What to do with phone? Mount?

[Andyw2100]

I take it back about the potential. I'll probably use it in the house somewhere, but in the car I think it might be bad.

It will clip onto the cubby and the visor like I said. However, the cubby flexes a little, and with the visor it starts to fold down with the weight. Maybe putting it on the window side of the visor would work better, but I think with a phone it's just a lot of weight. The clip is also really strong so I'd worry about damaging the center console or the leather around the yacht flooring by clipping it to either.

With the weight of the phone it also wobbles around a lot.

OK, thanks.

That is excellent information. Knowing that one really is not an option will make me think even harder before giving up on the cup holder option that I have coming. That one did ship today, by the way, but since it was not an Amazon Prime item, it's not clear exactly when I'll be receiving it. I'm guessing perhaps the end of the week.

If for some reason that one doesn't work, thinking about what you just wrote, I might not rule yours out, as I might be able to clip that one to the cup holder inside the console. The one shortcoming you pointed out that would definitely still be an issue, though, would be the wobbling.

Perhaps the goose neck of the cup holder mount is sturdier. I'll let you know what I think, and also give you my impressions on suitability for your use with respect to taking it apart, once I have it.

 

[Pete90D]

OK, thanks.

That is excellent information. Knowing that one really is not an option will make me think even harder before giving up on the cup holder option that I have coming. That one did ship today, by the way, but since it was not an Amazon Prime item, it's not clear exactly when I'll be receiving it. I'm guessing perhaps the end of the week.

If for some reason that one doesn't work, thinking about what you just wrote, I might not rule yours out, as I might be able to clip that one to the cup holder inside the console. The one shortcoming you pointed out that would definitely still be an issue, though, would be the wobbling.

Perhaps the goose neck of the cup holder mount is sturdier. I'll let you know what I think, and also give you my impressions on suitability for your use with respect to taking it apart, once I have it.

I think if you coil it there would be less wobble, but of course that changes the view of it. It might also have more wobble with the clip south of the phone, but clipped to the visor it might have less... cause of science and stuff.

 

[Andyw2100]

I think if you coil it there would be less wobble, but of course that changes the view of it. It might also have more wobble with the clip south of the phone, but clipped to the visor it might have less... cause of science and stuff.

I'm beginning to drift pretty far afield.

Fearing the goose neck may not be supportive enough, after reading some of the one-star reviews, I started looking at some cup mount options that had more rigid "arms" to hold the phone. (Of course this may present a problem since the cup holder I'm planning on using is in the center console, directly beneath the 17" display.)

But the issue with some of the ones I looked at, and something that could be an issue with the one that is coming as well, is how tightly they will fit in the center console cup holder, since it's an "open" cup holder. So, I found this, which I may buy if I like one of the cup holder options, and think it would benefit from a more secure connection to the cup holder:

Amazon.com : Brybelly Single Vivid Silver Aluminum Drop-In Cup Holder : Casino Equipment : Sports Outdoors

Yes, I'm definitely stretching to find something that will work.

Edit: I haven't measured anything in the center console related to the above. These kinds of things come in various diameters and depths. I would measure stuff before ordering one. If you are interested in the same, please DO NOT ASSUME THIS ONE IS THE RIGHT SIZE. (It's here just to demonstrate the concept.)

 

[Pete90D]

I saw this too
Amazon.com: Generic Customized Smartphone Stand for Tesla (Dark Gray): Automotive

Kind of pricey to a trial, but it's a somewhat interesting approach

 

[Andyw2100]

I saw this too
Amazon.com: Generic Customized Smartphone Stand for Tesla (Dark Gray): Automotive

Kind of pricey to a trial, but it's a somewhat interesting approach

Interesting find.

I agree it looks pricey for what it appears to be.

That might work for me, if it could attach securely to the lower part of the vent, as the air flow wouldn't be blocked.

I'm not sure how it's adjustable to fit dfferent sized phones, though. It looks as if the sides might stretch out a bit if the phone was wide enough to require that, but if not, as in the pictures with this pink one, I fear the phone would just float around:

Amazon.com: Generic Mobile Phone Holder for Tesla Modle S (Grey): Cell Phones Accessories

It is another possibility!

