2008 Town & Country

"Roy" > wrote in message ...
>
>> <snip>
>>>
>>> I doubt there isn't anybody who hasn't done something to their truck or
>>> car that hasn't been a bit illegal or pushed the warranty a bit. Hell,
>>> if ya haven't well.....
>>>
>>> I don't really see the reasoning for this toy, but it's his toy let him
>>> play with it. Just mho.
>>>
>>
>> in georgia there is still a law on the books from the old hotrodding
>> days. it says that you cannot perform any modifications to your vehicle
>> from its stock configuration.
>
> <snip>
>
> There is a law in most states that say's the lower edge of fender can't be
> higher than center hub/axle. or words to that effect.
>

if i was a cop i would be well versed in my states laws on vehicle
modifications. as long as folks were nice i would be nice. but the minute
they started getting rude and beligerent i would start looking for mods just
to teach them some manners. in georgia the law specifically states that a
truck cannot be lifted any more than 2" over stock. a cop with an attitude
could park 25% of the trucks our hillbilly town on a whim.
michael

"Bill Putney" > wrote in message
...
> ks wrote:
>> "Nosey" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> ks wrote:
>>>> trying to provide 12+ to the camera independly of the backup light
>>>> curcuit, I will have to ofcourse now seperate the camera from the
>>>> backup light so I don't cause any backfeed.
>>> Can't you just tap a 12+ into the existing camera power wire and isolate
>>> the backfeed with a diode?
>>> --
>>> Ken
>>
>> Yep thats the plan kinda The instruction say to clip the 12+ to the
>> Camera and use the wire from the module to supply the power to the camera
>> when view is needed.
>>
>> I was just trying to save time/hassel by seeing if I could find the wire
>> colors so I could do this at the harness before going into the gate so I
>> didn't have to diassembling the rear door to get to the camera to find
>> out which wire it is.
>>
>> Instead I'm getting legal and warranty advise.
>
> Three ways to get the wiring info.:
> (1) Some dealers will let you look at their FSM's in their facility - used
> to be that way - I don't know if they still do that.
>
> (2) Buy the FSM (probably more than the approx. $100 they used to be).
>
> (3) If it's worth $25 to you (for a one year subscription), you could get
> an on-line subscription to alldata.com. Not sure about your van, but for
> the vehicles I have subscriptions for, they have every single schematic
> that's in the FSM, and they are all right out of the FSM - none of the
> aftermarket manual "typical" schematics that may or may not be accurate
> for your vehicle. With that subscription you would also have access to
> the complete TSB's applicable to the vehicle - that alone might be worth
> the cost of the subscription.
>
> (I have no connections with alldata other than being a customer - and to
> prove it, I'll say that the rest of their vehicle-specific information,
> though right out of the FSM, is spotty, incomplete, and poorly
> organized/hard to search. Schematics and TSB's are 100%, and may be worth
> the cost by itself. Also, they give multiple year/multiple vehicle
> discounts.)
>
> Bill Putney
> (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address
> with the letter 'x')

I forgot all about Alldata, the FSM is $395.00 which I think is just a
little over priced!

"Denny" > wrote in message
...
>
> "ks" > wrote in message
> . ..
>> Kinda nice to see the boat trailer better behind me.
>>
>
> In my years of towing things, I'm comfortable in knowing the (whatever) is
> hooked up correctly, safety pins in hitch and\or ball, safety chains
> installed and watch the mirror. I agree the camera might be nice for
> hooking up but after that it just looking at a hitch. Believe me, if you
> would happen to break the ball and your load hits the chains, your butt
> will know it faster than your eyes looking at a picture when you should be
> handling the situation.
>
> Denny
>
>

Yep, I broke a class three hitch last year. A guy pulled up along side of me
to say it didn't look right (on the freeway) I touched the brake and boom
the trailer hit me. Sucks when the safety changs are hooked to the hitch and
the hitch brakes free!

"ks" > wrote in message
. ..
>
> Yep, I broke a class three hitch last year. A guy pulled up along side of
> me to say it didn't look right (on the freeway) I touched the brake and
> boom the trailer hit me. Sucks when the safety changs are hooked to the
> hitch and the hitch brakes free!
>
Ouch!! That had to suck.

I guess the biggest reason I have a negative attitude towards this is due to
the can-bus system on the van. All modules are on the bus and info flows
freely. I'm just supposing here and have no way to know if this is correct
so here goes.....You power up the camera when it's not supposed to have
power. It puts this info on the bus. Other modules see this info when
nothing is supposed to be there and gets confused (for lack of better word)
and do something strange. Take the radio for instance, I don't know if the
back-up picture will be displayed when it gets the signal or not. The radio
my have to have a bus message from the pcm that the van is in reverse before
it'll show the screen. I know, this is all kinda far-fetched but I run into
this kind of stuff on occasion when people try to modify the electronics on
the newer vehicles to get them to work the way they want them to instead of
the way they were designed.

Denny (Don't get me started on lock-up converters or remote starts..)

