Anyone got a Clino for off-road?

[Nick72]

Been having a look for a dash mounted inclinometer. Pitch and roll. 

Why? Just anticipating the question... Like the last one I'll be taking the car off road. A few times I've wondered what roll angle I'm at and whether I'm anywhere near tipping. 

There are the mechanical ones which are no fuss and cheap (my dad had them on his land rovers in the 70s and 80s) and there's some digital ones which plug into a USB port or come with a cigarette lighter plug. These look interesting as you get an alarm when when you get to a high attitude and have other functions like built in GPS lat long and alt, etc. The fatal flaw seems to be that all the settings are lost on power down meaning you now need to reset the baseline level, clock, and a bunch of other stuff. Why for the sake of a small internal rechargeable Battery.

Here's one which looked useful but seems to have the reset flaw according to a YouTube video review.

AUTOOL X95 GPS Speed Slope Meter, Digital Inclinometer Level & Angle Gauge, Head Up Display Speedometer, Bevel Tilt Gauges with Multifunctional Function for All DC5-28V Cars https://amzn.eu/d/9dYq5lx

 

Any recommendations and thoughts appreciated ☺️ 

[ernieb]

Sorry Nick, but a piece of string with a small weight attached to the bottom and the other end blue tac’d to the windscreen - I’ll leave now. 😇

[Nick72]

1 minute ago, ernieb said:

Sorry Nick, but a piece of string with a small weight attached to the bottom and the other end blue tac’d to the windscreen - I’ll leave now. 😇

Old fashioned but it works. 😂 I think we used to call it a plumb bob. 

[ernieb]

1 minute ago, Nick72 said:

Old fashioned but it works. 😂 I think we used to call it a plumb bob. 

True but think of the opportunity to give it a flash new name and retire on the proceeds  - no batteries, doesn’t drain the 12v system.

[Nick72]

25 minutes ago, ernieb said:

True but think of the opportunity to give it a flash new name and retire on the proceeds  - no batteries, doesn’t drain the 12v system.

Technolead.

[philip42h]

13 hours ago, Nick72 said:

Been having a look for a dash mounted inclinometer. Pitch and roll.

Back in the day, I knew a guy who knew a guy that had such a device fitted - he was an aircraft engineer and had taken it from some aircraft somewhere. The report concludes that it worked perfectly in recording his 'attitude' when he rolled the car into a ditch!

Just bad karma! 😉 

[nlee]

For the limited time you’ll use it, wouldn’t a phone app do the job?

[Nick72]

7 hours ago, nlee said:

For the limited time you’ll use it, wouldn’t a phone app do the job?

Well in the spring to summer we are mostly at our place in the mountains of the North Lakes and out of trails so it'll come in handy. I like the idea of just having something which is just there. Rather than end up in a situation where I'm thinking I should have set the phone up. 

[J2024IE]

On 11/6/2024 at 6:54 PM, Nick72 said:

Been having a look for a dash mounted inclinometer. Pitch and roll. 

Why? Just anticipating the question... Like the last one I'll be taking the car off road. A few times I've wondered what roll angle I'm at and whether I'm anywhere near tipping. 

There are the mechanical ones which are no fuss and cheap (my dad had them on his land rovers in the 70s and 80s) and there's some digital ones which plug into a USB port or come with a cigarette lighter plug. These look interesting as you get an alarm when when you get to a high attitude and have other functions like built in GPS lat long and alt, etc. The fatal flaw seems to be that all the settings are lost on power down meaning you now need to reset the baseline level, clock, and a bunch of other stuff. Why for the sake of a small internal rechargeable battery.

Here's one which looked useful but seems to have the reset flaw according to a YouTube video review.

AUTOOL X95 GPS Speed Slope Meter, Digital Inclinometer Level & Angle Gauge, Head Up Display Speedometer, Bevel Tilt Gauges with Multifunctional Function for All DC5-28V Cars https://amzn.eu/d/9dYq5lx

 

Any recommendations and thoughts appreciated ☺️ 

the Rav4 is not a true off roader,  and would be very easy to get stuck.  the iPhone has a built in  level  in the measure app, or you could look at the garmin tread series which have pitch and roll gauges, with the garmins they record breadcrumb trails as you go along.

they have a track recorder feature, and have pitch and roll alert  angles that you can set.
I used to do offroading years ago with a Jeep Cherokee  and it was great off road, from towing twin axle boat trailers up a stoney beach to driving on sand or muddy trails.
 

[Nick72]

12 minutes ago, J2024IE said:

the Rav4 is not a true off roader,  and would be very easy to get stuck.  the iphone has a built in  level  in the measure app, or you could look at the garmin tread series which have pitch and roll gauges, with the garmins they record breadcrumb trails as you go along.

they have a track recorder feature, and have pitch and roll alert  angles that you can set.
I used to do offroading years ago with a Jeep Cherokee  and it was great off road, from towing twin axle boat trailers up a stoney beach to driving on sand or muddy trails.
 

Agreed. Light off road in my case. So far nothing it couldn't handle. Checking out the Garmin. Thx

[Nick72]

Right, thanks all. Made a decision.

Loving the Garmin Tread devices but 500 quid too steep.

The small plug in clinos cone with all kinds of silly issues.

So following @nlee and @J2024IE advice I've gone for a phone app. 2.79 but had credit so cost nowt.

Though I'll need a phone holder, probably one with a wireless charger. 

 

[ernieb]

Looks good and whilst it gives detailed data is easy enough to grasp what’s going on without loosing driving concentration. Same app is available on the iPhone.

[Nick72]

4 hours ago, ernieb said:

Looks good and whilst it gives detailed data is easy enough to grasp what’s going on without loosing driving concentration. Same app is available on the iPhone.

Thought so too Ernie. Hopefully it works when AA is running in the background and I can see my phone display. I've never tried that I think. 

[ernieb]

1 hour ago, Nick72 said:

Thought so too Ernie. Hopefully it works when AA is running in the background and I can see my phone display. I've never tried that I think. 

Don’t see it not functioning but worth a test before you get out in the mountains. I’ve used my previous Android phones with apps running on screen and AA/Waze running in the background.

[J2024IE]

5 minutes ago, ernieb said:

Don’t see it not functioning but worth a test before you get out in the mountains. I’ve used my previous Android phones with apps running on screen and AA/Waze running in the background.

is there an app that has the AA / CARPLAY functionality built in? ie you could have it on the main multimedia screen?  might be worth checking that out, then you could run everything from main screen, you would still need to have phone in a phone holder.

[philip42h]

2 hours ago, J2024IE said:

you would still need to have phone in a phone holder

Yes ... 'cos the app is measuring the inclination of the 'phone rather than the car ... 😉

[Nick72]

5 hours ago, philip42h said:

Yes ... 'cos the app is measuring the inclination of the 'phone rather than the car ... 😉

There's a calibration button. Flat road, calibrate as level. Then you get the car attitude irrespective of phone attitude in phone holder and orientation. 

[Nick72]

8 hours ago, ernieb said:

Don’t see it not functioning but worth a test before you get out in the mountains. I’ve used my previous Android phones with apps running on screen and AA/Waze running in the background.

Works. Tried it earlier. Also useful to type or Swype destinations on the phone keyboard which pops up automatically when you enter the destination field on Waze or maps.

[Nick72]

8 hours ago, J2024IE said:

is there an app that has the AA / CARPLAY functionality built in? ie you could have it on the main multimedia screen?  might be worth checking that out, then you could run everything from main screen, you would still need to have phone in a phone holder.

Couldnt find one unfortunately but seems to work on the phone in parallel to AA running.