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Garmin 890 and F-150 install


topgun2

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Given the recent price drop on the Garmin 890 I bought one.  Even though my old Garmin (nuvi 2797) has a 7 inch screen I thought that the 8 inch screen of the 890 plus the added RV related features available on it would really help me since most often I tow my Oliver solo.

Upon receiving the new unit I found that the advertised features are, indeed, what they say they are - really very nice.  The touch screen also is better than previous models I've tried and both the Bluetooth and WiFi functions performed without a hitch as does the trip planning and all other features I tried.

The nuvi 2797 is attached to whatever mounting system via a 7mm ball and socket.  However, probably due to the overall size and slightly increased weight, Garmin has gone to a 1 inch ball and socket (Garmin says 21.83mm but the one inch is close enough).  That meant that I could not use my "bean bag mount" unless I obtained a new mounting arm with the larger sized ball.  In looking at this more closely, I took the 890 out to the truck (and car) and found that even though the new unit is only 1 inch larger, it takes up too much of the viewing area when looking out the windshields of both the car and the truck (2017 F150).  I've never been a fan of those suction windshield mounts and found that with my old GPS supported by the bean bag mount it was at a good level without obscuring the windshield too much, but, the 890 is simply too big.  So, the issue was/is with the slanted (towards the interior) "storage tray" that is in the center of the dash on the Ford, how could I mount this 890 so that it "cleared" they top of the storage tray and still could be lowered so as to not obscure the windshield too much.

I believe that the answer is to install the  dash mount rack made by Builtright Industries.  There is an installation video on their website and it should be a fairly simple process to hardwire the GPS and maybe even a USB port at the same time of the install (think cell phone here).  With the addition of a simple RAM mount extension arm I will then be able to slightly lower the large screen while at the same time get the screen placed just a tad closer to my normal seating position. 

If anyone has a better idea - please let me know!

Bill

OffroadAlliance.com currently has the dash mount rack on sale at $38.25

Edited by topgun2
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2023 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5EB FX4 Max Towing, Max Payload, 2016 Oliver Elite II - Hull #117 "Twist"

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Bill, that is very cool, and I am a huge fan of RAM mounts, but my concern would be unwanted reflections in the windshield. Those bug the heck out of me, I much prefer stuff to be down, below the lip of the dash cover. It does look like a solid and versatile piece of kit. Can something similar be mounted lower down?

B7B7CE84-681B-40D8-A39A-D36D06DAF9AF.thumb.jpeg.65629c5122974c239f85ca638e29c3f1.jpeg

Or you could install a flat black Dashmat carpet cover over the whole area, and make a small “hat” out of black felt to cover the mount parts. That would look a little odd but would completely kill all reflections. Every car I ever owned has had a black dash cover, they work really really well. The light colors, not at all, they reflect into the glass.

 https://www.covercraft.com/us/en/dash-covers

John Davies

Spokane WA

Edited by John E Davies

SOLD 07/23 "Mouse":  2017 Legacy Elite II Two Beds, Hull Number 218, See my HOW TO threads: 

Tow Vehicle: 2013 Land Cruiser 200, 32” LT tires, airbags, Safari snorkel, Maggiolina Grand Tour 360 Carbon RTT.

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JD - 

Yes, I also stumbled across another mount that fits in the "slot" between the air vents and nav/control screen.  However, it was basically designed for only one device at a time and the install was considerably more involved.  As the picture you posted shows, it will not be difficult to get the Garmin to sit about half way above and below the front of the dash.  This will still give access to the controls above the nav/control screen while also not blocking that much of the view out of the windshield - kind of picture the Garmin "ball which is centered on the back of the unit right where the RAM mount is in the picture.

Bill

p.s.  when I purchased the truck in 2017 I immediately had window tint (street legal of course) put on the two side windows and a strip added to the windshield to aid in blocking some of the light and reflection from that large glass.  It is much better than the 2011 model that I had and the front side windows now more closely match the very dark tint of those read windows.

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Now that I have the Garmin 890 installed along with the Builtright rack for the dash tray on the Ford (150 or 250), here are a couple of pics.  Hardwiring the 12 volt/2 slot USB that used 3M double sided tape to attach to the underside of the Builtright rack was a bit un-nerving but not really difficult - let me know if you want details.

