[Kevin]

Dean,

If you replace it, I’ll make you a deal on the parts, I have the same unit. There are replacements out there, so maybe someone will jump in here.

[Jerry]

Ken, Mine were replaced in 2008 with Kenwood, works fine , Gary

[Bob]

Dean, I’ll go in a different direction. As long as the unit works for music, forget the GPS portion. I am not even sure of the brand I have in my coach, but I leave the screen folded in place and if I even use the unit it is for the radio or CDs. For the GPS I have a Garmin mounted on the LH windshield post that does not interfere with the shades. With the number of available units, with free updates, I prefer what I have to the one that comes with the radio combo.

I do have to mention however the one that is part of the radio does work well, I have no idea when it was updated, but I just consider it as backup only.

After a while if you put that new coach on the road the only reason for using the GPS is to see how many miles to go to your destination. I rarely make a trip now in which I need the GPS to tell me the directions. I still review my trips on Google just to make sure I am not getting into narrow roads or bad situations when we go someplace new. The GPS is just to provide information I already know and there are a lot of occasions when I completely ignore it because what makes sense to the GPS may not be the best way for me to take a 45 foot bus with a car in tow.

[Archived]

My main interest in replacing it was not due to the radio but to the rear view camera. The picture is just not very clear especially at night. Im not sure how much of this is the camera and how much may be the monitor. I did adjust the camera angle yesterday and believe that will certainly help some. It was pointing straight down to where you could only see the tow bar and the grill of the toad.

[Terry]

OK. I was responding in the context of having a separate monitor for the rear camera unrelated to the radio.

I have found that having the camera able to view the hitch and tow bar valuable when pulling away after hitching up because it is a good way to verify the tow bar arms have locked and the cable and power cord are OK. After that verification it is good to be able to raise the camera to get a better view of the toad. By being able to see the toad I can verify it is safe to pull in when passing, but it also enables me to verify the steering wheel is turning when I go around a corner.

I have never been impressed with any rear view monitor because every single one has had viewing limitations. They have either washed out in the daylight, been a smear of light at night, or have been unviewable if the sun hits the monitor. If all views in the monitor could be as good as they are on an overcast day I would be happy.

[Bob]

Dean,

Call Rod Thomas of Total Vision Camera. His company provides all the camera units that are round and looks like it has a cap on it. He is very accessible and will talk to you about your options.

520-623-0790 Tucson Az time zone

[Archived]

Dean,

Your coach was owned by some good friends of ours. While ours was an Elegant Lady, we discovered ours was #535, and theirs (yours) is #536, so there were a number of similarities. I also found the camera picture quality lacking. I installed a Total Vision camera, and it made a big difference. I gave me the desirable pan/tilt feature that Jon mentioned, but also the picture quality was vastly improved.

The install did involve a thick cable from dash to rear, and I had the original fiberglass camera housing professionally modified into a flat plate and repainted. Other that that body work, I did the project myself and I would do it again.

If you go this route, you could add a dedicated monitor for the rear camera.

Good Luck

[Robert]

Thanks for the information. Since I had the housing off yesterday I need to reseal around it. Anyone know what that stuff is they used?

[Archived]

I think they used “Rope Caulk”. Any NAPA will have it. That is what I used, and it works well, and also allows easy removal if needed.