My ashtray navigation/tablet mount

[xxaarraa]

EDIT: OK, I just realized this is not the ashtray! LOL. I blame the Sunday morning pre-coffee drowsiness. Can the mods please change thread title to "My drink-holder navigation/tablet mount"

OK, I have been using an ipad/android tablet for in-car navigation for over 2 years now. Between navigon (offline nav) and GPS Drive (online nav), I have found them to be everything I need. I will say up front that I don't have a problem with taking my eyes off the road for a second to look at a nav screen, so I am OK with not having it mounted to the windshield right in front of my face (in fact, I do not like anything mounted to the windshield). I have also been using RAM's tab-tite mounting system, with a suction cup. But I wanted something more integrated, so came up with this:

• It is a sticky mount base with a 1" ball, but it wasn't sticking to the ashtray. Not sure if it was the surface texture or the space available.
  
• So I drilled a couple of small holes and used a bolt/nut to secure the sticky mount. Like so:
  
  
  
  
  
• Then add an arm that mounts to the ball. I wan't to say this is a medium length arm, if you are buying it separately. Like so:
  
  
  
  
  
• Then add a tab-tite mount for a tablet - of the size of your tablet of course. Like so:
  
  
  
  
  
• Then, add tablet of your choice. I went away from Ipads to the Google Nexus 7.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Now you got yourself a decent tablet mount that's out of the way. Yes, I do need to clean the interior

In the future, I plan to hardwire a QI wireless charging base to the tab-tite so that I don't have to have a charging cord dangle. That's why I like the Nexus 7 2nd gen, because of the wireless charging option.

I'll keep this thread updated with how it holds up, but wanted to share the initial idea.

 

[ebg18t]

looks very interesting.

I assume your google nexus 7 is the version with a data package? is there a way to run a non data package model with offline gps maps?

PS - if you want to edit your title you should be abel to do so thru the 'advanced options' button..

 

[oljedi11950]

But where do you put your coffee now ?

 

[xxaarraa]

looks very interesting.

I assume your google nexus 7 is the version with a data package? is there a way to run a non data package model with offline gps maps?

PS - if you want to edit your title you should be abel to do so thru the 'advanced options' button..

No mine is not the lte data model. Offline nav has been around for a while now. Navigon is my first choice but skobbler is not bad either.

 

[xxaarraa]

But where do you put your coffee now ?

I have a cup holder that you jam between the center tunnel and the passenger seat. I never used the front cup holder anyway because I don't have the divider thingy and that's where the tablet always goes even if I'm using my old suction cup tabtite mount.

 

[oljedi11950]

No I get it , don't like mine either it's not very solid seating in there even with divider ! Nicely done , now don't get busting looking down there . Big deal out here , my buddy got a ticket because he looked at his ph to see who was calling , cop just happened to see it , doing anything for $$ .

 

[CXS]

Looks like a pretty good setup but I like my coffee too much to give up the cup holder. I think I posted these pics of my high-tech iPad mount but will again just because. The first is with the iPad mounted, second is the mounting apparatus.

:bolt:

 

[xxaarraa]

Looks like a pretty good setup but I like my coffee too much to give up the cup holder. I think I posted these pics of my high-tech iPad mount but will again just because. The first is with the iPad mounted, second is the mounting apparatus.

:bolt:

Chris,

Thanks for sharing, good job!.

I had this exact same hi-tech setup in my previous Tacoma. It held up great, I drove this setup for 30k miles including two cross-country trips. But I hated how it covered the heater controls and LCD screen.

 

[gshadow325]

A Cheap Jensen double din dvd navigation unit can be had for less than $450 now. Why would you want to deal with all that clutter on the dash. Or just get a good Mount for your Android cell phone and use Google maps and load up the maps into cache.

 

[daka320]

Call me cheap or whatever you want, but my setup is easy and portable: Suction cup mount to windshield, place phone in mount, hook up lighter power cord to mini usb, plug cassette adapter into headphone outlet and slide into tape deck (yes, I still have the factory stereo with tape deck). May not be pretty to look at but it works well! Driven at least 15k miles or so using this configuration. Runs Google maps, slacker radio, gas buddy, and yelp well. Heading out to Corpus Christi this next week so I will take pics then and post.

 

[97BlackAckCL]

But where do you put your coffee now ?

My guess would be the 2 cup holders in this pic :roll: