A few more changes relating to the topper. First I integrated the Leer rear glass and the tailgate so that I can either open both remotely, or by using only the tailgate latch. There is a way to do this with a modified electronic Leer lock, but I wanted a mechanical solution. As it sits now, I can tie the rear glass to the tailgate and open/unlock that way, can engage the Leer latches so that both they and the tailgate have to be unlocked and actuated for access, or deactivate my add on mechanical locks and use the Leer latch to unlock and raise the glass only. I like that I can close it up and have the glass essentially locked (and can unlock) without having to use the key.
The second thing I tackled was rear visibility. With the dark tint of the truck’s rear glass and the topper’s rear glass combined, my rear view mirror was almost useless. I’m comfortable with the truck’s backup camera for backing, and though I can bring it up with a push of a button, but that’s not an ideal solution for taking a quick glance to the rear while driving. Using the 2021 Ram’s digital rear view mirror for inspiration (though it’s CHMSL mounted camera is a bust for topper equipped trucks), I started looking at the aftermarket digital mirror options. Though I’ve always kinda wanted a dash cam, my priority was the rear view. Most digital rear view mirror/dash cams mount the forward facing camera on the back of the mirror and that’s not really an option for a vehicle with such a large glass mounted housing like my truck has. The Pormido D50 has a remote mounted front camera and also a cabin camera, so that’s the one I chose. It also has upgraded Sony image sensors in all three camera that offer better dynamic range for improved nighttime operation. So far, I’m happy enough with my choice. It’s got a few issues that could be easily corrected via firmware updates but I’m not holding my breath. I’d love a digital zoom feature so that I could more closely match the rear image to the side mirrors in size, but my main complaint is that the rear camera image can not be inverted, meaning that the rear camera must be mounted under a ledge. If flipping the image were an option, I could have flipped the rear camera and mounted it on top of the Leer for a much cleaner installation. As it is now, I’ve got it on top of the rear glass stuck to a plastic mount I fabricated. I originally had the camera inside and looking through the glass, but nighttime use was too negatively impacted by the tint. I’m strongly considering moving it inside the tailgate itself and having it look outward through a lens and a hole located between the Ram’s horns in the tailgate emblem. My truck has to go to the body shop for tailgate repair and I’ll run it by the guy doing the work. He’s a custom car guy and I imagine that the idea will appeal to him. Meanwhile, I’ll hammer Pormido‘s “customer care dept.” about firmware updates.
Short video of the rear glass/tailgate integration and some pictures of the digital mirror/camera setup with a nice comparison between the factory rear camera and the Pormido.
