A-pillar mount for Ultragauge & Scangauge

I made a prototype a-pillar mount for installing an Ultragauge in a 3rd Gen 4Runner, which would also work perfectly for the early ('95-00) 1st Gen Tacos.

It places the UG where you can see it without taking your eyes off the road, does not block your view, keeps the Menu and up/down buttons accessible, is solidly mounted using the existing screw on the grab handle, does not rely on adhesives or suction, and does not require any new holes to be drilled.

It's not as adjustable as the RAM mount system, but is also more compact and less clunky/heavy/expensive. And you should not need any adjustability with this mount anyway, it points the UG right at your face.

The mount is made of steel, and is powdercoated in satin black. It looks professional, not like something someone made in their garage (no offense to garage fabricators, my hat is off to them ).

I'm still toying with the idea of making the mount more universal to accommodate cell phones or scangauges, but for now let's assume it's UG specific.











I got some requests to make more of these, but I need a critical mass to make it worth the upfront manufacturing cost.

So can I see a show of hands on who'd be interested?

 

I'd buy one

 

I'd def entertain the thought

 

Make that mount with a base. You could easily use Velcro to mount the Scangauge if it had a flat base.

 

Support for Scangauge?

 

Nice work. Clean and minimal.

 

The base is flat, but it's vertical, specifically for the Ultragauge. Unfortunately the scangauge and ultragauge are opposites - the ultragauge needs a narrow vertical base, to retain access to the idiotic menu buttons on the back. The scangauge base is the opposite, short and wide. I may end up fabbing two separate models.

 

Thanks, that was the goal!

 

I was talking about adding a horizontal base, just a short one, doesn't have to be the same length as the Scangauge. If you do that you could use that mount for either gauge. Just a thought.

 

Gotcha! I'm working on that as we speak, but I'm concerned that if the base is too narrow, then pushing on the scangauge buttons (which are on the far ends) might rock it too much. I'm also trying to make it suitable for a phone mount, so it's a bit of a challenge .

 

I'll take a photo of how I have my mounted on the steering column with just Velcro and no backing. When I push the buttons I use my thumb and put the other fingers on the back for support, it's a nature way of doing it so I don't think you'll have a problem with that.

If you want to do it for a phone mount then have two different attachments, one to hold either gauge and another one for the phone.

 

Thanks, that makes sense about naturally using your fingers to support the back of the scangauge when pushing buttons.

I'm still trading off the cost and complexity of having two different one-piece designs (for gauge or phone) vs one design with two interchageable mounts.

 

I’ll take one for a 2nd gen
I’m tired of the suction cup coming undone.
I’m in !

 

I was talking about having two different mounts for that base

 

Here’s my mount. I works great because I can monitor everything without taking my eyes off the road for too long.

 

I hear you - unfortunately the 2nd Gen handles are a little different, so that'd be a different version.

 

Just throwing this out there in case it might help with designing something more universal. You don't have to access them to push the buttons on the back of the Ultra Gauge. If you mount it on a flat surface, same size or larger than the gauge itself, and using the little square of velcro so it rocks a little, you can just push on the front corners of the Ultra Gauge and that will push the buttons.

 

Thank you, I've seen that mentioned somewhere, but haven't actually tried it to see how well it works. I'll look into it!

 

i believe 2001 is when the A-pillar changed and your mount wouldn’t work without serious modification to the plastic.

 

Correct, this would be only for the early ('95-00) 1st Gens. The later ones are seriously different.