With the adjustable RAM mount I can move the GPS to a more comfortable position as compared to my old GPS which actually had to sit up on the dash a bit too far away to make changes on the fly.  And, even given the weight of the 890, the RAM mounts hold the screen securely and without vibration.

The Garmin 890 is really very nice - it should be for its "sale" price of $400.  But, the inclusion of data for campgrounds, dump stations, propane outlets, truck stops, Walmarts, Cracker Barrels, etc., really make this unit much more useful as compared to my old Garmin.

The traffic and on the fly fuel price functions of the 890 are obtained via a Garmin app connected to the 890 via bluetooth.  I've not had a chance (yet) to test these features.

Questions?

Bill

 

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Edited by topgun2
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2023 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5EB FX4 Max Towing, Max Payload, 2016 Oliver Elite II - Hull #117 "Twist"

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TG (Bill),

Have you gone out to the Garmin site to upgrade maps/sw since you received it?  No matter how new these products are, they seem to need updates by the time you purchase/install it.

Mine should arrive this week.  It will be going into our 2010 GMC 1500.   I will look into the mount you have, and maybe swing it to the “CO-PILOT/NAVIGATOR side of the Cab”.  Its either that or being reminded to “KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE !@#$%^&* ROAD”.  I choose the more calming option.

We both work on setting up routes using the PC/SW at home when planning, but travelling… not my job.  If we want to modify a route ahead of time, we try to do that “out of the Cab”.  However that does not stop us from spontaneously going on a “Mr. Toads Wild Ride”, but isn’t that is part of the adventure.

 

 

Edited by SNYSDUP

Maggie & Bryan | Arnegard, ND | 2020 LE II "Twins" Hull #665 | 2021 RAM 2500  6.4L HEMI Gasser  4dr  6.5' bed

 

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Yes, since I already have the Garmin Express program on my computer due to the nuvi2797, it was easy to bring that program up, plug in the new 890 to the computer and add the new device (the 890) to the list of Garmins I have.  From there the "Express" program automatically checks for both GPS software and maps updates.  In my case, both were needed.  However, instead of this process taking a couple of hours to update, as was the case with my 2797, the 890 only took about 1/2 hour.

These RAM mounts are really nice.  I have used them in the past on various motorcycles but never before in the truck.  Note that Garmin says that the ball mount on the 890 is 21.83 mm which is a bit smaller than the one inch ball of the RAM mounts.  But, after comparing the two side by side, I really could not see any difference and can happily tell you that the one sent with the 890 works very well with the RAM extension arm.  Frankly, I was pleasantly surprised by how stable the 890 is hanging off that 5 1/2 inch arm.  I'd strongly suggest to wait until you have the 890 in hand before you decide where or how you want to mount it in your 1500.  I found that simply having it attached to the windshield or sitting on the dash blocked way too much of the view out the front.  Certainly the screen is big enough to mount in the center of the cockpit so both people can see it and the navigator can easily take the 890 off the "head" unit in order to more comfortably look for rest areas, gas stations, campgrounds, shopping, restaurants, etc..  As I tried to show in the pics above, my mounting area gets the screen out of my direct line of sight but still gives me access to all of the controls on the dash and even a view of the navigation screen in the center console.

Perhaps Builtright Industries makes a mounting system similar to what they make for the Ford that gives you several different options.  As you can see, I have plenty of room to mount my TPMS and/or a cell phone to the Builtright rack.

I really think that you will enjoy the 890 when you get it.

Bill

p.s.  My 890 was manufactured in November but still needed the updates mentioned above.

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2023 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5EB FX4 Max Towing, Max Payload, 2016 Oliver Elite II - Hull #117 "Twist"

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We have an older F-350 (2013) with no in-dash navigation, just a regular satellite/am fm radio/CD player.  We found a CD slot mount works well since the CD player is just below the dash.  Had to purchase a 1"ball.  I'll share a picture when I get the chance to take one.

@topgun2 I knew, as soon as we paid full price for the 890, there would be a price drop!  Couldn't wait, though as we needed it to get us to Hohenwald to pick up our Elite II.  The Garmin worked great; did a great job of keeping us going the right direction.  I do still need to practice some with the features as I know we aren't taking advantage of them all.  

One thing I can't seem to get is how to select an alternate route.  Garmin seems to want to pick one with no options to redirect.  Perhaps someone can clue me in as to how to do this.  The only way I've had success is to break the trip up into small segments with destinations along the route we prefer.

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Ray and Susan Huff

Elite II Twin "Pearl" - Hull#699; delivered December 7, 2020

2013 F350 6.7l diesel Super Duty 4x4 long bed crew cab

1UP-USA Heavy-duty bike rack

2017 Leisure Travel Van Unity Twin Bed (sold)

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Bill, what a nice installation, it looks slick! 

FYI about map updates, do them often. They come out about every three months. When installing, look at Options and choose to install a copy on your computer. Their BaseCamp PC or Mac mapping application works pretty well for a free app, but any updated maps have to go onto your computer as well as your device.

https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=vxmflP3DAk2ajAJSmzVSW6
 

Map files are huge, try to delete older ones off your computer rather than just letting them accumulate. The new one that goes onto your device over-writes the old one; NOT so with the ones that go onto your home machine.

Also you can add a few “custom” map types to your device and to BaseCamp, like 24K state topographic maps. These have to be downloaded from another site like .... https://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/ .... and then loaded using the Garmin Map Install app.

https://www.gpsfiledepot.com/tutorials/

John Davies

Spokane WA

Edited by John E Davies
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SOLD 07/23 "Mouse":  2017 Legacy Elite II Two Beds, Hull Number 218, See my HOW TO threads: 

Tow Vehicle: 2013 Land Cruiser 200, 32” LT tires, airbags, Safari snorkel, Maggiolina Grand Tour 360 Carbon RTT.

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BlueHighways - 

If you plan on hardwiring your Garmin after you receive it, please drop me a PM and we can talk about getting that job done without cracking, denting or otherwise destroying any of that nice plastic that is your dash.

Ray & Susan - 

I've not used the "alternative route" function on the 890 yet.  But, I'll take a look at it soon and send along any "wisdom" that I can.

Bill

Edited by topgun2
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Ray & Susan - 

I've just looked into the "alternate route" issue and from what that quick look gave me it appears fairly easy.  Take the route that is calculated and then save it.  Bring up that saved route and a list of the start, end and all stops in between will come up.  Touch the wrench in the upper left hand corner of the screen and then chose shape route or route preference.  You can then touch the map to draw around sections you don't want to see or chose dirt roads or shortest route (mileage wise).  I've not found a way (yet) of getting it to show several alternative routes on the same screen in the manner that Google maps does.

Bill

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On 12/15/2020 at 2:02 PM, topgun2 said:

Ray & Susan - 

I've just looked into the "alternate route" issue and from what that quick look gave me it appears fairly easy.  Take the route that is calculated and then save it.  Bring up that saved route and a list of the start, end and all stops in between will come up.  Touch the wrench in the upper left hand corner of the screen and then chose shape route or route preference.  You can then touch the map to draw around sections you don't want to see or chose dirt roads or shortest route (mileage wise).  I've not found a way (yet) of getting it to show several alternative routes on the same screen in the manner that Google maps does.

Bill

Thanks for investigating for me.  Being accustomed to Google Maps, both on the computer and in my car's GPS - 2015 BMW X5 navigation is based on Google Maps.  What is really nice about this is that I can create trips at home, on the computer, and send them to the car or phone.

 

Ray and Susan Huff

Elite II Twin "Pearl" - Hull#699; delivered December 7, 2020

2013 F350 6.7l diesel Super Duty 4x4 long bed crew cab

1UP-USA Heavy-duty bike rack

2017 Leisure Travel Van Unity Twin Bed (sold)

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Bill,

Thanks for the great write up on the Garmin 890 and install.
We placed our order for the 890 and look forward to possibly a similar install.

- David 

Edited by Patriot
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2020 OLEII - Hull #634 aka-  “XPLOR”

2021 F350 6.7 liter Diesel Lariat Ultimate Tremor 

North Carolina 🇺🇸

 

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On 12/14/2020 at 11:31 AM, topgun2 said:

Hardwiring the 12 volt/2 slot USB that used 3M double sided tape to attach to the underside of the Builtright rack was a bit un-nerving but not really difficult - let me know if you want details.

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Bill,

Fantastic install ...thanks for posting.

I would like some more info on the 12V adapter.  Did you wire in a USB/12V outlet plug into that upper tray? 
I'd be interested in knowing the part for that plug.

Craig

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2019 Elite II (Hull 505 - Galway Girl - August 7, 2019 Delivery) 
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Craig - 

Thanks to both you and Patriot for the kind words.

The 12 volt outlet that I used is THIS.  I mounted this to the underside of the Builtright rack with double sided 3M VBR tape.  Then I drilled a small hole in the bottom of the Ford's dash tray to feed the outlet's wires through and attached the negative to a bolt (to ground to the frame of the truck) that is located directly below the tray.  Then I ran the power wire down to the 12 volt outlet that is in the Ford's dash and spliced into the power wire coming out of the back of that socket.  All of this is fairly easy as long as you are "gentle" making sure that you do not break any of the plastic clips holding your dash together.  There are a number of YouTube videos showing how this is done.

Bill

p.s.  The actual outlet I purchased at WalMart has one 12 volt socket and two USB ports in it versus the two 12 volt sockets shown in the socket on Amazon.  I did this because I plan on using the 12 volt outlet for the Garmin and at least one of the USB ports for a cell phone.  Also, as far as I'm aware, most of the dash cams and my TPMS can/are powered by USB and if I want to mount either or both on the rack I will have the power right there.

Further, I should note that when all is put together, I can not see the outlet from either the driver's or passenger's seat.  I take the Garmin's power cord, plug it into the outlet and then stuff the excess wire under the rack - you can't see any of it and yet the Garmin can easily be dismounted from the rack and transferred into another vehicle.

Edited by topgun2
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You're welcome.

The 12 volt socket that I used is very similar to THIS ONE versus the one I link to above but (for what its worth) I think the one at WalMart was a touch cheaper.

In conversations with Patriot, he has told me that his new Ford Tremor has powered switches at the top of the windshield - bottom of the headliner.  If an easy way of feeding the power wire exists to allow going through the firewall where the fuse box is located for these switches, wiring into these would provide a slick result with the ability to switch on/off the power to the rack.  I did consider "fishing" the power wire over to the fuse panel that is located on the outside of the passenger footwell.  Once there I would have found a circuit like the one for the sun roof that is switched via the ignition.  But, obviously, I was simply too lazy and since the Garmin doesn't consume very much power (particularly when the screen is off) I'm not worried about draining my battery if I forget to unplug the Garmin when I stop for the night.

Bill

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My 890 arrived yesterday and I am still thinking through this install. As TG mentioned I do have the optional upfitter switches (pic) one of which will likely be my 890 power source. The builtright mounting bracket is on its way from the supplier. And I already had a new ram mount in my shop that I had never opened from my previous 2 wheeled moto years. My only concern with the ram mount arm length from the mounting ram ball mounting point on the Builtright.
Which begs the question? Is there any noticeable screen bounce or screen vibration when driving down secondary roads using the longer ram arm mount?
In a recent conversation with TG, I believe he mentioned he saw no noticeable screen bounce or vibs on the smoother super slab on a recent trip.  Over thinking, Yes.. guilty.😎

Over head upfitter switches- 

5B2AFDB5-870E-42DA-BEC1-56A5952D4C4C.jpeg
 

 

06E24F77-9A71-4F1F-85D2-9C955338F252.png

Edited by Patriot

 

2020 OLEII - Hull #634 aka-  “XPLOR”

2021 F350 6.7 liter Diesel Lariat Ultimate Tremor 

North Carolina 🇺🇸

 

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A couple of additional comments about the Garmin 890 - 

1.  For a number of reasons, I wanted an additional rearview camera on my Ollie.  So, I purchased the Garmin BC35 that is made to pair with the Garmin 890.  My plan is to install the camera in the usual spot on the roof at the rear of the Ollie, drill a hole and run the camera cable into the attic.  Then, using extension cables, run the video cable through the cubbies toward the front door.  Once there I can use the already installed "camera" switch in order to get power to the camera and the WiFi sending unit.  Using double sided VBR tape, I will simply attach the WiFi sending unit in that same area.  Not only does this method allow me to get to a switched power source, but, it also gets the WiFi sending unit that much closer to the truck where the 890 is located (note that Garmin claims a 45 foot signal transmission distance for this device).  Also note that Garmin recommends that the WiFi sending unit be protected from the weather.

