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- Wenatchee, WA
OK - one last project before the snow flys! ![Beaming face with smiling eyes :grin: 😁](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/joypixels/emoji-assets@5.0/png/64/1f601.png)
For as sexy as an M813 with a cargo cover is, it has a massive blind spot behind it which could hide a Prius or a taco truck or even a short bus full of children. I installed a rear view mirror that is actually a backup camera to show me the whole picture while I'm driving, parking or backing up and prevent crunching something I don't want to.
I started with an Auto-Vox V5 Pro because it only has 1 wire running to the mirror, it has front & rear cameras to record trips, and the GPS will display my actual speed since my speedo won't (16.00R20s).
![20221030_153811.jpg 20221030_153811.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/638/638646-3c93d323985eed2d63ff20fcfb9e924c.jpg)
A picture of a TV screen is usually polarized or whatever that distortion is called. To the human eye it's bright and clear.
![20221030_153626.jpg 20221030_153626.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/638/638647-39c9acfa9de0a65dcd87422b01cd1b81.jpg)
![20221030_153724.jpg 20221030_153724.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/638/638648-f6c1f6de3e1f7d4820678c6634411b1a.jpg)
So here's what involved:
Our center windshield frame post is already drilled for what I assume is a rear view mirror so I'm using those original holes that were already sized at a #21 bit to tap to 10-32. The plan is to hide all the wiring inside the hollow post.
![20221017_170251.jpg 20221017_170251.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/638/638649-5d9a22b9bb208a9bd9963814ff7d1814.jpg)
![20221017_170415.jpg 20221017_170415.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/638/638650-aa5f1d0b8087041696b6ec0cd69ee6b6.jpg)
Since the mounting arm that came with the camera and even the optional mounts are made for angled windshields instead of flat/vertical glass, I decided to make my own mount and the flange of that helps locate the transfer punch for the 1/2" wiring hole.
The bracket is simply a 10 gauge flange with 1/2" hole, a section of 1/2" x 0.049" wall stainless hydraulic tubing and a 22mm ball bearing drilled thru at 11/32" and then slightly counterbored to 1/2" on one end.
![20221019_111630.jpg 20221019_111630.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/638/638651-da6e3dac2a38e9da8a202bcc7c257a4d.jpg)
![20221019_111700.jpg 20221019_111700.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/638/638652-38b596bf1e0d333c678d35dc2395f999.jpg)
![20221019_155840.jpg 20221019_155840.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/638/638653-0951f2abe3b10881890ee33dfcc8540c.jpg)
After the trial fit I shortened the tube 1/2" and got it tig welded all the way around. The ball bearing ended up being made out of heat treated 521000 alloy so it had to be annealed before it would drill.
![20221017_111747.jpg 20221017_111747.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/638/638654-bf387ab9ab1e085741ea02f4998c4466.jpg)
~800°F
![20221017_135917.jpg 20221017_135917.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/638/638655-94d2e678067359f082375d18a72f054b.jpg)
![Beaming face with smiling eyes :grin: 😁](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/joypixels/emoji-assets@5.0/png/64/1f601.png)
For as sexy as an M813 with a cargo cover is, it has a massive blind spot behind it which could hide a Prius or a taco truck or even a short bus full of children. I installed a rear view mirror that is actually a backup camera to show me the whole picture while I'm driving, parking or backing up and prevent crunching something I don't want to.
I started with an Auto-Vox V5 Pro because it only has 1 wire running to the mirror, it has front & rear cameras to record trips, and the GPS will display my actual speed since my speedo won't (16.00R20s).
![20221030_153811.jpg 20221030_153811.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/638/638646-3c93d323985eed2d63ff20fcfb9e924c.jpg)
A picture of a TV screen is usually polarized or whatever that distortion is called. To the human eye it's bright and clear.
![20221030_153626.jpg 20221030_153626.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/638/638647-39c9acfa9de0a65dcd87422b01cd1b81.jpg)
![20221030_153724.jpg 20221030_153724.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/638/638648-f6c1f6de3e1f7d4820678c6634411b1a.jpg)
So here's what involved:
Our center windshield frame post is already drilled for what I assume is a rear view mirror so I'm using those original holes that were already sized at a #21 bit to tap to 10-32. The plan is to hide all the wiring inside the hollow post.
![20221017_170251.jpg 20221017_170251.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/638/638649-5d9a22b9bb208a9bd9963814ff7d1814.jpg)
![20221017_170415.jpg 20221017_170415.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/638/638650-aa5f1d0b8087041696b6ec0cd69ee6b6.jpg)
Since the mounting arm that came with the camera and even the optional mounts are made for angled windshields instead of flat/vertical glass, I decided to make my own mount and the flange of that helps locate the transfer punch for the 1/2" wiring hole.
The bracket is simply a 10 gauge flange with 1/2" hole, a section of 1/2" x 0.049" wall stainless hydraulic tubing and a 22mm ball bearing drilled thru at 11/32" and then slightly counterbored to 1/2" on one end.
![20221019_111630.jpg 20221019_111630.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/638/638651-da6e3dac2a38e9da8a202bcc7c257a4d.jpg)
![20221019_111700.jpg 20221019_111700.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/638/638652-38b596bf1e0d333c678d35dc2395f999.jpg)
![20221019_155840.jpg 20221019_155840.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/638/638653-0951f2abe3b10881890ee33dfcc8540c.jpg)
After the trial fit I shortened the tube 1/2" and got it tig welded all the way around. The ball bearing ended up being made out of heat treated 521000 alloy so it had to be annealed before it would drill.
![20221017_111747.jpg 20221017_111747.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/638/638654-bf387ab9ab1e085741ea02f4998c4466.jpg)
~800°F
![20221017_135917.jpg 20221017_135917.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/638/638655-94d2e678067359f082375d18a72f054b.jpg)
Last edited: