Alternative Sat Nav Mount

[dave.m]

Ok, got rid of my little Garmin unit and got a TomTom Go 520 from santa. I dont like the sucker mounts

so started looking for a better system. The TomTom site links you to a clip type mount, which comes in

two pieces. Not very tidy and a bit expensive. Anyone seen anything else that you can attach permanently

to your dash and just clip the satnav unit on and off using the square tenon/ slot on back ? Or am I going to

have to put my engineering head on again and make something up ? I was thinking maybe of attaching some-

thing to the silver trim piece at side of radio/cd. Might even try and run the cable through there and try and feed

down to the lighter or power point so it can be left there permanently.

[bjw]

Brodit seem to be the mount that most people swear by but they are expensive but are engineered to your exact car !

Have a look at these links I do not know what the companies are like but you may get some ideas from there websites ??

http://www.pdamods.com/products.asp?cat=295

http://www.buybits.com/catalog/go520520tmusic_1686.aspx

http://www.yournav.com/forum/index.php?showforum=112

http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/carcomm-tomt...radle-a1966.php

Also what garmin did you have and how does it compare with the Tomtom ?? also I suggest you have a look at this website I do not know if you do not know about it

http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/index.php

The speed camera warning data base is very good( costs £19 per year)and can make them vocal warning via a download

Also please do not take offence but remember to back your TomTom up in TomTom Home

[dave.m]

Thanks BJW for reply, those sites have given me some ideas, particularly like the vent mount one.

Ideally I want very little to be left on the dashboard, thats why I was thinking of modifying the existing

suction mount by only using the swivel joint and stem part the sunction part would be thrown away.

Working for a engineering / toolmaking co makes this a bit easier of course, plus I like a good tinker

with things . The Garmin I had was just a small I3 unit, basic but allways found it worked well once

set. Problem was updating it, I got the disc from Garmin but could not get it to work on my own PC so

took it to work and got the stuff onto the PC but could not get it onto the Garmin. Think you would need

be a Tefal man to get it to work. By contrast the TomTom is so easy, pop it into the home mount, connect

it and Bobs yer uncle, plus it has the map share etc. All very user friendly. When I get something made up

or bought I will post some photos

Thanks.

[bjw]

Thanks BJW for reply, those sites have given me some ideas, particularly like the vent mount one.

Ideally I want very little to be left on the dashboard, thats why I was thinking of modifying the existing

suction mount by only using the swivel joint and stem part the sunction part would be thrown away.

Working for a engineering / toolmaking co makes this a bit easier of course, plus I like a good tinker

with things . The Garmin I had was just a small I3 unit, basic but allways found it worked well once

set. Problem was updating it, I got the disc from Garmin but could not get it to work on my own PC so

took it to work and got the stuff onto the PC but could not get it onto the Garmin. Think you would need

be a Tefal man to get it to work. By contrast the TomTom is so easy, pop it into the home mount, connect

it and Bobs yer uncle, plus it has the map share etc. All very user friendly. When I get something made up

or bought I will post some photos

Thanks.

Yes I would be very interested with your solution you never know we could see you on Dragons Den

[chatman]

Yes I would be very interested with your solution you never know we could see you on Dragons Den

:eek: What have they sacked the cleaner then.. :lol:

The Brodit mounts are brilliant... Had one for my old Ipaq PDA I used with TomTom....... Very good and fixing makes for no wobble of the unit when in use.

Changed over to a Orbit XDA phone now and even better as this has built in GPS and phone, so all of my other paraphernalia got sold and now just have the XDA and use TT6. If you want any good poi databases and voice prompts..Can give you some good links..Good site as mentioned www.pocketgpsworld.com is a good one. Work changed all mobile phones over to Blackberry's and the holder for these also my XDA fits in nicely as well.....But is a suction mount type. First thing is too change the default voice of TT over to something better....

[bjw]

What about this idea!!!

http://www.gpsreview.net/forums/viewtopic....884&start=0

[dave.m]

People still have cassettes :o :o :o

Pretty ingenious though, today at work I made up something to get me by temporarily till I came up with

something a bit more elaborate. Trouble is it was so simple and worked better than I thought so might just

keep it permanently. Will post some photos when I get a chance in daylight. ;)

[anchorman]

People still have cassettes :o :o :o

Pretty ingenious though, today at work I made up something to get me by temporarily till I came up with

something a bit more elaborate. Trouble is it was so simple and worked better than I thought so might just

keep it permanently. Will post some photos when I get a chance in daylight. ;)

I think until recently a lexus had both. Its neat but I'd want it a bit lower to reveal the display at the back. The other thing is you need to be very careful with a sat nav down there unless its one that will tell you that you are about to mount the footpath and dissapear through a hawthorn hedge.

[dave.m]

Ok, taken some photos of the little mount I made.