Unfortunately, Garmin does not make extension cables for the BC35.  I found THESE on Amazon.  Had to wait almost three weeks for delivery from China but they arrived this past Friday.  In doing a bench test yesterday it was quickly apparent that the first connection between the Garmin video cable and the first extension cable was not going to work - all other connections were fine to include from the last extension cable to the WiFi sending unit.  The issue was that the female socket on the Garmin end was too small and the male end on the extension cable was too big.  So, first I used 200 grit sandpaper to shave down the diameter of the male plug a little and used a hair dryer to soften the female socket a bit.  They are still fairly tight - but - they work.

The next issue was that the first extension cable worked with no issues - each cable is 6.5 feet long and I bought three since I could not find a longer single cable in the necessary 6 pin design.  But, when I plugged in the second cable, the system no longer worked.  I tested for power - good.  I tested for tight connection and/or bent connector pins - also all good.  So, I went back to the original single cable arrangement and all again worked as it should.  Reinstalled that second cable again and it didn't work.  I was perplexed and didn't have an easy way to test the individual pins on the end of the second cable, so, I replaced that second cable with what was supposed to be the third cable.  Walla, all works again.  Obviously, that second cable is faulty and a new replacement is being sent.

NOTE - the BC35 camera is not high resolution but it is color and night vision is more than acceptable.  Also note that due to potential voltage drop the use of more than four of these 6.5 foot cables joined together is not recommended.

2.  While playing around with all of the above, I noticed that one of the "apps" on the 890 was labeled "browser".  I opened it and, sure enough, it connected to my home WiFi system and opened Garmin's internet page.  So, I then opened My.MSN.com and Google and several other pages and confirmed that this is simply what it says it is - a doorway to the internet.  Certainly the screen is much larger than my cell phone and is the same size as my tablet.  But since it is already on the dash, when I pull into a McDonald's, Starbucks, Lowes, WalMart, etc. I can simply connect to their WiFi without messing with my phone or tablet and send emails or catch up with what's happening here on the Forum!

3.  Another nice feature of the 890 is that even while not tethered to a computer it will use WiFi to check for both map and system updates and notify the user if either are available.  While they do want the unit plugged into a power source prior to downloading and/or installing any update, a connection or direct use of a computer is not necessary - any simple USB power port will do.

Bill

 

Edited by topgun2
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2 hours ago, topgun2 said:

A couple of additional comments about the Garmin 890 - 

1.  For a number of reasons, I wanted an additional rearview camera on my Ollie.  So, I purchased the Garmin BC35 that is made to pair with the Garmin 890.  My plan is to install the camera in the usual spot on the roof at the rear of the Ollie, drill a hole and run the camera cable into the attic.  Then, using extension cables, run the video cable through the cubbies toward the front door.  Once there I can use the already installed "camera" switch in order to get power to the camera and the WiFi sending unit.  Using double sided VBR tape, I will simply attach the WiFi sending unit in that same area.  Not only does this method allow me to get to a switched power source, but, it also gets the WiFi sending unit that much closer to the truck where the 890 is located (note that Garmin claims a 45 foot signal transmission distance for this device).  Also note that Garmin recommends that the WiFi sending unit be protected from the weather.

Unfortunately, Garmin does not make extension cables for the BC35.  I found THESE on Amazon.  Had to wait almost three weeks for delivery from China but they arrived this past Friday.  In doing a bench test yesterday it was quickly apparent that the first connection between the Garmin video cable and the first extension cable was not going to work - all other connections were fine to include from the last extension cable to the WiFi sending unit.  The issue was that the female socket on the Garmin end was too small and the male end on the extension cable was too big.  So, first I used 200 grit sandpaper to shave down the diameter of the male plug a little and used a hair dryer to soften the female socket a bit.  They are still fairly tight - but - they work.

