SOLVED: Wolfbox G900 Tripro Bumper Version Hardware Problem

[Wabujitsu]

An update on the install, and resolving a hardware problem.

The bull bar-mounted trail camera has been giving me some problems. The video is extremely wavy as soon as I start driving.

I contacted Wolfbox, and they immediately sent me another bumper camera and a new wire harness. I installed it, with the same problem. Customer service has been outstanding; I received the camera in less than a week.

HOWEVER, I have found one solution that eliminates the waviness, and I am working on other solutions as well.

When using the hinged mounting bracket, DO NOT open that hinge to elevate the camera. Close it completely, tighten down the hinge screws as tight as you can, and leave it there. Elevating the camera is unnecessary anyway. With the camera view on the mirror, if I want to see lower, right in front of my Jeep, I just click and drag on the mirror to bring the view down. Do the opposite if you want a higher view, looking down the street.

Oddly, I have seen a few YouTube review videos on this system, that show the trail camera view being extremely wavy. The narrators in these videos never mention the waviness, and give the system an enthusiastic two-thumbs-up. I agree that the system IS excellent, but never mentioning this issue, that can PLAINLY be seen in the videos, is deceptive and odd. The videographers not only didn’t mention it, but they also didn’t have a solution for it.

I have been keeping Wolfbox and @WOLFBOX CAR LIFE informed about this issue, and my initial solution for it. I am working on other solutions to allow opening the mounting plate at the hinge to raise the camera higher, or to mount it to the grill with the same mounting bracket open 90 degrees.

To reiterate, in spite of this problem that I have solved, I am extremely pleased with the Wolfbox G900 Tripro Bumper Version.

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[Terrymo]

I skipped the hinge on the front bumper cam and used 3m VHB tape to mount in directly to the bumper. The only anomaly I had was when I first competed the install and was in the garage with a bunch of ceiling mounted fluorescent lights. Are you saying image waviness or is it shakiness from the hinge which is not very robust in my opinion? I used this hinge and 3m VHB tape in the rear to mount the camera to the flat part of hinged bracket then some more substantial hardware to mount the hinge through the slotted part of the hingesd bracket to the license relocation bracket. I understand this is a universal kit and they can’t account for every mounting possibility, but hinges and small hardware could be improved on in my opinion.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRTH5W7?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1

 

[Wabujitsu]

I skipped the hinge on the front bumper cam and used 3m VHB tape to mount in directly to the bumper. The only anomaly I had was when I first competed the install and was in the garage with a bunch of ceiling mounted fluorescent lights. Are you saying image waviness or is it shakiness from the hinge which is not very robust in my opinion? I used this hinge and 3m VHB tape in the rear to mount the camera to the flat part of hinged bracket then some more substantial hardware to mount the hinge through the slotted part of the hingesd bracket to the license relocation bracket. I understand this is a universal kit and they can’t account for every mounting possibility, but hinges and small hardware could be improved on in my opinion.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRTH5W7?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1

Terry, I mounted the rear camera with a 3M sticky pad under the hinge mounting hardware, and stuck it to the top of the OEM backup cam cover. The hinge is open a little bit. The front bumper camera I used the same hinge, but zip-tied it very tightly and securely to the bull bar. The only way it doesn’t feed a very wavy/shaky image to the monitor is if I mash the hinge completely closed. If it is open even the slightest - like the back camera hinge is - the image degrades immediately at only 1-2 MPH.

The front bumper camera and the rear camera have two different image sensors. My guess is the front bumper image sensor is extremely sensitive to some sort of oscillation that is transferring to the sensor, and is somehow mitigated by smashing the hinge closed and tightening the hinge screws as tight as possible.

I am working on other easy methods of mitigation. If Wolfbox replaced the current 1080P camera with another 2.5K rear camera, that would be ideal, as that image sensor does not seem to be prone to those oscillations.

Any additional thoughts, my friend?

 

[Terrymo]

Terry, I mounted the rear camera with a 3M sticky pad under the hinge mounting hardware, and stuck it to the top of the OEM backup cam cover. The hinge is open a little bit. The front bumper camera I used the same hinge, but zip-tied it very tightly and securely to the bull bar. The only way it doesn’t feed a very wavy/shaky image to the monitor is if I mash the hinge completely closed. If it is open even the slightest - like the back camera hinge is - the image degrades immediately at only 1-2 MPH.