Heres the piece thats permanently on the dash -

I basically butchered up the existing sucker mount by removing the sucker part and cutting away the rubber/ plastic

into a basic round shape. Then turned up a couple of Acetal (plastic/nylon type material) parts as per photos. Loctited

the mount into the top half, this has a grub screw permanently fixed in at one end. The thread has quite a fast pitch

so it only takes 4 turns to attach it to the bottom half. This is the bit some possibly would not want to do. The bottom

half is secured to the dash with 2 capscrews/ washers/nuts. So you have to make a couple of holes in your dash.

Job done ;)

[chatman]

Ok, taken some photos of the little mount I made.

[

33.8 mpg :o :o :o :o you changed your RAV and now driving a Petrol version Dave ??

[dave.m]

Ok, taken some photos of the little mount I made.

[

33.8 mpg :o :o :o :o you changed your RAV and now driving a Petrol version Dave ??

tell me about it. it must be down to the type of journeys I make. I quite like autos but

as you know the Rav auto only comes in petrol. But with the current MPG I'm getting, dont think it would

make any odds.

[chatman]

Like what you've done with the mount....Where do the cables go for the TomTom....is this just draped down the side into the cig lighter.....

As my Blackberry mount is the driver's side within easy reach...it also quite nicely holds my Orbit XDA when I need to use the TomTom installed....(again have to take some pictures....) :rolleyes:

[bjw]

Brilliant :D

Its amazing what you can do when you come from an engineering background

Dragons den here you come ( the Dave mount)

[dave.m]

Glad you like it guys :) as I said earlier, this was going to be a temporary fix till I made some sort of

quick slide mount, but it turned out better than I expected so it stays. As usual the keep it simple ethos

is usually the most practical. Now as for the cable I was thinking about taking the radio trims/ fascia

and vents back off and trying to run it down there. Bring it out around the lighter or further back along the

centre consul to the power point. Or, hard wire it hmmmm, might need to think about that one.

Vennlig hilsen.

Dave.

[bjw]

Glad you like it guys :) as I said earlier, this was going to be a temporary fix till I made some sort of

quick slide mount, but it turned out better than I expected so it stays. As usual the keep it simple ethos

is usually the most practical. Now as for the cable I was thinking about taking the radio trims/ fascia

and vents back off and trying to run it down there. Bring it out around the lighter or further back along the

centre consul to the power point. Or, hard wire it hmmmm, might need to think about that one.

Vennlig hilsen.

Dave.

If you could set that mount into a weighted bean bag just think off the sales potential ???

Would it work ??? ( bean bag mounts are rare for Tomtoms)

[anchorman]

That really is neat. Its a pity they don't do something similar with the harness integrated so you dont have the wires trailing. Nice to see that dash looking so tidy mate ;)

I hope that isn't your garden in the background - you'll be giving Earl Chatman a run for his money!!!

[dave.m]

I hope that isn't your garden in the background - you'll be giving Earl Chatman a run for his money!!!

No just thought instead of the usual boring backdrop of my house, I would

nip across the road to the local country park for a change. The trees at the other side of the

loch in the foreground are conveniently hiding the M74. So Chatmans country pile still has

no competition.

[chatman]

I hope that isn't your garden in the background - you'll be giving Earl Chatman a run for his money!!!

:g: :g: naa

This is what I use to hold my Orbit XDA...when needed to use the TomTom and when not, it has my Blackberry in it...Within easy touch of my right hand...

Nice screen of XDA as well as it has voice dialling also....

[dave.m]

Bloomin eck, is that the window of your Rav ? Or the window of Maplins ? :o

[chatman]

Bloomin eck, is that the window of your Rav ? Or the window of Maplins ? :o

Just a few things to help my journeys along.....O and keep my driving licence clean :D :D :D :D :D

[dave.m]

Ok, just a little update for anyone who's interested. Thought it best not to be drilling holes in my new dash

so made a new base part for mount. Made it shorter in length and bigger in diameter to give more bearing area for

the sticky pads I used to stick it to the dash, so it looks like this -

As length is reduced, had to reduce the thread length on the other part so it now only takes two turns to screw it on.

[nest]

From the first post (with the 4.2) i liked this idea. This way the window mounted piece that obliterates the view is replaced. Great, man.

[Fujisan]

Ok, just a little update for anyone who's interested. Thought it best not to be drilling holes in my new dash

so made a new base part for mount. Made it shorter in length and bigger in diameter to give more bearing area for

the sticky pads I used to stick it to the dash, so it looks like this -

As length is reduced, had to reduce the thread length on the other part so it now only takes two turns to screw it on.

Very nice Dave Very neat and well engineered solution.

[Frank Ashworth]

As any body used the stick on plastic discs on their dashboard to mount a tom tom? they seem a good idea but I'm worried they might damage the dash on removal.

[dave.m]

Hi Frank, used one with the little Garmin unit I had in my last Rav, and car before. Takes a bit of effort

to get it back off but it comes away without leaving any damage to dash.