MOD: A-Pillar RAM mount GPS/Phone holder

Just ordered everything from Amazon. This has me excited.

 

I Finally got my Dash Cam mounted. It came with a mount that your suppose to glue to the windshield, that wasn't going to happen.
I'm going to work on it to make it less obtrusive.

 

I like that allot.

 

Have you seen the thread on the Rearview Mirror windshield mount that some guys on here made? That would be perfect for your dash cam!

 

great idea but id be worried about the passenger if the Air bag goes off...

 

Well I was the #9 post in this thread saying it was a great idea and I'd definitely be doing it soon. Well it has been almost two years, but I've finally done it.

This is near the top of one of my favorite mods on the truck. Wow do I like it. Rock solid steady. Super useful being able to have a good view of a topo while running a long off road section in Death Valley.

I have a smaller phone (SE) and always prefer it in portrait orientation when navigating. So I used the smallest arm. This kept everything close and tight to the dash with plenty of room around the steering wheel.

For the ball I had a 50mm bolt and that proved shorter than I planned as it wouldn't work with the nylon spacer I had. Instead I used one standard nut and two washers as a spacer and that actually works great. There is a lot of space behind the factory nut so if buying a bolt go longer than needed. Also the factory bolt is self tapping so you may find the threads in the factory nut a bit tight. I had to alternately run my bolt and then the factory self tapping bolt into the nut about three times before the new bolt ran in smoothly.

I'm using the

$19 RAM-HOL-PD3U Compatible with RAM Diamond Ball Bases

RAM-HOL-PD3U holder for my phone and love it. The upper catch is spring loaded so the phone just slides in our out super easy and didn't budge in fifty miles of fairly high speed rough dirt road.

I ran a lightening connector through the A pillar (being careful to keep wiring away from the air bag). The lightening connector was small enough that I could just slightly widen one of the existing holes where the handle bar clips in with a flat head screwdriver and slip it through. Right now just connects to the factory USB port below the radio and A/C controls but I'll probably add a dedicated USB power connection under the dash for it later.

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Thank you for that site. I do like that solution.
You should get some Kudos from them for the recommendation!
As soon as I can find the funds/budget I want to order one.

 

Ah bud, just helping out where I can. There is a ton of information on this forum and it's can't all be unlocked without the help of others sharing. See now you can take the mount for that and use it for a cell on the driver side and have the best of both worlds!

 

Just want to say that this mounting location when used with the RAM mounts is LEGIT. I was a bit reluctant to mount my phone so close to the window in an attempt to avoid defenestration, but I believe it is a non issue.

I must give credit to this thread for the idea, although I did do it a little different. I had a piece of 316 SS on the stock rack so I basically made myself a custom male female standoff. Threaded M6x1 male (copied thread length from the OEM screw) and 1/4-20 female with a 1" long body. Male threads were single pointed on my CNC lathe and hex was cut on the knee mill.






And because I like having the option to move things around I also made this mounting plate. There is a backing plate behind the dash panel.

 

I dunno how much time and effort it took you to make both of those, but those look like they'd sell on here!

Is your backing plate threaded? Did the whole dash panel have to come off for installation?

 

Total time spent MAKING the parts was about 2-3 beers. If I wasn't figuring out geometry and just cranking em out, time would be trivial as I'm a machinist.

The backing plate is threaded and I used good old fashion DST to hold it in place while reassembling the dash. The tape is not load bearing, it just holds the plate in alignment because you can't snap the enviro control panel back in to place with the threaded piece already attached. The dash did have to come mostly apart; enviro controls removed, stereo removed, and I had to pop the right side of the stereo surround out. That is pretty easy though. There are 4 screws, some prying, and electrical disconnects.

 

I like this. Put me down for one if you make another please. Thanks

 

I've taken notice that quite a few of you have found better success using a 55mm cap screw so I've made note of that in the first post.

Enjoying all the new posts with pictures of your own personal twists. You guys really come up with some awesome ideas and I'm grateful that you are sharing them so that others can find inspiration from them too.

 

If I were to sell them I would feel obligated to match the curves a little better. I used my finely calibrated eye-crometers on this one in conjunction with the saw and sander. I'll try and dedicate some time to it but I seem to always have WAY too many personal projects going at one time.

 

If you countersunk both sides, it could be installed on either side of the a/c controls. I like the backing plate, as opposed to screwing into the plastic, not only for strength but it's removable so that one can still tinker with the stereo whenever (I find myself opening that up a lot).

If you make more, put me down for two. I want one on both sides of my a/c controls.

 

Better alternative then the Tech Deck.....

 

To give credit were credit is due, I was 100% inspired BY the Tech Deck, I bent up one of my own but wasn't really happy with the results. I am a cnc mill guy and not particularly good at bending sheet metal, my tech deck clone sucked so it's in the recycle bin already. This was just easier for me.

Let me see if I can get the geometry a little better, maybe I will do a short run...

ETA: Any input as to changes? I'll CAD something and throw some ideas out there..input wanted. That being said, I should probably stop thread jacking here.

 

Perhaps a new thread is in order. I'd be interested in two of these depending on cost. Not sure if dig the techdeck. But I am curious about the strength of that plastic wall vs the heavy duty techdeck bolting up to the stereo mount. I've got some radio equipment on the way.

 

Feeler thread created:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/ram-mount-feeler.476890/

 

Now that sir is some fantastic work you did there. I've been trying to figure out my base for the tablet I end up getting so if you decide to make anymore of the A/C panel mounts I would be more than happy to buy one from ya.