$2 radar detector mirror mount

[clarkwgriswold]

I was sick of replacing my suction cups on my radar detector and having it fall in my lap. So I started checking into mirror mounts. Seeing they were in the $70 range and I already blew the budget on a AP. Off to Lowes I went...

 

I found hangers in the plumbing section. They are called Milford hangers for 3/4" piping (see picture) here's the steps I did.

 

1. Bolt milford hanger onto mirror.

2. Bend and cut hanger to length

3. Make the first two holes big enough to put bolt through

4. Drill same size holes in the metal bracket that your suction cups slide into.

5. Bolt radar detector mount to milford hanger

6. Paint (unless you like the look of copper)

7. Bolt onto mirror. (I also threw a zip tie around the mount for a little more support.)

8. Hard wire and your done! No more suction cups.

[DocHolladay23]

nice, I might try this!

[theGeneral]

To be honest clark I can't tell what you did or how you did it from those photos.

 

And I would love to see what you did because I hate having my detector sitting on my dash.

[TSiWRX]

Awesome homespun solution, clarkwgriswold.

 

You know, the guys and gals on RadarDetector.net are definitely going to tell you to upgrade your detector (and to be honest, so would I - but I understand that you're on a budget so, just be careful!)....but I'm willing to bet that they would be very interested in seeing this particular home-brew modification, particularly given the high cost, as you've mentioned, of retail units.

 

Very creative solution!

 

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BTW, be sure that the detector is level-to-roadway, when you're actually in-use.

[schwinn]

+1 on the upgrade-the-detector

 

And +many-more for the homebrew fix. I will be trying this out myself, but I plan to have the RD sit above the mirror (I have remote-mounted laser jammers to handle that threat anyway, so the blue tint is not a problem )

[NJLGT]

thats cool, thats where I mount all of my detectors but i haven't had a suction cup problem. and remember the higher up in the car the quicker and better the detection capabilities.

[clarkwgriswold]

Leave my Rocky Mountain Radar detector alone it is very sensitive! Thanks for the positive feedback.

[Legend]

Not bad. That was my first problem with my LGT - where to put the radar! In both my wife's Honda and my old Acura I had the detector mounted on top of the mirror with velcro. Very easy. That isn't an option on the LGT.

 

So I used the windshield suction mounts... and once a week I'd find my damn radar on a seat or floor when I'd get into the car. That killed the radar one day. When I upgraded detectors last year, I was picky about the power connector and was only in the market for those power cords that click-in (like an ethernet cable). My detector is hard-wired, and I tied a knot in the cord around the top of the mirror. Now when it falls it will just hang suspended about 6" below the mirror so the detector won't take any hits. That strategy, along with the fresh suction cups, has worked well for me.

 

Still, OP, I think this is a nice solution you came up with! Another benefit is that it is a little more stealthy from a theft standpoint. I'm interested in some higher quality photos.

[clarkwgriswold]

I'll work on a better walk through with more picks.

[Heytiggr]

Question - with it hung by one central point rather then the two suction cups, don't you get a lot of wobble or vibration with that mount? This looks like a simple and elegant solution but having it bounce or vibrate a lot would drive me nuts.

[boosted subaru]

Where does everyone hard wire there radar detectors to? My cabel is very short on mine and i dont no where i could hard wire it to i hate plugging it into the power outlet its to messy with the cord. thanks.

[TSiWRX]

Leave my Rocky Mountain Radar detector alone it is very sensitive! Thanks for the positive feedback.

 

 

As long as you know its limitations, and you're a smart user, you should be fine for all but the meanest of traps.

 

Not bad. That was my first problem with my LGT - where to put the radar! In both my wife's Honda and my old Acura I had the detector mounted on top of the mirror with velcro. Very easy. That isn't an option on the LGT.

 

So I used the windshield suction mounts... and once a week I'd find my damn radar on a seat or floor when I'd get into the car. That killed the radar one day. When I upgraded detectors last year, I was picky about the power connector and was only in the market for those power cords that click-in (like an ethernet cable). My detector is hard-wired, and I tied a knot in the cord around the top of the mirror. Now when it falls it will just hang suspended about 6" below the mirror so the detector won't take any hits. That strategy, along with the fresh suction cups, has worked well for me.

 

Still, OP, I think this is a nice solution you came up with! Another benefit is that it is a little more stealthy from a theft standpoint. I'm interested in some higher quality photos.

 

Legend, you can also try the things I described in this thread:

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/blendmount-setup-124777.html?t=124777&highlight=superlock

 

You'll see in post #13, I specifically referenced a thread on RadarDetector.net, by the OP MEM-TEK, who is a highly regarded hobbyist/enthusiast in that community:

 

http://www.radardetector.net/forums/radar-detectors-general/29822-mounting-rd-above-your-rvm.html

 

The 3M VHB-based adhesive will work very well in our application, and will even overcome the sun's baking (at least for quite a while, but be sure to check, occasionally!), particularly provided if you live in a cooler area and/or take extra care to prep the area prior to "sticking."

 

There are also other tricks there, which I cited, for helping secure your suction cup to the problematic "sun dots" area. All tried-and-true of the speed-detection countermeasures community.

 

For me, personally, due to my seating height preferences as well as my own height, a below-the-mirror mounting such as clarkwgriswold's excellent home-brew or like the Blendmount is not viable - it blocks not only traffic signals/signs, but actually also cross-traffic! - so my personal preference is either to the left or above of the inside RVM.

 

And that's honestly really the only reason why I know so many tricks for positioning, there.

 

But, of-course, that's a personal preference, and there's nothing wrong, per-se, with clarkwgriswold's preference - which is shared by many in the speed-detection countermeasures community.

 

 

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PS: Legend, be careful in assuming that the RJ-type connector is completely secure. It can still fail. The plastic tab may wear over time and become weaker (thus, while still perfectly capable of maintaining a good connection, may not offer enough security for "retnetion"), or it may break, outright.

 

While I also take the same precautions as you do, with the same aim , I feel that it is still important to let you know that this is a tenuous "safety tether," at-best.

[TSiWRX]

Question - with it hung by one central point rather then the two suction cups, don't you get a lot of wobble or vibration with that mount? This looks like a simple and elegant solution but having it bounce or vibrate a lot would drive me nuts.

 

I don't know if this is what the OP did, but you can help increase stability by exerting some traction against the bottom of the rearview mirror.

 

The problem with that is friction - you'll eventually wear into the finish of the detector's casing and/or the mirror's plastic. A bit of strategically placed 3M Automotive Trim/Molding tape at the contact point(s) can eliminate this, and also further add stability.

 

 

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Where does everyone hard wire there radar detectors to? My cabel is very short on mine and i dont no where i could hard wire it to i hate plugging it into the power outlet its to messy with the cord. thanks.

 

If your cord is really, really short, then try for either the inside rearview mirror (if you have a powered mirror) power points (either their pinouts or the wiring) or that of the overhead map-light/moon-roof controls.

 

If you can get a longer cord, especially one that's got a remote mute/selector button, like the Escort/Beltronics SmartCord or the Whistler unit - or even the remote volume controls from Valentine - then you have more options, and popular options become related to the desire of the end-user to position the switchgear close to other controls, and the typical taps include the cabin "fusebox" area (by the driver's left knee, where you can integrate controls into the blanks for the switchgear in that area), the ashtray/lighter (where controls may also be hidden with a closing ashtray...a setup similar to mine) or even via the seat heater/SI-Drive/center-console 12V-accessory outlet wiring, to allow switchgear to either nestle between the driver's seat's right thigh bolster and the center console or, alternatively, the shifter trim (i.e. search for mweiner2's Escort SmartCord flush-mount walk-through articles).

