Portable GPS Installation

[jc250]

I just purchased a new Garmin portable GPS unit and wanted to know if anyone out there new the best place for mounting and running cables so that the cables aren't in the way and stick out. Please let me know if anyone has any suggestions. Thanks

 

[Stargazer]

I bought a Garmin Nuvi 750 a little while ago. Are you talking about the wire to the cig lighter and the headphone/AUX out wires?

I bought a vent mount so that I could put the Nuvi on the center stack and have it close to me. The windshield was too far away. A dash pad also works well. Since my trips are usually pretty short, I simply charge it inside the house with the USB and run on battery power in the Yukon. I put the power adapter away until I need it. When it is charging in the vehicle, I run the power cable along the right side of the steering column down to the power outlet. It doesn't get in the way at all.

For the AUX out, I don't like the way it sticks out of the Nuvi but again, I run the wire down the side of the steering column and down to the floor to connect it to the AUX plugs on our rear entertainment system. That way, there aren't wires criss-crossing across the dash.

 

[jc250]

Yeah I'm talking about about the cig lighter, my GPS doesn't have the headphone/AUX wires. I mounted it on the dash and have the cable running down the right side of the steering column, it looks fine like that but I just wanted to know if anyone knew of a cleaner way. Thanks for your help, greatly appreciated.

 

[Hardin Thicke]

You can pop up the front edge of the dashboard along the seam using a plastic pry bar, and route the power cord, and external antenna coax (if you use one) under the dash and hard wire it to a fuse connection in the panel on the driver's side. You may have to provide a small notch in the dash panel in order to let the cord pass and still be able to pop the panel back down again. But, the thin panel ahead of the dash panel should flex enough the allow the cord to pass underneath. I also use a vent mount with my nuvi 750. It's a great location.

I also have a second, older Garmin GPS V that sends my lat/lon coordinates out via amateur radio every 3 minutes to an internet gateway where it gets uploaded to an APRS map of the US. That unit is stuck to the dash with RTV silicone. That stuff is great because it sticks like glue (pun), but is easily sheared if you every need to remove the item.

 

[mgyver1]

As for mounting it, check out Panavise brackets. They make for solid and clean mounting of electronics

 

[bkooman]

You can also try ProClips. Link below

http://www.proclipusa.com/Default.asp