A while back I put in an iPad mount consisting of Brodit and Ram Mount components. This is fixed to the passenger side using a Brodit Proclip so that means I can't use that position for a phone. Also, I didn't really like that position for a phone anyway as its a bit of a way to reach; neither did I like the alternative Proclip position which is up near the dash as the phone is hidden behind the wheel and indicator stalks. I really wanted something down on the console but Brodit didn't have a solution for that. So, for a while I've been using a bit of a lash-up home made job. However I've just got around to replacing it with an adapted Brodit cradle which, as it turns out, has worked out well. So to share...
As completed...
The phone is an iPhone5 but that's fairly immaterial as Brodit's cradles are phone specific so buy the one you want. The cradle here, with its swivel mount is simply stuck to a Brodit Move Clip (Mini size 50mm x 35mm) using the adhesive strip on the Move Clip. I lined up the cradle's left hand edge with the left hand edge of the clip so that the phone doesn't get too 'left' and overhang the console too much - otherwise it may foul the coin tray and power adaptor.
The other part of the clip (female dovetail part) is stuck onto the console like this:
OK, it's not quite that simple... If you look carefully at the pic above you may see the plastic dovetail clip is not directly sitting onto the almond colour console, there is a bit more plastic underneath it. This is the small mod. Unfortunately, the console on the D4 is not flat here, it's slightly curved and the clip doesn't stick onto here very well without help. The extra plastic is hot melt glue made into a saddle to fix this. The mod is as follows:
- Wrap the dovetail slide clip (including its own adhesive strip) in a sheet of tinfoil and then also apply a good size piece of tinfoil around that part of the console to protect it. Push it in to fit around the curves/edges of both components as you want the glue to follow the profile of both.
- Carefully applied a dollop of glue evenly across the back of the clip and then pressed this against the console, lining the left hand edge of the clip up with the left hand edge of the console. (i.e. so the clip does not overhang the middle of the console.)
- Once it's all cooled (run under cold tap until chilled) the tinfoil can be carefully pealed off and dried off,
- Then attach the clip to the hot glue saddle with the clip's adhesive strip. Trim off any excess with a sharp blade. Permanent black marker to the white glue edges then sorts out the white line.
- A couple of strips of automotive double sided foam tape on the back of the saddle, trimmed around again and the dovetail clip and saddle can now be firmly stuck to the console. Once attached this is really nicely firm compared with trying to put the clip directly on the console.
- The cradle now simply slides into place and can be removed and put in another car if/when necessary (they supply a second female plate for this purpose).
The iPhone is powered from the nearest 12v socket using a Belkin USB converter. The lead - from eBay - is a short USB to micro USB (with right angle plug) and then to a Apple Micro USB to Lightning adaptor (the white bit!). Connectivity to D4 is via Bluetooth. I don't use the phone for music as have an iPod with 60+ Gb of MP3 in the armrest. I do sometimes have audiobooks or podcasts on the phone; in which case a 3.5mm headphone jack (usually used for the iPad) can be used and plugged into and the Aux socket in the rear.
As fitted, the phone sits near the knee but doesn't foul / touch (my) knee at all in any leg position (caution: legs may vary!) . The coin tray can be used and I can still see the terrain control settings. Also the iPhone home button falls easily to your thumb. So you can easily use Siri (hmm) to call stuff up on the phone hands free over bluetooth. (Okay dream on, oneday.)
Fully tooled up with iPad:
(Apologies for slightly dodgy photos, I was in a bit of a rush today!)
Brodit Cradle Phone Mounting in D4
- Devonchilliman
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Re: Brodit Cradle Phone Mounting in D4
Looks good to me
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- Jason
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Re: Brodit Cradle Phone Mounting in D4
There's gotta be £20 in change there too
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- Devonchilliman
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- Joined: Mon Oct 25, 2010 2:12 pm
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Re: Brodit Cradle Phone Mounting in D4
was thinking along similar lines
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Re: Brodit Cradle Phone Mounting in D4
Probably, car parks are so bl y expensive these days so I usually make sure I have plenty in there to preventJason wrote:There's gotta be £20 in change there too