"Denny" > wrote in message
...
>
> "ks" > wrote in message
> . ..
>>
>> Yep, I broke a class three hitch last year. A guy pulled up along side of
>> me to say it didn't look right (on the freeway) I touched the brake and
>> boom the trailer hit me. Sucks when the safety changs are hooked to the
>> hitch and the hitch brakes free!
>>
> Ouch!! That had to suck.
>
> I guess the biggest reason I have a negative attitude towards this is due
> to the can-bus system on the van. All modules are on the bus and info
> flows freely. I'm just supposing here and have no way to know if this is
> correct so here goes.....You power up the camera when it's not supposed to
> have power. It puts this info on the bus. Other modules see this info when
> nothing is supposed to be there and gets confused (for lack of better
> word) and do something strange. Take the radio for instance, I don't know
> if the back-up picture will be displayed when it gets the signal or not.
> The radio my have to have a bus message from the pcm that the van is in
> reverse before it'll show the screen. I know, this is all kinda
> far-fetched but I run into this kind of stuff on occasion when people try
> to modify the electronics on the newer vehicles to get them to work the
> way they want them to instead of the way they were designed.
>
> Denny (Don't get me started on lock-up converters or remote starts..)
>
>
Luckly I was on concrete so the tung didn't dig in and polevault. Everything
went down and under the bumper and I rode it to a stop. Makes me worry about
the safety chain setup as they were still connect to the hitch that broke
freefrom the uprites.

Actually the camera talks directly to the radio then the radio talks with
the bus. The module from www.coastaletech.com goes between the bus and
radio. It works great and I now have an 1 additional audio/video input to
the radio (I plan an HD receiver in the near future) one more video input I
guess for another camera if I wanted and a video output should I want to
drive another screen. Also I get a connection that allows for an aftermarket
blue tooth interface. I doubt I'll really use all the features but the
technology is cool.

Denny wrote:
> You power up the camera when it's
> not supposed to have power. It puts this info on the bus. Other
> modules see this info when nothing is supposed to be there and gets
> confused (for lack of better word) and do something strange.

Didn't someone mention isolating the power feed with a diode? ;-)
--
Ken

On Mon, 21 Jul 2008 10:22:27 -0400, "nunya" > wrote:

>
>"Roy" > wrote in message ...
><snip>
>>
>> I doubt there isn't anybody who hasn't done something to their truck or
>> car that hasn't been a bit illegal or pushed the warranty a bit. Hell, if
>> ya haven't well.....
>>
>> I don't really see the reasoning for this toy, but it's his toy let him
>> play with it. Just mho.
>>
>
>in georgia there is still a law on the books from the old hotrodding days.
>it says that you cannot perform any modifications to your vehicle from its
>stock configuration. a good attorney could have you for lunch just for
>running a different brand of tire on the vehicle than it was shipped with.
>got to be one of the most violated laws on the books. i posted the general
>law on the subject below but if you go a read each subsection of the code
>you will find that most vehicle modifications beyond factory and dealer
>options are illegal.
>michael
>
>
>§ 40-8-7. Driving unsafe or improperly equipped vehicle; punishment for
>violations of chapter generally; vehicle inspection by law enforcement
>officer without warrant
>
> (a) No person shall drive or move on any highway any motor vehicle,
>trailer, semitrailer, or pole trailer, or any combination thereof, unless
>the equipment upon any and every such vehicle is in good working order and
>adjustment as required in this chapter and the vehicle is in such safe
>mechanical condition as not to endanger the driver or other occupant or any
>person upon the highway.
>
>(b) It is a misdemeanor for any person to drive or move, or for the owner to
>cause or knowingly permit to be driven or moved, on any street or highway
>any vehicle or combination of vehicles:
>
> (1) Which is in such unsafe condition as to endanger any person;
>
> (2) Which does not contain those parts or is not at all times equipped
>with such lights and other equipment in proper condition and adjustment as
>required in this chapter; or
>
> (3) Which is equipped in any manner in violation of this chapter.
>
>(c) It is also a misdemeanor for any person to do any act forbidden or fail
>to perform any act required under this chapter.
>
>(d) Any vehicle suspected of being operated in violation of this article may
>be the subject of an inspection conducted by any law enforcement officer who
>has reason to believe such violation is occurring, without the necessity of
>obtaining a warrant to permit such inspection.
>

As I interpret the above, there is NO prohibition about modifying a
vehicle. All the above states is that the original safety equipment,
including lights etc must be in good operating condition. You are
reading too much into it.

Doug

Nosey wrote:
> Denny wrote:
>> You power up the camera when it's
>> not supposed to have power. It puts this info on the bus. Other
>> modules see this info when nothing is supposed to be there and gets
>> confused (for lack of better word) and do something strange.
>
> Didn't someone mention isolating the power feed with a diode? ;-)

Yes - but Denny apparently was assuming that the bus communicated
directly with the camera. If that were true (which, from what others
are saying, is not), it would be hard to fool the bus into not knowing
whether the camera was powered up or not.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')

"Doug" > wrote in message
<snip>
>>
>>§ 40-8-7. Driving unsafe or improperly equipped vehicle; punishment for
>>violations of chapter generally; vehicle inspection by law enforcement
>>officer without warrant
<snip>
>
> As I interpret the above, there is NO prohibition about modifying a
> vehicle. All the above states is that the original safety equipment,
> including lights etc must be in good operating condition. You are
> reading too much into it.
>
> Doug

Doug,
i snipped a lot of the other stuff. the key to this code is the sentence
i left this time. the "improperly equipped" and "violations of chapter"
statements refer you back to the preponderence of codes covering
modifications to vehicles. this chapter includes lifts, fog lights, and all
kinds of modifictions. i chose not to post the entire chapter, you can
google it if you want. if you dig down into all the applicable codes in
georgia, many common modifications are illegal.
michael