Best Backup Monitors & Alarms
Hopkins' Smart Hitch Backup Camera System eliminates the frustration of hitching up a trail by yourself, with a patent-pending hitch camera mode which easily aligns ball to trailer every time by placing an extra set of eyes where you need them, and SmartZone sensors which utilize ultra-sonic sensing to detect objects up to 5.5 feet away and provide an audible alert when an object is present. Large, crystal clear 3.5-inch color monitor with static free image.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"After several weeks of trying to check for any loose or damaged wires, and finding no damaged wires or connections, I gave up. Bought another brand at NAPA because I needed one.As I was removing the Hopkins, I decided to remove the small screws from the back of the large rectangular "box" that sits behind the tag."
"Update: Received a new camera from Hopkins and the system works well."
"I ALSO USED THE FLEX TUBING FOR THE WIRING AS OTHERS HERE SUGGESTED DOING.IT KEEPS IT SAFER IN THE WISCONSIN WINTERS WITH SALT ETC. I WAS SURPRISED THAT EVEN THE SIZE OF IT WAS JUST RIGHT.I THOUGHT AT FIRST IT WAS A LITTLE SMALL, BUT I MOUNTED IT NEXT TO THE DRIVER SIDE PILLER AND IT IS PERFECT. MINE IS A CREW CAB (4 DOOR) DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AN AS SOON AS. YOU GET IT CALL THE COMPANY AND HAVE THEM SEND YOU AN EXTENSION ( IT IS FREE) AND FREE SHIPPING BUT YOU WILL. NEED IT!"
"Bought 1/4" flexible plastic wire conduit from Harbor Freight that is split down the middle. Drilled a 1/4" hole through the grommet, pushed wire through, and used some caulk just to make sure the hole was water tight. I mounted the display on the windshield, above the rear view mirror, on the right side. I thought the display was a bit small, but it is just the right size, and fits nicely above the rear view mirror. Just make sure to run the wire in areas that it will not get pinched."
"I received a replacement license plate part and installed it and again it stopped working a couple of weeks later."
System Features: Backup Camera & Monitor System. Distance Scale Line Display. Includes All Necessary Cables & Wiring. Monitor. 7'' TFT / LCD Mirror Monitor Screen Display. 16:9 Widescreen. Video System: PAL/NTSC. Dual (RCA) Video Input Connector Jacks. Ability to Connect An Additional Camera Source. Includes Universal Windshield Mount Holder. Power Supply: DC 12V. Dimensions: 7.60''W x 5.24''H x 0.98''D. Camera. License Plate Mount Camera. Rugged & Durable Exterior Mount. Slim-Bar Style Housing. Swivel Angle Adjustable Cam. Marine Grade Waterproof Construction. IP-67 Water Resistant, Fog Resistant. True Color Reproduction. Total Pixels: 656 x 492. Night Vision Ability. Low Lux Light Performance, 0.2 Lux. Wide Viewing Angle: 170 Degrees. Black Zinc Aluminum Die Cast Chrome. 17 Foot Male to Male RCA Video Connection Cable. Power Supply: DC 12V. Dimensions: 10''W x 1.3''H x 1.26''D. Sold as: Unit. Weight: 1.84 lbs. If this item fails to meet your expectations we will accept it back a full refund within the first 30 days. BACKUP CAMERA: A rugged backup rear view camera with true color reproduction at 656x492px. DASHBOARD MOUNTABLE: Both car backup camera and backup camera monitor are mountable.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The camera mount works nice and looks pretty clean bolted to the license plate. I had to remove the interior plastic panels on the liftgate (hardest mechanical part of the whole thing) to get at the wire harness. After removing the taillight and running the car, it was easy to identify with a voltmeter which wire was ground and which powered the reverse light. The monitor itself draws power from another source at the front of the car (ignition, or the included 12V jack)."
"The video cable (yellow RCA plugs on either end) also has a red wire that runs alongside (not pictured in the product photos!). If you do run the cable underneath carpet - make sure you have a wire fisher; this will help considerably. The easiest way to power the front monitor is by using the cigarette lighter socket and a plug is provided; just splice the corresponding wires together. Otherwise, you will either need to find a 12volt power lead inside the car (fusebox or even tap the cigarette lighter from behind). Look at your license plate beforehand and imagine running the camera's two cables (power and video) to the inside for a better idea. My last tip (and this helped me quite a bit): before your installation, place the camera on a table or floor. Look to see how it all connects together BEFORE you are halfway through your install :-) As others have mentioned, go to the PyleAudio website and navigate to the product page; there you will find only a slightly helpful wiring schematic but it is marginally better than what comes in the box. If you wire/hook up as I have above, then when you engage reverse the monitor will automatically turn on and you will have an instant backup view."