 

[lucy]

I am planning to get the ProClip screen mount, and transfer the magnetic IoAuto Pro-magnetic phone holder I am using in my current car.

http://www.proclipusa.com/mobile-de...uct/ioauto-pro-magnetic-mount-red-710305.cmsv

A sticky back metal disc is adhered to your device or device case, then the device can be easily positioned at multiple angles and easily adjusted on the magnetic holder. Additional discs can be purchased (or reverse engineered) when a new phone comes out. I have accidentally knocked my phone off of the holder, but it has never fallen off. Since the metal disc is on the back of the device, the exact size of the device does not matter, unlike cradle-type holders where the location of ports can be problematic.

 

[Andyw2100]

Also, when I get the cup holder one, I'll let you know if it looks like it would come apart in such a way that you could mount a slimline metal mount on the end of the snaky part, or if that end is pretty much fixed in place, or the wrong size, etc.

I received the cup holder goose-neck mount today. I have good news for both of us, Pete!

I'm almost positive this mount would work for your needs. (More on that, and photos, in a moment.) I can't actually completely test it out for mine, as my car is at the service center, and the loaner I have does not have the center console, which is where I would use it. But I think it is likely to work well for me, assuming I can get the base to tighten into the cup holder (if not I can always purchase that insert I found upthread), and if I can adjust the goose-neck part and phone holder to where I want the phone, without blocking the 17" display.

The goose-neck definitely seems stiff enough. Unless it loosens up with usage, I don't see a problem with that aspect of it at all. In fact I think if the goose neck is to be attached directly to the dash, you'll want to make adjustments to it using two hands, with one adjusting the goose-neck, and the other insulating the mount from the pressure, so that the mount doesn't come off the dash. The goose-neck is that stiff.

For your purposes, Pete, the ball end easily disconnects from the mount. And it is even flattened a bit, so you would have no problem at all gluing one of the slimline mounts to it. (See pictures below.) Also, if you wanted to use only the goose-neck part, the part the attaches to the base detaches with the removal of a single screw. It is flat on the end, so also should easily accommodate the slimline mount components.

Just let me know if you'd like any other pictures. When I get my car back, I'll try it in the car, and will see about taking some pictures there too.

The single screw that needs to be removed to release the goose-neck from the base.

Goose-neck, free!

Base end.

Base end, from the end.

Ball end.

Ball end, closer. (It's not emitting light--just reflecting it.)

Ball end. I think these last two images show the flattened part of the ball end pretty well.

 

[Pete90D]

For your purposes, Pete, the ball end easily disconnects from the mount. And it is even flattened a bit, so you would have no problem at all gluing one of the slimline mounts to it. (See pictures below.) Also, if you wanted to use only the goose-neck part, the part the attaches to the base detaches with the removal of a single screw. It is flat on the end, so also should easily accommodate the slimline mount components.

Thanks for the photos and overview Andy! I look forward to hearing how it works out for you

 

[supratachophobia]

I am planning to get the ProClip screen mount, and transfer the magnetic IoAuto Pro-magnetic phone holder I am using in my current car.

http://www.proclipusa.com/mobile-de...uct/ioauto-pro-magnetic-mount-red-710305.cmsv

A sticky back metal disc is adhered to your device or device case, then the device can be easily positioned at multiple angles and easily adjusted on the magnetic holder. Additional discs can be purchased (or reverse engineered) when a new phone comes out. I have accidentally knocked my phone off of the holder, but it has never fallen off. Since the metal disc is on the back of the device, the exact size of the device does not matter, unlike cradle-type holders where the location of ports can be problematic.

Scosche magnet mount.

 

[Andyw2100]

Thanks for the photos and overview Andy! I look forward to hearing how it works out for you

So in the months since I've last posted, I've tried many, MANY different mounts. I have finally come up with a system that I am extremely happy with, so I wanted to share.

Anyone potentially interested in the following should know that while it is not inexpensive, compared to everything else I've tried it is far and away superior. The stability and flexibility offered is so far beyond everything else I tried, I think it is definitely worth the money.

OK. Enough preamble. Here are a couple of pictures.

One for perspective:

And one up close:

The basic system is a Ram mount system, available for about $48 on Amazon. To the basic system I added some pretty obvious extension pieces--the long double socket arm for about $18 and the Ram double 1-inch ball adapter for about $13.

But what you are seeing as the phone holder is not the typical Ram X-mount holder. When I first tried the Ram mount, and saw how stable it was, and realized I could get the phone in a position I liked, without blocking my view, blocking the vents, etc., I knew this was the mount for me. But I did not love the X-mount, and the fact that there really was no way to get the phone in and out of that with one hand.

