Car dashboard mount for my new Garmin 60CSx

[TopangaHiker]

I recently posted a response to looking for my first GPS unit

 

I mentioned that I took a 1700 mile road trip and that the Garmin 60Csx worked great for both navigationg and geiocaching. A couple of you PM'd me asking if I used some sort of mount for the GPSr unit.

Well, the answer is yes. However I've been disappointed with the OE mounts available.

The windshield mounted suction cup models put the GPSr too far away for me to see it properly and I just don't like the way it looked.

The bean bags are going to slide around.

Glueing the mount to the dashboard was out of the question.

So, I came up with an idea for my vehicle:

 

Here's the dash and instrument panel on my Dodge Durango.

 

Now I did buy the windshield suction cup mount for the 60CSx but after trying it I found that it was too far away from my eyes to be effective.

 

What you see his is very easy to make. In fact this is the prototype which I haven't really improved upon yet.

It's an old cassette tape with a plexiglass square crazy glued to it.

 

You can guess what happens next. The suction cup gloms on to the plex and viola, the thing is now mounted in front of the car stereo. I lose very little in the way of control of the radio/cd/tape deck. In fact I don't even listen to tapes.

 

 

 

It works really well. My road trip was at the end of June, beginning of July and went from Southern California, through Nevada, across the entire state of Utah, to Colorado and home through New Mexico and Arizona. Needless to say it was hotter than hot. The suction cup let go a time or two but that had nothing to do with my gizmo. In fact, this way it's less exposed to the sun and elements and eyes of a thief.

The plexi/tape part broke once but it from the weakness of the plastic cassette case itself. I stopped a store and got some more crazy glue and it hasn't come apart again.

I'd like to figure out another way to do this using the A/C and heating vents.

Who's gonna figure out that one?

[Pyro37976]

Wow that is really clever, great idea, I must try it.

[MajBach]

Freakin 'A'!!

Not like you were going to use the cassette anyway, right?

[+SMOKEATERLT]

Freakin 'A'!!

Not like you were going to use the cassette anyway, right?

 

 

Whats a cassette? Just kidding! Great idea though!

[+Team MnMizzou]

Interesting idea, although I will tell you I have the bean bag and use it in all sorts of different cars and trucks, several with very rounded dashes or angled dashes and it holds great. Small enough to toss in my backpack on flights out of town and super easy to "set up" in a rental moblie! Plus I don't have a cassette slot in my car anymore.

[TopangaHiker]

Interesting idea, although I will tell you I have the bean bag and use it in all sorts of different cars and trucks, several with very rounded dashes or angled dashes and it holds great. Small enough to toss in my backpack on flights out of town and super easy to "set up" in a rental moblie! Plus I don't have a cassette slot in my car anymore.

 

Thanks for all the compliments, guys.

I guess I should give some credit to my kid who came up with the idea of using the cassette slot as the basis of a mount. It was a collaborated effort.

 

And right, like I said, I don't use the tape player.

 

Team MnMizzou: I've never actually tried the bean bag because of the reviews I read. Also, I live in a mountainous area with lots of windy roads and fear the BB would def. slide around but I do like the idea of it's total portability and obvious compatibility with any and all vehicles.

Is there any modification that you do to make it a little more stable and sticky as far as staying in place goes?

Edited July 27, 2007 by TopangaHiker

[+jchiar]

Interesting idea, although I will tell you I have the bean bag and use it in all sorts of different cars and trucks, several with very rounded dashes or angled dashes and it holds great. Small enough to toss in my backpack on flights out of town and super easy to "set up" in a rental moblie! Plus I don't have a cassette slot in my car anymore.

 

Thanks for all the compliments, guys.

I guess I should give some credit to my kid who came up with the idea of using the cassette slot as the basis of a mount. It was a collaborated effort.

 

And right, like I said, I don't use the tape player.

 

Team MnMizzou: I've never actually tried the bean bag because of the reviews I read. Also, I live in a mountainous area with lots of windy roads and fear the BB would def. slide around but I do like the idea of it's total portability and obvious compatibility with any and all vehicles.

Is there any modification that you do to make it a little more stable and sticky as far as staying in place goes?

 

I was using my 60csx in the same manner till I found out the unit works with the free Nroute software for autorouting on my laptop!

 

Now when i travel for a distance , Ill use my laptop for the mapping portion till i get to the vicinity of where i am heading..

[The Brad]

Another thought. I was having trouble with the shape/ angle of my windshield... I just unfastened the suction cup joint and turned it over. It changes the angle of the arm and works much better.

[+GRNZOOM]

I just put my 60CSx, between my legs on the set.

 

Works for me...

 

Nick

[gallet]

Think how much better it will be with 8 track cassettes!