Slickdeals is community-supported.  We may get paid by brands for deals, including promoted items.
Forum Thread

(NO OT) - DIY: Inexpensive Bracket for Anyone w/Radar Detector, GPS, Scan Tool or Anything Windshield Mounted

10,827 3,722 September 12, 2012 at 01:31 PM in Autos
I wasn't sure where to post this since there is no DIY or How To section on SD but I've posted this 'deal' on many automotive forums that I'm on and it's always been well received. Mods: If there is someplace where this fits better feel free to relocate it there. SD needs a DIY sub-section maybe?

I made a bracket for my radar detector to mount to the rear view mirror rather than the stupid windshield brackets w/suction cups. This same device can be used for a wide variety of things such as GPS devices or engine monitor readouts. The cost is anywhere from free to $2.50 depending on if you ride bicycles or not. It's a simple seat post reflector with the reflector removed. Most have these in their garage and if not you can get them at your local bicycle shop for a few bucks at most. When I went to mine they gave me handfuls of them of various sizes for free just for asking. You will also need a small bolt with a matching washer & nut to attach the factory bracket to it. There are a couple sizes so pick based on the thickness of your mirror stem then use padded tape to make up the difference. Pretty simple actually.

I figured this is a perfect post for those Slickdealers like me who think $90 or even $35 is WAY to much for a simple mirror bracket mount.

Enjoy!

Your comment cannot be blank.

Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.

Joined Oct 2008
EPIC BEARD MAN
> bubble2 1,799 Posts
697 Reputation
Pro
kenkaniff
09-12-2012 at 02:09 PM.
09-12-2012 at 02:09 PM.
It's illegal in some states to hang anything from the rearview mirror, check your local laws first.
Reply
Joined Jun 2003
Banned Shill
> bubble2 10,827 Posts
3,722 Reputation
Original Poster
OstrichSak
09-12-2012 at 02:10 PM.
09-12-2012 at 02:10 PM.
Quote from anvilsvs :
It's not just GM. All glued on mirrors will fall off in hot humid weather and adding any weight will aggravate the problem. Bean bag dash mounts work well for me, but many dashes are shaped so that you can't use them.
I think the word you want there is 'MAY' and not will. Again, I have had many, many, MANY vehicles and it gets pretty darn hot here in the midwest in the summer and I've never had a single problem. Not one. I'm not saying that it's impossible because it most certainly is I just don't think it's going to be as common an occurrence as some here are saying and I also question that adding 20oz to the weight would be the cause and it wouldn't happen anyway.
Reply
Joined May 2011
"1stBuy"
> bubble2 6,886 Posts
6,313 Reputation
CDI
09-12-2012 at 02:11 PM.
09-12-2012 at 02:11 PM.
I like the DIY idea, OP. +1 and Rep!

Won't work on a Benz though (theres no space to place this) so I'm out on this one.
Reply
Joined May 2010
L6: Expert
> bubble2 1,534 Posts
395 Reputation
travathian
09-12-2012 at 02:11 PM.
09-12-2012 at 02:11 PM.
This is great! Especially if you want to have even more of a blind spot in your windshield viewing area.
Reply
Joined May 2009
L7: Teacher
> bubble2 2,917 Posts
892 Reputation
grueber
09-12-2012 at 02:13 PM.
09-12-2012 at 02:13 PM.
Interesting. I looked into a blendmount in the past but couldn't stomach the cost. I ended up mounting my Escort 9400 to the right of the rearview mirror. It's ok except it's hard to silence an alert because it's mounted that high.
Reply
Joined Feb 2007
UNwoke at last!
> bubble2 3,645 Posts
1,100 Reputation
nolenski
09-12-2012 at 02:16 PM.
09-12-2012 at 02:16 PM.
Quote from XSection31 :
Be careful, you own a GM product and that extra weight will bring your rear-view mirror crashing down.

Come to think of it, on Chevy's, the weight of the mirror alone will bring it down.
CAREFUL...

That's Obama's baby you're talking about!

Personally I'll never own another GM product, but that's just from bad experiences... Obama being involved with GM just seals the deal for me.
Reply
Joined Sep 2009
L9: Master
> bubble2 4,139 Posts
755 Reputation
SpinControl
09-12-2012 at 02:17 PM.
09-12-2012 at 02:17 PM.
Quote from XSection31 :
Be careful, you own a GM product and that extra weight will bring your rear-view mirror crashing down.

