Interior / Dash Mounts for Hardware

cray54

New member
[Although this question applies, I'm not sure this is the best subforum for the topic. Please move if preferred.]

I'm looking at various mounting solutions for a variety of hardware including 2-way radios, microphones, cell phones, auxiliary displays, etc.

It seems to me that the ball-and-socket solutions are versatile: they offer a lot of flexibility and adjustment for organization,j ergonomics, and visibility. I'm imaging it makes sense to choose a specific ball and socket size so it is easy to swap mounts and move hardware if desired. The manufacturers I've found tend to have differing ball sizes, though. Is there a ball size that stands out?

CompanyStandard Size
Ram Mounts25.4 mm (B - 1")
Quad Lock22 mm
Bullet Point20 mm

There are many other companies, but these seem to be the most common sizes I've found. For those of you considering this, what size have you found to be the most common or have the most flexibility with options?

Thank you, Chris
 

deserteagle56

Adventurer
That will depend on the weight/size of what you are trying to mount. The bigger the ball size the more stable the mount. Sizes you mention are for small stuff like phones and small GPS units. I believe the big Garmins like the 10" Tread models require a 1-1/2" ball size. RAM mounts offers up to a 2-1/4" ball for heavy stuff like radios.

Biggest/heaviest unit I have to mount is a Garmin Montana 750i. I find the 1" RAM ball works OK with it but it does have to be tightened down securely. The length of the arm matters also - the longer the arm the more leverage on that ball.

 

PNWDad

Dad in the streets, Daddy in the sheets
I recently acquired a foot of a solar panel mounting rail. New, 8ft of extruded aluminum rail is dirt cheap. The mounting rail has more mounting points than anything I've seen offered by RAM etc. However, the kind I acquired uses odd, metric, one sided t nuts. I'm currently looking at other installs I see and trying to acquire more options.

I have tried ball mounts but most of the mounts I have used wobble or vibrate. This style of mounting bracket gave me an idea to still use the ball system but use 2 or 3 points of contact to remove the wobble and vibration.

Here are just a few of the hundreds of designs:

IMG_3887__36488.1701460344.1280.1280.jpg



standard.rail_.2.gif


ac00e3751f8fed9c89a4bdac1264073d.jpg


467-202308071657226596.jpg


China Solar Mounting Rail EG-TR-MR40B Suppliers, Manufacturers - Factory  Direct Price - Egret Solar


China Manufacturer Price Solar Panel Energy Mounting System Aluminum Rail  For Solar Panel Mounting| Alibaba.com


Aluminum Alloy Solar Mounting Rails For Solar Roof Manufacturers
 
Last edited:

tirod3

Active member
Souns like unistrut would be overkill, the redeeming grace is that there are dozens of bolts, nuts and connectors, many in stock in commercial electric supply sources locally. Box lumberyard stores have it in a lot of locations.

Elephant in the room is getting anything attached to a plastic dashboard. Police cruiser rack mounting might be a solution.
 

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