Help getting wiring into cab from rear of truck

I am sure this is an old topic but I have not been able to come across a good answer for it so far, so I am turning to the experts that have done this before. If there is a good thread you know of, feel free to tell me to go rtfm.

I am installing a backup camera and looking for the best way to get the camera wire inside the cab. I have seen a lot of answers for getting wires in the cab from the engine compartment, but this is coming from the rear and I am hoping I don't have to route it all the way up there just to get inside.

Also, if once it is inside I need to run it along the outer rail near the door, can someone help me understand how the plastic cover comes off? I really don't want to break any tabs trying to remove it. i have seen pics of it removed and can see that there is factory wiring underneath it, but I never see exactly how to remove it. In one video I just saw a guy grab it and pull up and it appeared to easily come off. Not sure if it was already partially off, if he has done it so many times it is just easy to do now, or if maybe he has broken tabs off and it is easy now. I am a perfectionist, and so want to make sure I am doing things as correctly as possible.

Thanks!

 

I'm assuming you're going to plug the camera into your radio. There are body plugs under the driver and passenger front areas. If you run the wire along the frame (passenger side already has a loom there I believe), you can run it to one of those plugs and pull it through from the inside.

Also, the door sill trim pieces easily pry up by getting your fingers to push inward and pull up from the top of the trim. I've taken mine off so much I could look at them and they come off lol

 

I ran mine along the passenger side to the body plug mentioned above. I believe it comes out in the backseat area and then I just ran it along the doors sill towards the lock panel and then up towards the radio. And I believe the kicksill area is where I taped reverse signal.

 

I was thinking the passenger side might be best after I installed the GPS antenna on the dash in the corner on the passenger side. It was pretty easy to run the wire between the radio cavity and the a-pillar when I removed the a-pillar trim. So if I can get to the passenger kick panel area, I think I will be golden.

Can you give me a general idea of where the body plugs are? I will look again tomorrow, but I just know I didn't see anything that I thought was obvious the first time.

When you say to push inward on the trim, do you mean to push the entire trim piece towards the inside of the truck while lifting upward? Or to squeeze the trim inward on both sides of the trim with my fingers and pull up? My hope is to avoid it getting to where it wants to come up just by looking at it.

 

The passenger side plug is hidden by a heat shield (I think).

The second option you mentioned regarding the trim piece should do the trick.

 

Here you go buddy. A post that might help you. Google is your friend.

https://www.tundras.com/threads/wire-routing-from-outside-cab-to-inside-of-cab.76910/#post-1954673

 

What a great post...

 

Thanks. I have used Google...a lot. But I did not come across that post. This is a lot more work that I was initially hoping for. I did manage to get the plastic inner door sills pulled up without too much trouble. I also removed the plastic on the rear passenger side where the seat belt is. Unfortunately, a small piece of plastic did break off of that piece. I am a little upset about doing that. I found a large round plug in the back corner under the carpet but when I removed it, it revealed a bolt that I assume holds the cab to the frame. I was trying to get to a small grommet that I could see on the outside of the cab that is mounted on the vertical wall of the cab between the can and the bed. But I could not get to it from inside the cab.

In the pic below, I found the bolt under the circle to the right. I think I might see a plug underneath the cab that might lead to where I have the other circle near the rear of the front passenger seat.



Funny. Now I am it would probably just be easier to run the cable to the front and come in through the firewall where other cables are already routed. But I already have a lot torn apart now, so I might as well try to get in in further back and just route it along the outer floor.

 

Jesus you sure went through more work than I had to do lol

 

Well, if you are thinking the pic of the truck with all the carpet removed it mine, it isn't. That is from another post linked above. I think it is of 1lowlife's truck.

 

Whew.

 

Been working on some other things, but I think I am taking this to my local body guy to do for me. I talked to him and he knows exactly what I am wanting and has done this a lot. I got the door sills off, but the carpeting is so molded and has these plastic pieces stapled to the ends and it doesn't really want to move or lift up at all. I've already broken a few clips and I am afraid if I continue that I am going to break more things and be very unhappy. I am going to have him do a few other things while it is there...fix a small dent on the top of the tailgate so that a tonneau cover will seal properly. And install my new side steps. I could do it, but it is already getting cold and I don't have a garage to work in. So I don't feel like lying on my back on the cold ground installing them.

 

Good luck. Show us finished pics.

 

This might be of use. I used this path when installing my tailgate lock solenoid: https://vehiclesecurityinnovators.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/PL8547HD_Toyota-Tundra.pdf

 

I went from tailgate handle to cab along the passenger side frame rail (inbound side) and up thru a black rubber grommet in the front passenger floor pan. I used plastic wire loom so it would seal against the grommet better, and running the wire in the loom was the largest pain in the ass of the install.

You would have easy access to the dash for your camera hook-ups from there as well.

 

I had to do this to my cap on the 2ch dash cam

 

Well that is the best documentation that I have seen yet. I have all of that trim removed. I was trying to find a floor plug in the back seat area, but the carpet is held down pretty good. I did not really look at the front carpeting, but maybe I should do that. We woke up to 7 inches of snow Saturday morning, so I have not really been out there to do anything as the truck is outside for the time being.

This sounds similar to what the documentation above is saying to do. I am going to see if it is easier to pull the carpet back in the front passenger side rather than the back. there are still some things I need the body gut to do, but if I can do anything myself, that is one less thing he has to do. Thanks for the advice guys! This is turning out to be a great forum.

 

I had a guy that does body work here in town run the ire for me. He came in using the grommet in the front passenger floorboard. From there it was easy and I have the radio installed and backup camera working. So far I am really liking the Android head unit. The camera needs to be adjusted so that it can see back further, but that is another issue. This one is resolved.