The front bumper camera and the rear camera have two different image sensors. My guess is the front bumper image sensor is extremely sensitive to some sort of oscillation that is transferring to the sensor, and is somehow mitigated by smashing the hinge closed and tightening the hinge screws as tight as possible.

I am working on other easy methods of mitigation. If Wolfbox replaced the current 1080P camera with another 2.5K rear camera, that would be ideal, as that image sensor does not seem to be prone to those oscillations.

Any additional thoughts, my friend?

Sounds like you’re on the right track. The hinges could definitely use improvement especially in an off-road environment. I don’t know enough to comment on the camera technology. Personally I would like higher resolution bumper and rear cameras even if it meant the lack multiple camera views on the screen at the same time since I prefer to have only have one camera displayed at a time.

I would be curious to hear @wibornz thoughts about the hinges and any image issues since he has lots of miles offroad with this setup.

 

[Wabujitsu]

Sounds like you’re on the right track. The hinges could definitely use improvement especially in an off-road environment. I don’t know enough to comment on the camera technology. Personally I would like higher resolution bumper and rear cameras even if it meant the lack multiple camera views on the screen at the same time since I prefer to have only have one camera displayed at a time.

I would be curious to hear @wibornz thoughts about the hinges and any image issues since he has lots of miles offroad with this setup.

Hopefully Ted @wibornz will chime in here. He’s an extremely knowledgeable, helpful guy - like you and others here.

 

[wibornz]

I never noticed in my set up. I will look through some of my videos. I don't often save the front bumper camera video as I like the Jeep hood to be in the shot. Plus the front camera seams to attract dust.

 

[WOLFBOX CAR LIFE]

Happy to see you like our product. And thanks for your feedback, which I will pass to the product team.

 

[wibornz]

I never noticed in my set up. I will look through some of my videos. I don't often save the front bumper camera video as I like the Jeep hood to be in the shot. Plus the front camera seams to attract dust.

So I left the camera on the trail cam off my front bumper for my driving today and did not have the issues you described. I went back and watched some off road video too and my camera was smooth and stable.

My camera is mounted just above the fairlead for the winch on the front bumper. Sorry that I am not able to help in this situation.

 

[Terrymo]

So I left the camera on the trail cam off my front bumper for my driving today and did not have the issues you described. I went back and watched some off road video too and my camera was smooth and stable.

My camera is mounted just above the fairlead for the winch on the front bumper. Sorry that I am not able to help in this situation.

I also went back through my footage which is relatively minimal but don’t see any shakiness or other anomalies

 

[Wabujitsu]

So I left the camera on the trail cam off my front bumper for my driving today and did not have the issues you described. I went back and watched some off road video too and my camera was smooth and stable.

My camera is mounted just above the fairlead for the winch on the front bumper. Sorry that I am not able to help in this situation.

Ted, how exactly did you mount it? Mine is currently mounted on my bumper too, without the waviness. Only a very, very minor difference causes the shakiness. The below photos show how it’s mounted; by simply elevating the camera by unfolding the mount at the hinge, just a tiny bit, causes MASSIVE wavering of the image, at 1-2 MPH on a very smooth surface.

I’ve got the mounting plate closed as far as it will go in these photos.

 

[Wabujitsu]

I also went back through my footage which is relatively minimal but don’t see any shakiness or other anomalies

Terry, see my last post to Ted, above. How is yours mounted, specifically?

 

[Terrymo]

Terry, see my last post to Ted, above. How is yours mounted, specifically?

The front and rear hinges that came with the external cameras are completely removed. In the front I used my own 3m VHB tape and mounted the bottom of the camera directly to the bumper. There’s enough adjustability of the image up,and down on the rear view mirror display that this spot works for me. Let me know if you have more questions or want different pics

 

[Terrymo]

My OEM front trail camera is mounted here and I can see the leading edge of my front tires and any terrain about 4 feet in front of them. My intent is to use it if I’m going really slow and struggling on an obstacle but usually forget to use it. This also allowed me to install the Bolt hood lock. I got the idea from @BDinTX who does actually have some good ideas from time to time

 

[wibornz]

Here you go. It is mounted to the bumper with gorilla tape. on the folding mount.

A quick 37 second video of the trail cam on Red Cone Pass, Webster's Pass and Handcart Gulch.

 

[Wabujitsu]

@BDinTX and @Terrymo Ted and Terry, that explains the difference. I don’t have a flat area to 3M it to. I had to use the hinged bracket and zip-tie it to the bull bar. There is no other place on my bumper to center-mount it. I could tape it to the control box of my winch, but the bull bar obstructs the view.

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