Stiffness of Mounts for Radio

[builderwill]

Now that somebody mentioned wind - just how stiff are all these different mounts. The jensen radio that just arrived last night has fairly stiff buttons and assume would not work well on a ball mount unless I put my fingers behind the radio and pushed buttons with my thumb. Can the techmount joints be tightend up pretty firmly to avoid the radio moving. I'm not worried about the gps toughscreen as much.

08FJR4ME - How bout yours? Can you tighten up it up to eliminate unwanted movement?

 

[Fred W]

Now that somebody mentioned wind - just how stiff are all these different mounts. The jensen radio that just arrived last night has fairly stiff buttons and assume would not work well on a ball mount unless I put my fingers behind the radio and pushed buttons with my thumb. Can the techmount joints be tightend up pretty firmly to avoid the radio moving. I'm not worried about the gps toughscreen as much.
08FJR4ME - How bout yours? Can you tighten up it up to eliminate unwanted movement?

If you arrange the arm and joints so that the thrust of your button pushing is parrallel to the arm I don't think even the Ram balls would slip so long as you tighten them up well. One thing that I noticed with Ram balls is that when you tighten the clamp up well, the rubber ball deforms somewhat, becoming oval. The effect is that it keeps the parts from moving around much from their initial set position without first loosening things up.

Techmounts can be tightened up pretty firmly too. But clearly, with the nut and bolt arrangement of the Double Articulating WynnPro mounting system, it can be made the most rigid, at the slight risk of having an immovable impediment somewhat in your exit path, to possibly rip your gonads off, should you have to make a hasty exodus over the bars. :dribble:

 

[FJR Flyer]

I've got the Jensen radio on a ball mount on a RAM arm with a RAM ball mount on the steering stem nut. Never had any problems with it moving while I'm pushing buttons to change stations or volume. Just got the locking nut for the RAM arm so I don't have to pull it off every time I park somewhere less than secure.

 

[Checkswrecks]

Not what you asked for, but if it helps, mine's mounted on a piece of .080" aluminum (2024-T3) to the 2 bolts that hold the fuel tank down. There's also a chafe pad (piece of velcro loop material) between the mounting bracket and fuel tank.

Sorry, but I don't have a tracing pattern but it's not hard to make. Mine sits a bit taller than needed to get the heat controller underneath and for the GPS to clear the handlebars at full lock. There's also a velcro on the front brake's master reservoir for radar detector, music, or other input devices.

Bob

 

[builderwill]

Bob,

That there is EXACTLY what I have been looking for! The radio right there and the gps directly above it. Assuming you don't want to sell that one or make another and sell it, do you know what height you made it? Also are bends at the bottom and at the top plate a 90 degree?

 

[08FJR4ME]

Now that somebody mentioned wind - just how stiff are all these different mounts. The jensen radio that just arrived last night has fairly stiff buttons and assume would not work well on a ball mount unless I put my fingers behind the radio and pushed buttons with my thumb. Can the techmount joints be tightend up pretty firmly to avoid the radio moving. I'm not worried about the gps toughscreen as much.
08FJR4ME - How bout yours? Can you tighten up it up to eliminate unwanted movement?

BW,

You would have to push quite hard leaning into it to get it to move. Normal button pushing wouldn't be a problem at all. The Jenson Radio is on my wish list from Santa. If he comes through I will have to make a plate to mount my Zumo 660 and Radio together. Future planning stages.

 

[thomasz]

Wow...excellent...

 

[builderwill]

08FJR4ME,

Didn't know if you saw my post in the other thread but very interested in your set up as well. I definitely like the idea of the mount attaching to the tank support versus the steering stem.

I think I could fab or have fabbed Bob's mount which I like the idea of one rigid piece, but honestly, between 3 young kids involved in about every conceivable activity and working too many hours, time for wrenching is my rarest resource. I'd much rather bolt on something better than I could build.

 

[FJR Flyer]

Here's a couple pics of mine with the steering nut RAM mount.

I was going to make one like Bob's after seeing the pics of his setup, but the RAM arm fell into my lap at the opportune time and I already had the steering stem nut mount from the PO.

 

[Harald]

Bob,
That there is EXACTLY what I have been looking for! The radio right there and the gps directly above it. Assuming you don't want to sell that one or make another and sell it, do you know what height you made it? Also are bends at the bottom and at the top plate a 90 degree?

The easiest way I've found to make brackets is to use stiff cardboard to cut a template/model. It cuts and bends easy and is very cheap. That way you can get the dimensions right before actually cutting a piece of aluminum.

 

[Checkswrecks]

Bob,
That there is EXACTLY what I have been looking for! The radio right there and the gps directly above it. Assuming you don't want to sell that one or make another and sell it, do you know what height you made it? Also are bends at the bottom and at the top plate a 90 degree?

Will - Glad you like it. There are a couple of guys who could replicate it for you. Garauld for example. I've got a similar time problem as you.

The bottom bend is actually a bit tighter than 90 degrees and at 1.6" from the bottom is a bend toward the seat to clear the front of the tank. The top bend is about 75 degrees by eyeball - it was an angle that just looked right.

The flat lay-out shape is a capitol "T." The top flat is a 4.25" square. The vertical and bottom are 3.1" wide. The vertical is 4.9" tall and the bottom is 1.1" fore-aft. Note that a round shape was cut from the bottom to clear the steering stem.

I also usually start with cardboard or thin aluminum roof flashing material for a template. But working with .080 boilerplate, I made the base flat a bit larger than necessary and then trimmed to get it correct. It's really tight to get the bends, dimensions, and holes to fit.

Since the RAM mount looks to also work, and if it is in the budget, it sounds like you have a choice.

Bob

 

[Brodie]

I machined up a mount from billet aluminum for my Jensen radio. It mounted from the fuel tank bolts as in the above pictures. The nice thing about that installation is the radio is fixed to the frame and does not move when turning the handlebars. The problem I had was when I hit a fresh section of chip seal road surface, those little rocks get everywhere. I had one lodge between the fuel tank and the mount. It made a pretty good scar in the paint before I found it.

I discarded the custom mount and am using a TechMount steering stem unit. The TechMount is rock solid! Pushing the buttons will not budge the adjustment.

Brodie