More than one of the mounts I had experimented with had phone platforms like the one you see pictured. I checked with Ram, and learned that not only did they not make anything like that, but they had no plans to. So I started to think about how I could fit one of the platforms from one of the other mounts to the Ram mount.

I still had the G-cord cup holder snake-arm mount discussed up thread. I thought the "ball" on the end of the snake might just screw out from the snake, and then I might be able to find a way to screw it in to the Ram mount somehow. But I could not disconnect that ball from the snake. So I measured it, and discovered that it was 11/16" in diameter. The G-cord mount now costs $20 on Amazon.

I then found this on Amazon:

It's a Ram 1-inch ball with 1/4 inch 20 male threaded post for cameras and cost $7.50.

So all that was left to do was to find an 11/16" ball with a 1/4" 20 screw thread. It turns out that was easier said than done, but I wound up finding one at McMaster-Carr. It was under $3, but with shipping about $9.

So the total cost of this "custom" system would be about $115, and you'd have some parts left over.

All the URLs are below if anyone is interested in replicating this. One advantage of the Ram system is that all sorts of accessories are available for it, so you can use it for other things in the future, or at times when you're not using it as the phone mount. For example, they make a GoPro ball mount that just pops in on one end.

As for power, I don't usually need to charge my phone in the car, but if I do, I can either run the cable across my lap, or just sit the phone in the center console. It's not ideal, but it's a trade off I'm very happy to make, in light of everything else.

Feel free to ask me any questions.

It took me a long time, but I've finally found a mounting system that I'm really happy with.

Ram Mount System - Amazon.com: Ram Mount Twist Lock Suction Cup Mount with Universal X-Grip Cell Phone Holder, Black: Car Electronics
Ram long double socket arm - Amazon.com: Ram Mount Long Double Socket Arm for 1-Inch Ball Bases: Car Electronics
Ram double 1-inch ball adapter - Amazon.com: Ram Mount Double 1-Inch Ball Adapter: GPS Navigation
G-cord extra long arm cupholder mount - Amazon.com: G-Cord® Flexible Extra Long Arm Cup Holder Mount for iPhone and other Smartphones: Cell Phones Accessories
Ram 1-inch ball with 1/4 inch 20 male threaded post for cameras - Amazon.com: Ram Mount 1-Inch Ball with 1/4-Inch 20 Male Threaded Post for Cameras: GPS Navigation
Red Phenolic ball knob - 1/4" 20 thread, 11/16" diameter - McMaster-Carr

 

[f-stop]

I have a Kenu Airframe which fits on the dash vent. Small, unobtrusive and quick to mount/unmount, works with any phone case and no need to permanently attach anything.
I posted a couple photos in another thread here

 

[slevit1md]

Still think pro clip is the best solution out there. Have yet to find a suction mount that doesn't need to be re-applied frequently.

 

[Cyclone]

Still think pro clip is the best solution out there. Have yet to find a suction mount that doesn't need to be re-applied frequently.

I have NOT needed to reapply mine even once in the months I've had it and I've bumped into it multiple times when cleaning the car.

Must have accessories? - Page 7

 

[Andyw2100]

Still think pro clip is the best solution out there. Have yet to find a suction mount that doesn't need to be re-applied frequently.

I was seriously considering trying one of the ProClip mounts. But other than suction cup mounts (which I was not yet exploring at the time), the only options were the vent mount, which would block the flow of air from the vent, and the mount below the 17" display, which was in a position I really didn't find appealing.

As for the Ram suction cup mount sticking to the windshield, I've been using it for about six weeks now, and it shows no signs whatsoever of coming off. Granted, the weather has not yet gotten as cold as it is going to, but all the reviews I've read indicate that this is not something I need to be concerned about. If that changes, I will certainly come back and post an update.

 

[DannyNorcal]

Can someone that has used the Abstract Ocean magnetic slimline phone holder comment on how the secure the base affixed to the dash has held up over a long period of time? The last post is late 2015 so some of you may have had it stuck on for 3 years!

I have the cream interior with the Oak décor on the dash and am concerned on how well the base will adhere since the oak surface is not solid and completely smooth but has wood grain texture. Thanks!

 

[Kbra]

Playing with this one....