 

Finally, extending the cord should not be hard - even if your unit uses the newer RJ-type connectors/wiring, self-extending the wiring with a splice-and-solder is well within the capabilities of most modders.

[TSiWRX]

Legend, to give you some more ideas, on that Blendmount thread which I referenced, in my post, I referred to which adhered to the windshield, made of plexi or even metal.

 

Here's one of the latter:

 

http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=58501

 

^ There used to be pix of that on FocAL's thread there, but when I brought it up via my bookmarks, I didn't see it. But I think you'll get the idea, from what he'd detailed, written.

 

A few years ago, when I was trying out different positions for my GReddy Informeter, I actually had it mounted above the rearview, in a similar manner, by actually sticking a long enough piece of aluminum into the headliner, backed with strips of 3M Automotive Trim/Molding tape to "anchor." It never fell, and was very solid.

[clarkwgriswold]

Where does everyone hard wire there radar detectors to? My cabel is very short on mine and i dont no where i could hard wire it to i hate plugging it into the power outlet its to messy with the cord. thanks.

 

Depending on the brand you can extend the power cord. If it is a two wire type you can. The escort/bel/valentines are usually a phone like cable and they are not as easy to extend.

[clarkwgriswold]

Question - with it hung by one central point rather then the two suction cups, don't you get a lot of wobble or vibration with that mount? This looks like a simple and elegant solution but having it bounce or vibrate a lot would drive me nuts.

 

 

It does have a little bounce. Nothing that would drive you crazy. The zip tie makes all the differance.

[TSiWRX]

Depending on the brand you can extend the power cord. If it is a two wire type you can. The escort/bel/valentines are usually a phone like cable and they are not as easy to extend.

 

^ Not as easy, but still more than possible for anyone with even butcher's skills like mine.

 

You don't wanna know how long I've had my original hardwire SmartCord for (OK, OK, since 2003/4 ) - and that thing's gotten shorter and shorter with every vehicle I've "carried it over" from.

 

I had to patch in nearly 3 feet of new "phone" line, to get what I wanted, with the install in my wifey's FXT. When she gets her next lease, I think I might have to actually get a new one.

[boosted subaru]

Thanks guys. mines just a cobra i got for $120 nothing to fancy but it has gotten me out of a few tickets. It just uses regular wires, i wanted to mount it up high of course and i was thinking i could run the wire neatly up into where the map lights are and take power from there is that an option? my buddy was telling me he did something like that on his audi. Or should i extent the cabel and take power from the battery or somewhere else?

[Legend]

Legend, you can also try the things I described in this thread:

 

Man.. you REALLY know your stuff! That's fantastic! I'm determined to upgrade my mount, as I've never been that happy with it... (that's why I clicked on this thread). You referenced your height (assuming you're tall) and I'm 6'2" here so moderately tall... I've got some reading to do and will get something else set up soon.

[TSiWRX]

Nah, I'm not too tall. I'm actually just 6-even (which is considered tall for a first-generation Chinese of my years, but now, it seems that they're breeding them taller and taller over there ), but my seating position/preference (while I like a low seating position, the Ltd. trim LGT's seat adjustments means that in order to get the thigh support I like, I also have to contend with the seat rising up higher than I like), combined with the SpeedCheetah GPS Mirror - despite positioning the interior RVM as high as it will go via both pivot points - still intrudes more into my sightline than I'd like. This makes hanging a detector in that location virtually un-doable for me, for visibility.

 

If you have an Escort/Bel of later vintage, you may also be able to take advantage of their "GPS-suction-cup" like "Heavy-Duty Single Cup Mount" (https://www.escortradar.com/store/product.php?productid=16219&cat=259&page=1), but to me, that presents as both an aesthetic compromise as well as will further displace the detector towards you...which may or may not be acceptable for your end-use preferences.

 

With stand-alone, in-vehicle detector mounting, it's always a compromise.

 

As for me "knowing my stuff?"

 

You're way too kind.