Come to think of it, on Chevy's, the weight of the mirror alone will bring it down.
Quote from smithmal :
As the other poster mentioned rearview mirrors have a nasty habit of falling especially in the summer when the windshield heats up really bad and the glue holding the rearview mirror melts...

smithmal
Just take car and said fallen mirror over to windshield place (Safelite, etc.). They'll re-glue it for free. If you cannot get it for free, just go to Walmart and get some LOCTITE glue (not sure what type), but that's what they use at the windshield places.

Forget about those cheesy "rear view mirror repair kits". They are not what the windshield guys use.
Reply

Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.

Joined Nov 2008
L6: Expert
> bubble2 1,267 Posts
201 Reputation
turbosix
09-12-2012 at 02:19 PM.
09-12-2012 at 02:19 PM.
repped. can't believe i didn't think of this before.
Reply
Joined Mar 2007
Gabbler
> bubble2 1,368 Posts
200 Reputation
triffid_98
09-12-2012 at 02:20 PM.
09-12-2012 at 02:20 PM.
Quote from kenkaniff :
It's illegal in some states to hang anything from the rearview mirror, check your local laws first.

What he said. In CA the only legal mounts are the lower corners of the windshield. Nothing can hang from the mirror Yet more nanny-state laws .. great DIY though.
Reply
Joined Jun 2003
Banned Shill
> bubble2 10,827 Posts
3,722 Reputation
Original Poster
OstrichSak
09-12-2012 at 02:24 PM.
09-12-2012 at 02:24 PM.
Quote from triffid_98 :
What he said. In CA the only legal mounts are the lower corners of the windshield. Nothing can hang from the mirror Yet more nanny-state laws .. great DIY though.
Exactly why I would never live in CA as much as I like the area. If mounted properly the radar detector will hang about an inch lower than your rear view mirror and take up much less room than mounted to your windshield via suction cups. Hell, I even paid $40 for a bracket to relocate my mirror higher on my Tacoma because they mounted them so low on the windshield from the factory and even I don't see this as obtrusive in the least. If it was I wouldn't pay to move the mirror higher and then take up all that space with a radar detector. That wouldn't be a very 'slick deal' now would it? laugh out loud
Reply
Joined Feb 2007
UNwoke at last!
> bubble2 3,645 Posts
1,100 Reputation
nolenski
09-12-2012 at 02:25 PM.
09-12-2012 at 02:25 PM.
Quote from triffid_98 :
What he said. In CA the only legal mounts are the lower corners of the windshield. Nothing can hang from the mirror Yet more nanny-state laws .. great DIY though.
He said different STATE... CA is a different Country!
Reply
Joined Dec 2003
L4: Apprentice
> bubble2 431 Posts
37 Reputation
MadDude
09-12-2012 at 02:27 PM.
09-12-2012 at 02:27 PM.
State of California not sure about other states this would be illegal....
Reply
Joined Sep 2003
L11: Grandest Master
> bubble2 19,701 Posts
27,793 Reputation
Expert
This user is an Expert in Tech & Electronics
TofuVic
09-12-2012 at 02:28 PM.
09-12-2012 at 02:28 PM.
Quote from Zephon13 :
lol spam/self promotion? Are people really that dumb? How is this anything close to either of those?
How dare he self-promote his own idea for free!
Reply
Joined Dec 2003
L4: Apprentice
> bubble2 431 Posts
37 Reputation
MadDude
09-12-2012 at 02:28 PM.
09-12-2012 at 02:28 PM.
Actually my GPS is suction cupped to my dashboard I use a very simple product that allows for this...let me see if I can find that link...
Reply

Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.

Joined Sep 2003
L11: Grandest Master
> bubble2 19,701 Posts
27,793 Reputation
Expert
This user is an Expert in Tech & Electronics
TofuVic
09-12-2012 at 02:29 PM.
09-12-2012 at 02:29 PM.
Quote from nowlen :
He said different STATE... CA is a different Country!
CA = California, in this case.
Reply
Page 2 of 6
Start the Conversation
 

More Autos Deals & Discounts

Link Copied

The link has been copied to the clipboard.