DIY: Inexpensive Mirror Mount for GPS, Radar Detector, etc

I made a bracket for my radar detector to mount to the rear view mirror rather than the stupid windshield brackets w/suction cups. This same device can be used for a wide variety of things such as GPS devices or engine monitor readouts. The cost is anywhere from free to $2.50 depending on if you ride bicycles or not. It's a simple seat post reflector with the reflector removed. There are a couple sizes so pick based on the thickness of your mirror stem then use padded tape to make up the difference. Pretty simple actually. Just gives you a base to mount whatever you need to it and angles perfectly towards the driver which could be a negative for a radar detector since you want them straight but so far I haven't noticed a decrease in sensitivity to distance radar sources in several cars for about a year or so now that I've had these in all of them.

Edit: I forgot to mention that it seems to work best if you remove the plastic wire loom keeper that's on the bottom of the stem, right where the
bracket is. I tried going around the entire thing but it ended up being harder than just popping it off and throwing it in the glovebox since this bracket does plenty good holding that wire loom you see in place. When you go to attach one of these you will see what I'm talking about.



Enjoy!

Edit #2:

As requested, here's a picture of the bracket from near the driver's view. This was after I did the mirror relocate bracket so it's higher than stock location but gives you an idea. I also bent the bracket slightly so that the radar detector points front to back better (like it would if it were suction cupped to the windshield) rather than being pointed right at the driver for better detection:


Here's a pic of where I mounted the mute button module. Not as masterful as most of my mute button installs but it works.



I usually take the mute button install much more serious but this time around I took the easy way out since it was just a quick & dirty install in the driveway. Here's a couple others I've done:

Toyota Camry Hyrbid


Kia Optima SX Turbo




Silverado SS


MKIV Supra


I'll give someone a gold star if they can spot the mute button in my A4:

 

Did you run the wire under your headliner? If so does it just tuck under in the front or did you remove it? I will be looking to see if I have that reflector laying around.

 

Yeah, under the headliner, down the A-pillar, under the dash (caught the fuse box on the way by for power) and to the center console. I added a picture to the first post to show you where the mute button ended up.

 

Were you able to just tuck into the headliner with out removing it?

 

Yep. It tucked up fairly well but I just did a quick job with it. I'm waiting for my BT35-TOY to arrive and when I run the mic up to the overhead console it will likely be the last thing I need to run up that way so I'll secure it all a little bit better. If I left it alone though I don't think it would go anywhere.

 

NICE!!

 

Just found this! +1 for using that bracket! Would of never thought of that.

 

LOL, I thought the mount was a reflector holder. Looking at the pics I was like, I've seen that item before. It made me go back and read the whole post and wallah, reflector mount. Kudos on the improv.........

 

OK this is awesome. I intend to do this for my car where I have my 9500 hard wired.

 

Thanks guys. I added a few more pics to the OP of some of the Mute button installs I've done. When I get more time I plan to do something a little more secksi in the Tacoma. It was literally a quick throw together install to get a radar detector in this truck in the small window I had to work with. For now it works and I have more pressing mods that are higher up on the list whenever I get the time to work on them. Eventually I will get back to this though.

 

pssshhhhhht..... What a show off!!!!!
lol jk... good stuff man.. and real clean installs...they all look factory!
and on the last one, on your A4, where is the mute button? ive been looking at it for a while, and no luck. Its bugging me.
hahaha

 

Haha... I can't give away the answer already!

Ok, I will because it's not likely anyone would have guessed it anyway.



[spoiler alert] ROFL



See that button that says FUNK to the left of the hazard button? That's it. It's a momentary switch available for the German cars and I'm told it's for a radio on German police cars or something. Anyway, I had to brush up on my German and order it from a dealership in Germany and then wire in a resistor and some other secret squirrel things to get it to work. End result was that the little LED on it behaved like the LED indicator on the usual mute button and the FUNK button itself behaved like the Mute button. It was actually a lot of effort to make it look stock which is how most of my installs are. It would be MUCH easier to have things look aftermarket but I prefer things to look like the factory installed them.

 

I might be headed to my local bike shop if the Ultragauge GB goes through.

 

Thanks again for posting this. I got mine all wired up. I have 1 question though. The fuse I am using is an always on. Which one did you tap into?

I have not been able to find a thread stating which in cab fuse is which.
Thanks for any help.

 

When you take out your 'coin tray' to access your fuses turn the tray over and you will see a diagram of what all the fuses are. There is an IGN1 and IGN2 (I think) which stands for ignition and is what I used. I think it's the top left and then middle left and I think I used the middle left just because it was easiest to get my add a fuse into. You can always get a multi-meter to test things too if you're not sure. If you're working on car electrical I would HIGHLY suggest getting one and at minimum figure out how to find 12v in a car with it. An $8 tool could save you hundreds, maybe thousands down the road and will save you time just about every time you do something electrical.

 

^^^I used the IGN2 spot. It worked perfect. The one I was using was an Always On.
Thanks!

Last question. For your custom remote mute button installs. Did you just drill out 3 holes for the lights and button, peel off the sticker, and just glue the main unit to the back side without having to take it apart?

 

Wow that's a lot of passports. Do you get a deal on them?

 

X2...I need a new radar