the detector's main box wires to the tail light. That way the detector comes on only when the reverse lights turn on. Solder is smarter - but wrap and electrical tape works fine.

 

The two detectors need to be mounted on the bumper about midway from top and bottom. They also need to be about 3 feet from each other. They just stick on with 3M doublesided tape. The wires are a hassle to mount cleanly - I peeled the plastic molding on the bumper back enough to cram the wires in there.

 

I like the way the thing works. Works really well for final approach - such as backing up to a garage door and when parallel parking. It can be a little vague when the bumper corner is really close to something - so you'll have to rely on your mirrors anyway. It will send occassional false alarms on steep driveways. All in all, this is a wise investment. Why the hell GM has it on the minivans, but not on any trucks but Cadillac is beyond me. Ford has these on their full size trucks. Dodge doesn't - but I wouldn't expect it anyway.

 

I opted for the cheaper backup camera setup rather than the more expensive kits like Snakeeyes and Hitchcam. But before I went to the camera, I used the reverse detectors - one of the first things I added to my new Suburban since I am very worried about the giant blind spot back there.

618555_32.jpg618555_39.jpg

Hope this helps you decide what to do next.

Posted

I purchased and installed a Poron unit; it beeps but it also talks. It tells you when you cross the 8', 5', 3', 12", and "crash (within 6") thresholds. I did a lot of reading about the various units and settled on the Poron as a decent alternative. I bought it from eBay for $62 delivered so it was pretty cheap.

 

It took about a full day to install but that's because I put all the wiring in convolute and put the control unit inside the storage box on the driver's side of the Avalanche. Fishing the wires/convolute through the bed drain and up into the storage box was a b!tch!

 

How does it work? Great! You have to get the sensors adjusted correctly but once you do that it will even pick up a curb as you are backing into a parking space. I have occasionally gotten a false alarm when backing from a flat surface onto a hill. Like others have noted, you still have to use your mirrors, especially if you are backing up at an sharp angle to something.

 

I'd do it again in a heartbeat if I had a vehicle that has a large blind spot like the Avalanche.

Posted
Welcome aboard.  Might I suggest you check out supporting vendor JP Customs.  I know Jason was working on rear parking assist for the nbs trucks/ute's at one point.

 

 

 

 

Thanks. It's good to be here. I plan to stick around as my modification journey is just beginning.

 

I did check out all of the supporting vendors (including JP Customs), but most of their systems were much more expensive than what I originally found. I couldn't tell a difference in quality (though I'm sure there very well may be one). I'll probably go with the recommendations of the 2 posters below you.

Posted

That's a nice set-up you have in your 'burb, sup! I believe the suburban shares the same dash set-up (in terms of where the A/C controls, radio, and big empty cubby hole are) as the Sierra, no?

 

I think I'd rather have this type of set-up than the navi interface. The interface alone cost ~ $400, not including a camera. :cheers:

 

Do you know if you can hook up a dvd player to the monitor? I know it wouldn't be the best quality. I wish there was some way to get the Navigation units to play DVDs. Perhaps someday.

 

Edit: From reading through some of the other links you posted, it looks like you are able to play DVDs on the monitor. Where did you end up mounting the DVD player? Or did you just run a line from a rear entertainment set-up? And you also mention that you waterproofed the camera - how was this done? Was there a kit or special mounting set-up? Or did it come with the camera?

 

Also, after looking over 12voltshop.com's website, I think I like the B.A.T. 2W or 4W as well. It sounds like you feel as though 2 sensors are sufficient (as opposed to 4). Is this correct? I kind of like the idea of the visual display, only because I'd be interested in knowing just how close I'm cutting it (past the 1.3ft continuous beep range). Does it continue to display .9, .8, .7 etc. as you reverse?

 

Thanks again!

Posted

Hey Bru, click here for previous thread on tapping factory DVD player for video output. I have a cheapo 3-way video selector switch I stuffed in the center console that I use to flip between the camera and the DVD out. There is noticable video signal loss without using an amp - but not enough to really bother me or the kids.

 

The BAT display does show the distance reduction. But I found it too distracting and actually prefer listening for the repeating beeps since I turn around to look out the back. I've found that the fastest beeping before solid tone means you are close enough to still open a tailgate (maybe not a liftgate). Solid tone means you are close to 1.5 feet from the closest sensor.

 

Two sensors work fine for me. I think 4 would help with the corners. I have to admit that I lose a little sensitivity at the ends of the bumper with only two sensors. This is particularly the case because of the way the last 2 feet of the truck pivots on the rear wheel - this creates a condition where you won't BACK into something, but more likely TURN into it.

 

With the camera, I use it to glance and make sure no shopping carts or toys are behind me. I come back to the camera for final positioning or showing off :cheers:. The reverse camera is already waterproofed. It has an o-ring on the CCD side and an all aluminum body. This is my second camera - the first died, but it appears to be a chip failure rather than a water-related problem.

 

618555_57_full.jpg

Posted
I did check out all of the supporting vendors (including JP Customs), but most of their systems were much more expensive than what I originally found. I couldn't tell a difference in quality (though I'm sure there very well may be one). I'll probably go with the recommendations of the 2 posters below you.

 

 

 

 

 

Yeah, I remembered Sup's camera setup after he posted the pictures. High-tech electrical is not my thing, but I know Jason(JP Customs) helped me out with some lighting wiring diagrams waaaaaaaaay back when. He's also a supporting vendor, so I try to steer people to at least give guys who are a look. That way you can do your homework, see what's out there, talk to others(such as the members above) and make a good decision on what's going to work for your needs.

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