"Add a Car Rear View Backup Camera for Driving Safety Plus Installation & Testing. By Howard Berenbon (Cyber News & Reviews). Today, many new cars are equipped with a rear backup camera for driving safety. Cameras and LCD video displays are very affordable and the option shouldn't add too much more to the price of the car, and it makes sense that any reasonable expense to improve driving safety is warranted. Various systems from a number of suppliers are available on Amazon.com starting at around $50 and up to $220 (or more) and include LCD color monitors from 4.3" to 7" and high resolution cameras with or without night vision capability. The video signal can be hard wired through your vehicle to the monitor on your dashboard, or transmitted using a wireless module and received at the LCD display. I had to supply my own power cable (two wires) that I routed from the rear through the side molding, then under the driver’s seat to the center console, just behind the dashboard. My setup allowed power to the camera without putting my car in reverse, and eliminated messing with the tail light wiring. You could see the backup guide lines, red, yellow, and green, down my driveway, built into the camera optics. First I removed the metal bracket (4 tiny screws) and I mounted the camera on top of the bumper just in front of the rear hatch with duck tape and Velcro."
Click here for the PLHR79 Amazon Page Backup Camera That Fits Easily above Your License Plate The PLCM18BC is a rear-view backup camera that easily mounts to your vehicle’s license plate. Mounts Easily on Your License Plate The PLCM18BC can be installed easily on your existing license plate mounting locations, and is suitable for both top as well as bottom mount on the license plate. Displays Distance from Objects This camera displays “distance lines” on your monitor, clearly marking how far you are from visible obstacles. The Pyle PLCM18BC rear-view backup parking assist camera mounts above your vehicle's license plate. Low Lux Performance (0.2 LUX) - Built-in Distance Scale Lines - Video Output: 1.0V PP-75 Ohm.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Connect the red to the positive wire on your back up light, Connect the Black to the negative wire on your back up light. Get yourself some extra wire, connect the extra wire to the red wire hanging off the cable, run this extra wire back up to your reverse light, connect the red wire to the positive wire of the reverse light. Now, when your stereo is on, and your car is running, when you shift the car into reverse, power will go to the camera and turn the camera on, a signal from the reverse light will be sent back up to your head unit, basically telling your head unit the camera is on and you are in reverse, the head unit will immediately switch to back up camera mode, whammy, you now have reverse back up video, as soon as you put the car into drive or any other gear, the camera will shut off, send a signal to the head unit telling it power is off, and your head unit will switch back automatically to your tuner, or whatever you have it setup to do. You will probably need to extend the red wire up to the head unit if you had to put on an extension video wire because the little red wires connected to the video wire that comes in the box are only about 4" long on each end."
"Im triying to install this camera on a Chevy Suburban 1500, year 2003.... on a Pionneer AVH-X 1650DVD..."
"When I tired to lengthen the supplied cable, I was met with wires so thin I could strip them with my fingers. I ended up using some spare composite cable I had laying around (I think I bought it many years ago at a shack which contained radios...) that I did not need to lengthen."
"PYLE PLCM18BC License Plate Mount Camera."
"Just received and mount it to my car."
"Great backup camera. It does not have the infrared light on it like other cameras and it doesn't need them."
"Next, there is no red or orange cable to connect to the reverse lead on the head unit."
Best Vehicle Backup Cameras
Mini charger with an extra USB port(2A),powers the DVR and charges your mobiles devices at the same time. – With AUTO-VOX Wireless Backup Camera Kit,you will now be able to easily park your car even in the tiniest parking spots.Without risking damaging it and ruining your day or night! Wireless Design for DIY Easy Installation – No More Complex Wiring Problem.AUTO-VOX 4.3” LCD rearview monitor connect a backup camera by a wireless transmitter.Wireless transmitter takes the place of complicated long video cables.Make all things much easier.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The system is easy to install and you only have to run a wire to your reverse light bulb wire. **IF you have a German car or if your car has bulb sensing which means it knows if your bulb is out you must purchase 12V DC power adapter filter $6**. Once you hook up to the reverse bulb and plug in the wireless transmitter your literally done!"
"I hooked up the monitor (simply plug in to the 12v accessory jack) and then used a battery jump starter to test out the camera. If I had to say a negative to go with my praises, it would be that the connection between the camera and the monitor takes about 2 seconds for the picture to show up, it’s not instant."
"Modern design, fit in the car very well, easy installation, plug in and operate, the screen resolution is clear and the size of the monitor is definitely big enough for me to notice what happening on time and make right judgement, the lens provide a large area of view, easy to configure. The rack buckles tight and stable, leaves no worry about vibration even driving on tough pavement."
"The finished installation produced an operating system with a useful and great picture on the monitor."
"Anyone with a little knowledge of vehicle wiring and some mechanical ability can install this unit in a very short period of time."
"I wanted the wired version but i couldnt get it shipped to my house, PO Box, or my business yet i could get the wireless version 2x the cost shipped no problem... seems strange to me honeslty... anyways."
"Not sure if I'm picking up interference from something or if I need to move the transponder farther away from the tail light."
"It is really good back up camera."
