Adding Surround Cameras to a 2023

[gprguy]

Bit of a misleading title, as I know no one can say for sure on a 2023 since no one has taken delivery yet. But let's say a 2022 truck with 12" UC5. Has anyone added the surround cameras to a 2022, or see any reason why it couldn't be done or be more difficult than the 19-21 trucks? I see a few threads where it's been done but it seems to be pre 2022 trucks.

I'm trying to weigh out ordering a 2023 chassis cab that currently can't have surround due to some quality control issue with the GT3/GT4 mirrors. Obviously that'd have to be solved by Ram, and the parts would have to be available, but if I go that route I'd like to know if there's any known showstoppers for me adding it later.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

@Jimmy07

 

[Jimmy07]

Nothing has changed with the surround view system for 2023, so the install will be the same, just various different part numbers.

I’m not getting how there’s a quality control issue with the GT3/GT4 mirrors just on the chassis cabs, but not the rest of the trucks they’re installed on. I don’t see any indication that the chassis cabs use different mirrors than the regular trucks.

 

[gprguy]

Thanks Jimmy, I was hoping you'd weigh in but didn't want to tag you, you do a ton for this forum. Glad to hear that though, that opens up my options a lot.

I don't fully understand it either, but here's what I know in case you have any thoughts. As we know the 360 surround is available on multiple trims and packages for 2500/3500 for '23, and it appears that they are getting ordered and built, no obvious restrictions.

For the 5500 (and probably 4500/3500 chassis cabs) the only way to get the 270 degree surround currently is ordering Limited with Level 1. The AAN towing tech group supposedly should be available on the chassis cabs but isn't at least on the order guides I have. Unfortunately back in September the A69 Level 1 package went away, replaced with A79 Level A. The surround system was deleted along with the new digital rear view mirror.

RamCares told me that the reason is there is a quality issue (whatever that means) with the GT3/GT4 mirrors specific to the chassis cabs, so that's why they dropped them for the time being right now. As far as I know the only difference for the surround cameras with the chassis cabs is they don't integrate the rear camera, they are just 270 degree. How that has anything to do specifically with the mirrors is beyond me. I'd chalk it up to a software bug, but if that were the case I don't know why the mirrors would be at fault, or why they couldn't build the trucks anyway and refresh them.

 

[Jimmy07]

Thanks Jimmy, I was hoping you'd weigh in but didn't want to tag you, you do a ton for this forum. Glad to hear that though, that opens up my options a lot.

I don't fully understand it either, but here's what I know in case you have any thoughts. As we know the 360 surround is available on multiple trims and packages for 2500/3500 for '23, and it appears that they are getting ordered and built, no obvious restrictions.

For the 5500 (and probably 4500/3500 chassis cabs) the only way to get the 270 degree surround currently is ordering Limited with Level 1. The AAN towing tech group supposedly should be available on the chassis cabs but isn't at least on the order guides I have. Unfortunately back in September the A69 Level 1 package went away, replaced with A79 Level A. The surround system was deleted along with the new digital rear view mirror.

RamCares told me that the reason is there is a quality issue (whatever that means) with the GT3/GT4 mirrors specific to the chassis cabs, so that's why they dropped them for the time being right now. As far as I know the only difference for the surround cameras with the chassis cabs is they don't integrate the rear camera, they are just 270 degree. How that has anything to do specifically with the mirrors is beyond me. I'd chalk it up to a software bug, but if that were the case I don't know why the mirrors would be at fault, or why they couldn't build the trucks anyway and refresh them.

The chassis cabs have the same doors, so that’s not the quality/fitment issue. They’re not going to have different mirrors just for the C&C, so that’s doesn’t line up with their reasoning either. That would only leave- they just don’t want to offer them (or more specifically, the surround view system) on the chassis cabs right now, whether it’s due to shortages, or whatever. But I’m not buying the quality issue excuse.

 

[gprguy]

I'm puzzled too. The marketing material (the 2023 chassis cab site) talks up the surround view being available, so if they don't want to offer it the marketing folks didn't get the message. Interesting mystery..

 

[Jimmy07]

I'm puzzled too. The marketing material (the 2023 chassis cab site) talks up the surround view being available, so if they don't want to offer it the marketing folks didn't get the message. Interesting mystery..

I thought Zach granger posted a chassis cab order guide pdf here somewhere, but I can’t find it. If you have a link, can you post it?
But, I was thinking…do any chassis cabs have the memory seat option available?

 

[gprguy]

Sure, here it is. I also have a supplemental page showing what's in A79 (it's A69 minus the surround and digital rear view mirror). Yes they do - Laramie level 1 and 2 (not base Laramie), as well as Base Limited (and level 1/A).

 

[Jimmy07]

Sure, here it is. I also have a supplemental page showing what's in A79 (it's A69 minus the surround and digital rear view mirror). Yes they do - Laramie level 1 and 2 (not base Laramie), as well as Base Limited (and level 1/A).

Ok, that nixes that thought. The power telescoping motors are driven by the memory seat module. The surround view cameras are only optioned on mirrors that are power telescoping. I thought maybe if memory seats weren’t available, there wouldn’t be a memory seat module installed in order to have power telescoping mirrors that have surround view cameras. Even still, they could choose to configure for a memory seat module only used for power mirrors.