The next issue was that the first extension cable worked with no issues - each cable is 6.5 feet long and I bought three since I could not find a longer single cable in the necessary 6 pin design.  But, when I plugged in the second cable, the system no longer worked.  I tested for power - good.  I tested for tight connection and/or bent connector pins - also all good.  So, I went back to the original single cable arrangement and all again worked as it should.  Reinstalled that second cable again and it didn't work.  I was perplexed and didn't have an easy way to test the individual pins on the end of the second cable, so, I replaced that second cable with what was supposed to be the third cable.  Walla, all works again.  Obviously, that second cable is faulty and a new replacement is being sent.

NOTE - the BC35 camera is not high resolution but it is color and night vision is more than acceptable.  Also note that due to potential voltage drop the use of more than four of these 6.5 foot cables joined together is not recommended.

2.  While playing around with all of the above, I noticed that one of the "apps" on the 890 was labeled "browser".  I opened it and, sure enough, it connected to my home WiFi system and opened Garmin's internet page.  So, I then opened My.MSN.com and Google and several other pages and confirmed that this is simply what it says it is - a doorway to the internet.  Certainly the screen is much larger than my cell phone and is the same size as my tablet.  But since it is already on the dash, when I pull into a McDonald's, Starbucks, Lowes, WalMart, etc. I can simply connect to their WiFi without messing with my phone or tablet and send emails or catch up with what's happening here on the Forum!

3.  Another nice feature of the 890 is that even while not tethered to a computer it will use WiFi to check for both map and system updates and notify the user if either are available.  While they do want the unit plugged into a power source prior to downloading and/or installing any update, a connection or direct use of a computer is not necessary - any simple USB power port will do.

Bill

 

Thank you, Bill, for your detailed descriptions and comments.  Do you think that the combination 890 and BC35 camera would be a solid alternative to the backup camera system that Oliver installs on new trailers ("Furrion Vision S" with a 4.3-inch screen)?  Or, do you find that the 890 provides substantial benefit as an additional backup camera system so that both are warranted?  From your description, the Garmin combination would offer a much bigger back up screen (perhaps making it easier to see obstacles when backing up), plus give all of the benefits of navigation, especially if you can easily toggle between rear-view and navigation when driving.  Does the BC35 camera have a motion-detect function (I don't see anything mentioned in the Amazon descriptions...).

2021 Oliver LE2
Ram 2500 diesel

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Fritz - 

I don't have the Furrion camera so I can't really make a sound judgement in that regard.  However, from what I've seen and read and the general design of the Furrion, I suspect that it is somewhat better than the Garmin 890/BC35 as a camera.  Partly this is due to the fact that the Furrion transmits its WiFi signal directly from the housing that is mounted on the roof of the Oliver while the Garmin unit either must be waterproofed (the cable connections, the fuse holder and the power connection) or have its WiFi sending unit mounted on the interior.  Also, the Furrion is (I believe) higher resolution.  For the intended purpose - I really don't think that high res is necessary.  I can tell if it is a truck or car or tree or rock without seeing its license plate or how many ants are on the rock clearly.  And, I don't think that the night vision in either is an issue.

Yes, the size of the screen on the 890 is really nice and depending on how it is wired the screen will automatically switch from "navigation mode" to the camera or the Garmin can be wired in such a way (constant power source) so that the view of the rear can be constantly on the screen (i.e. you can, with the press of two screen "buttons" switch back and forth from navigation to camera.  And, if using it in place of the Furrion, it would be one less screen crowding up your cockpit area of the tow vehicle.  However, unless you mount the BC35 in a reasonably different location versus the Furrion, I really don't see what advantage one would get in terms of view.  In my case, I have a camera mounted in the spare tire cover.  This has served me well for five years but when it is raining or when driving on very dusty roads, this camera gets wetter and/or dustier than a higher mounted camera (like the normal location of the Furrion) would.  This reason plus the one less screen is why I have gone down this road with the Garmin (note that my current camera transmits via WiFi to my phone and/or 8 inch tablet and that has me really liking the larger screen).  I believe that both systems will let you add additional cameras if you want to be able to look at the sides and/or front of the camper.

