Better vehicle external cameras? What is good these days in the aftermarket?

[Sid Post]

First, yes I can back by mirrors, back trailers, etc. and realize cameras are no substitute for poor driving skills. Now with that out of the way ...

I am in a 2013 Tacoma with a long travel lift on 35" tires currently. From the rearview mirror I see a small spec of sky between a tire and fuel cans since this rig sits so high. I have a huge blind spot right in front of the hood as well that isn't generally a problem driving in urban areas but, solo offroad can be an issue at times.

I want a front mounted camera to clear obstacles and to know how far away I am from something close to me like a fire hydrant, boulder, another car, etc. Out the rear, I want to see what I am backing into or, if my trailer is still attached to my Tacoma, or perhaps if is throwing sparks or, it is spewing personal belongings along the road.

I think I want to replace the factory radio with one that will support two camera feeds to avoid adding more clutter to my dash.

What is good today and what should I avoid? Any lessons learned?

TIA,
Sid

 

[NatersXJ6]

I don’t know that I can speak to your specific ask, but a while ago I went through a similar quest for my Jeep. One of the things I realized is that the technology has gotten so low-cost that buying multiple different camera and display sets and mixing/matching to get your final goal isn’t too bad. I think I ended up with 3 different kits from the same manufacturer on Amazon for less than $260. It has been life changing.

I want a front mounted camera to clear obstacles and to know how far away I am from something close to me like a fire hydrant, boulder, another car, etc. Out the rear, I want to see what I am backing into or, if my trailer is still attached to my Tacoma, or perhaps if is throwing sparks or, it is spewing personal belongings along the road.