Dear Dave,
I have a ZEROXCLUB 7″ wireless backup camera that I want to mount to the back of my 32′ 5th wheel. I do not want to drill holes into the fiberglass or roof EPDM. Do you see an issue with mounting it to the ladder? I do not use the ladder to access the roof and it seems pretty rigid. —Rik, 2012 Forest River Sterling 5th wheel
Dear Rik,
The only issue I can see is that most ladders vibrate going down the road. Even though it may seem sturdy or rigid, as you state, try climbing up it and see how it moves. Even though you won’t have that much weight on it, I believe it will still vibrate.
According to the photos I can find on the web, the ladder looks like it goes up over the roof and mounts to the roof top. There’s a post attaching the ladder to the back wall at the middle, and it curves at the bottom and attaches to the back wall again. There is very little side-to-side support with this type of design, and the slightest vibration will give you an earthquake-like screen. Here is a similar mount. As you can see, the top rails curve up and attach to the roof.
Mounting a backup camera on the RV
I would not be afraid to mount a small camera on the back wall or roof, as the ladder is already mounted that way. Plus, you are only going to put in two small screws, in most cases. Use butyl tape under the base, attach it to the roof or sidewall, then cover the screws and around the base with the appropriate sealant for either fiberglass or rubber membrane.
If you are attaching it to the roof, the base will most likely be horizontal and you would want to use a self leveling sealant. If you install it to the back wall, you will want to use a non-leveling sealant so it stays put and doesn’t run down the side.
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I want to mount four security cameras on the roof of the RV. Should I be concerned with drilling and sealing holes in the rooftop if I put Dicor over all the mounting fasteners? Should I find a stud or frame to drill into or …? Thanks. —Jerry, 2011 Thor Chateau 22B
Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and the author of the “RV Handbook.”
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I used High Temperature Velcro to secure my camera, centered on the back wall. Been there for years with no problem.
I mounted my camera on the underside of a cabinet on the back wall pointing out the rear window. Worked out great. There are no issues with the lens getting dirty or any other weather problems and I do not have to worry about it walking off. I clean/treat the trailer windows with Rain-X so rain water on the window is not really a problem either.
How clever & its easier to install than going up that ladder.
Thanks for sharing!
Snoopy
I agree about potential vibration if the camera is used for rearview while driving. If the camera is used only for backing up, vibration should not be a serious issue. However, if used for backing up, the owner is going to have substantial parallax issues with the camera mounted far off center. A spotter may still be needed.
I successfully mounted my camera on the ladder with a RAM mount arm. I placed it near a ladder support and I don’t have any vibration.