Best Safety Reflectors
Emergency Items: Battery Booster Cables, Reflective Safety Vest, Self-Powered Flashlight, 2 Light Sticks, Emergency Rain Poncho, Emergency Mylar Blanker, High Quality Reflective Warning Triangle, Whistle. First-Aid Items: First-Aid Tape, 25 Adhesive Bandage, 6 Antiseptic Towelettes, 2 Gauze Pads 5 Butterfly Skin Closure Bandages, 4 Knuckle Bandages, 4 Fingertip bandages, 1 Extra Large Bandages, 15 Small Bandages, 3 Iodine Pads, 10 Alcohol Prep Pads, 1 Bandage Roll, 10 Q-Tips, 1 Pair Disposable Gloves. Life-Saving Robust Battery Jumper Cables: Made of 8-gauge copper wire this jumper cables will get your car back on track in a snap if you ever get stranded or if your car, truck or RV breaks down on the road, no matter if it's summer or winter.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Besides the essentials like jumper cables and first aid supplies, this kit has an unusual number of extras that are useful to keep in your car even in non-emergency situations. I've already used the bungee cords to move a difficult piece of furniture - what would have been an "I guess we're out of luck" situation became a "just a second, let me grab something from the trunk" situation."
"I've purchased 2 of these for my daughters as they recently took cars to college."
"This little kit, along with some additions, i.e., fuses, a fuse puller, small socket wrench set, screwdriver set, etc."
"I wanted to ensure their safety and preparedness so I started putting a kit together that would mirror the emergency items that I have in my car. I started compiling a list of 2-5 kits that would fulfill the need and found it to be much more feasible than item by item but I found quite a bit of duplication and usually in items that would be infrequently utilized. Not only was the quality great, all of the the items came in tge perfect quantities and sizes for a kit of it's kind."
"It should be noted that the cables are heavy duty and it does come with hazard road signs."
"Purchased for my grandson's new car."
"She has 2 l children and is in the car all the time, both highway and city driving."
"I also found the customer service to be exceptional, they reached out to me with emails regarding my purchase and making sure that I was satisfied."
Best Snow Chains
Super Z6 was designed by SCC for cars, trucks, and SUV's with restricted clearance around the drive tires. Based on SCC's experience with other products in the "Z" family, Super Z6 has one very special quality: it will operate in less than half of the space required by most cable chains and tire chains. The SCC Super Z6 SZ429 winter traction product offers superior performance for pickups and SUVs with very limited operating clearance around the drive tires. New Design Based on the "Z" family of products, the Super Z6 is designed for vehicles with restricted clearance around the drive tires. Be prepared for driving this winter with Super Z6 traction systems. It offers a unique combination of performance and convenience features for every user, including a "designed-in" rubber tightener, better all-around traction performance than conventional tire chains or cables, and greater durability. Also check your owner's manual for clearance specifications before installing winter traction products. Better compatibility with anti-lock brakes, traction control, all-wheel drive, and other electronically monitored control systems.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"There are two broad types of traction control devices: Tire chains and traction control cables. Traction control cables are long pieces of metal cables, covered in a plastic coating, and designed to form a Z-pattern over your tires. You should normally install traction control cables on your drive wheels, i.e. the wheels that actually push or pull your car forward. Within the traction control cable category, there are two general types of cables: Self-tensioning cables tighten themselves using a tensioner (which looks, feels, and operates like a rubber band) that you install when you put the cables on. Also, the tensioners (i.e. rubber bands) on self-adjusting cables can and do break (it happened to me today) and if they break, you can't use the cables. So, if you get a cable that has a tensioner, get extra tensioners, or better yet, an extra set of cables, just in case. Here's a breakdown of SCC's cable products: Z-Chain- Manually adjustable Traction Control Cable. After you use the cables for the first time, fold each cable separately and then use a trash bag tie to keep each one together. The basics of the instructions are (1) stay safe, (2) position the cables correctly, (3) connect the upper rear connector, (4) connect the upper front connector, (5) connect the lower front connector, and (6) connect the black rubber bands. When you slide the cables under your tires, start from a point between your front and rear tires. Slide half of the chain under your car, and then reach around from the other side of the tire to pull the cable around. Once the cables are around the tire, DO NOT pull the bottom connectors that hold the cables together at the bottom of the tire towards one another. When you are connecting the rear upper connector, if you can't get the rear upper connectors up above the tire so that you can see them, push the part of the cables that surround the bottom of your tire backwards and under your car a few inches. This will create slack behind the cables and allow you to pull the cables up in the back. Try pushing the rear upper connector back so that it is laying against the inside sidewall of your tire and then pull the front upper connectors towards you as hard as you can. On these particular cables, the upper front connector is BLACK and the bottom front connector is SILVER. When you're ready to take the cables off, if you get the wheel lined up so that the BLACK connector is on the top, it will be much easier to find and remove the rear connector (which will be opposite the black connector)."
"Visually inspecting the cables while trying to put them on, it looks like the right size would fit the car an have enough clearance to safely drive it."
"Ok, I've been lucky enough to never have to use these bad boys, but I have tested them out on my car and they are super easy to put on."
"I have not usd the chains yet but I stalled them to see how easy they go together and it was an easy set up, they appear to be solid, and if and when I use them I will update the review as to there quality and snow traction."
"Easy to put on!!"
"I would highly recommend watching the YouTube video and reading the instruction manual to familiarize yourself, although the process was quite easy."
"These are well designed chains and quite compact."
"easy to installed."