 

It's just a hobby of mine, that's all. And in that industry (and to some extents, even the hobby) being such a minefield for the uninitiated, I try to act as a good "BS-filter," to help my fellow Subaru-lovers at least get good and true base information, so that they can either go about their purchases with some factual knowledge and know-how, or so that they can have a good basic knowledge-pool to enter that hobby with, if they choose to do so.

 

Although I'm an "Old Timer" on RadarDetector.net, I've truly only been active in the hobby for a very short time - since mid/late 2006. Prior to that, between 2003 and activation, I only lurked. It wasn't until it became necessary to upgrade/update my laser jammers that I really became active in the community. And while I started detector use as a teenager in the early 90s, it wasn't until '94-5 that I got my first "good" detector. Compared to some of the OGs on RD.net, I'm truly still a youngster.

 

There's a few threads here, as well as on NASIOC (where I go by the handle LGT+WRX), where I've tried to dissect basic speed-detection countermeasures, if you're inclined to learn more about them.

 

But really, it's all very basic information - and what's more, things are going to be about 3-4 months "outdated," as both work and family got busy right around December of last year, and I haven't had good time to revisit that community to keep updated with the latest. So be warned!

[TSiWRX]

Thanks guys. mines just a cobra i got for $120 nothing to fancy but it has gotten me out of a few tickets.

 

^ As long as you're smart about your detector use, and as long as you don't live in an area which has "tricky" enforcement, you'll be OK.

 

Just know the limitations of your equipment, and stay within the envelope.

 

It just uses regular wires, i wanted to mount it up high of course and i was thinking i could run the wire neatly up into where the map lights are and take power from there is that an option? my buddy was telling me he did something like that on his audi. Or should i extent the cabel and take power from the battery or somewhere else?

 

Your buddy's setup, taking power from the map lights, will be fine for your needs.

 

I'm not as familiar with Cobras - be sure that it actually takes the full "12V input." Look on the 12V cigarette-lighter plug or check the manual that your unit came with to see if it has input/output values listed...some vehicle electronics use a step-down regulator and put out only 5 or 6V to the device itself.

[Mr. Sinister]

The escort/bel/valentines are usually a phone like cable and they are not as easy to extend.

 

That actually makes it easier. I bought a spool of phone cord along with RJ6 (I think) ends and a crimping tool and cut custom length cords. Gray to blend in with the headliner and black for the V1 remote mount on the dash.

[TSiWRX]

^ Question -

 

I've never used a crimping tool for wire-to-wire connections...any resources on teaching me how to do that?

[clarkwgriswold]

That actually makes it easier. I bought a spool of phone cord along with RJ6 (I think) ends and a crimping tool and cut custom length cords. Gray to blend in with the headliner and black for the V1 remote mount on the dash.

 

That sounds like more of a pain to go buy 2 types of wire, ends and crimpers. Just curiuos why you need wire to "match" when the wire shouldn't be seen anyway?

[TSiWRX]

^ It's because both car-modders as well as speed-detection countermeasures enthusiasts are anal-retentive. We'll do anything to take it that one step beyond. You should see the extent to which some of these installations are taken. Even in our own small community here, you've got some good examples: search for Puzzled as the author, and cross it with the term "dash." You'll see a really thorough and amazingly clean V1 integration into the cluster of the BL/BP.

 

And speaking of, let's wrap back around to Mr. Sinister's install - http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/my-valentine-one-install-94980.html?t=94980&highlight=sinister

 

You'll see why he went to such lengths to match cord color.

 

Look at my post #8 there, where I pointed to how some enthusiasts went to great effort to rig up more creative remote mutes for the V1. That's what I meant by wanting to take things "one step beyond."

 

RJ-crimping tools are actually quite nice to have if you ever get more involved in this hobby, as most current high-end equipment tend to use this type of connectors. That, paired with the frequency of potential damage to said connectors as well as the fact that many crimps are jarred loose over time, means that having the right tools on-hand to restore or repair the critical junctions makes life a lot easier.