I'm not certain what you mean regarding the "motion detect function" but the camera does not automatically come on/activate or give any warning if it detects movement (i.e. another vehicle, human, bicycle, etc.).

Bottom line is that since I needed (wanted really) a new GPS and since the 890 works with a camera, For the additional $170, I got the camera.

Hope this helps?

Bill

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2023 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5EB FX4 Max Towing, Max Payload, 2016 Oliver Elite II - Hull #117 "Twist"

Near Asheville, NC

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I followed Topgun2's advice and executed a similar install to enable a swivel arm in our new F350.

(EDIT - I also pulled the 20A fuse for the Power Port before doing this work.)

1) I started by removing the dash tray (I used painters tape to protect your dash from scars from the plastic pry tools).
2) Snap off the "speaker cover" it is hard to pull off as it's secured by clips in 4 corners.  
3) Remove 2 - 7mm bolts in the front (windshield side) of the tray.
4) Remove the 2 - 7mm bolts on the top of the radio stack front surround.
5) Pull out the radio stack surround, and loosen 2 more 7mm bolts below the radio facia to remove a retaining facia (holds on the side trim stacks.)
6) That allows you to pull straight out on trim to the right of the radio which includes the a/c vent and more importantly access the back of the power point (cigarette lighter).
7) Splice onto the wires from the Cig Lighter port.   Feed the wires up into the area above the radio and below the speaker tray.

The wiring diagram below was supplied by the Ford BBAS service for 2021 F350.
The Cigarette Lighter B+ is the Green/Brown Stripe wire, and Ground is Black with Blue Stripe.


 

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Finished install with Garmin all setup.

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Since the tray removal and wiring was a little tricky I made a quick video showing tray removal and re-install.

I considered using the up fitter switch, but realized that there wasn't enough current draw to warrant all that effort and using up a switch.
Also, I learned that the "through the firewall" wires ended up making me wish Ford would allow 6" more wire for the "through firewall" feeds.
They are so short, you need to completely remove the fuse panel to get access to the bundle of 4 through firewall wires. So I stopped that effort.

I wired into the same dash 12v power port circuit as Topgun2.
That port dash circuit has a 20Amp fuse, and my devices don't pull more than a couple of amps normally.
My backup camera plugs into the 12V power port in the tray, and my Garmin into one of the 2 USB ports.

Here's the video showing dash tray removal and reinstall.

 

 

Edited by ctshort09
Added FUSE mention
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2019 Elite II (Hull 505 - Galway Girl - August 7, 2019 Delivery) 
Tow Vehicle: 2021 F350 King Ranch, FX4, MaxTow Package, 10 Speed, 3.55 Rear Axle
Batteries Upgrade: Dual 315GTX Lithionics Lithiums - 630AH Total
Inverter/Charger: Xantrex 2000Pro 

Travel BLOG:  https://4-ever-hitched.com

 

IMG_5421.jpeg.c1f697a00240a9bd6729b0930bd3a4aa.jpeg

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1.  Good video

2.  Good music

3.  Ya just gotta paint those 4 bolts holding the RAM ball black

4.  What's that sweet looking camper in the back ground?

Bill

Edited by topgun2
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2023 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5EB FX4 Max Towing, Max Payload, 2016 Oliver Elite II - Hull #117 "Twist"

Near Asheville, NC

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Super description - thanks!  Will be attempting this next week.

Quick question...have you noticed any problems with your Ford TPMS?  I have heard reports of the added USB/12V plugs in this area causing problems with Ford's TPMS.  I am guessing use of a ferrite choke on the power line would help mitigate this potential issue as well?

Thanks again for doing almost all the work for me 😀

SE Texas  | 2021 Elite II  Twin Bed # 927  "Lucy"  |  2019 F250 FX4 6.7

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I've had absolutely no issues with either my Ford or my EZE TPMS systems either before the install of the 890 or after..

Bill

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2023 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5EB FX4 Max Towing, Max Payload, 2016 Oliver Elite II - Hull #117 "Twist"

Near Asheville, NC

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