Found a right side vent mount for AP!

[Wolfsbora]

tl;dr found a vent/magnetic mount solution to mount the AP to the right of the steering wheel. Link below.

Hi, I’ve been looking for a solution to mount my AP to the right of the steering wheel. I have the ProClips A pillar mount which is an excellent solution in general. However, as a lot of you have found when installing a boost gauge in the left vent, the cable and connector of the AP blocks the vent mounted boost gauge.

I was going to find a way to adhese the articulating piece of the ProClips A pillar mount to the right of the steering wheel. After failing using multiple types of adhesion, I had to throw in the towel and look for other solutions.

I don’t know about you but I’ve never found vent phone mounts to actually work and stay put. I decided to go to Autozone and take advantage of their return policy so I could swap out mounts that wouldn’t work. I know Autozone can be overpriced but it’s not like I can instantly swap out mounts on Amazon.

Since the AP has a magnetic back (awesome feature), my goal was to find a vent adapter with a magnetic mount. My first choice ended up working! The arm places the AP at the perfect height and even articulates. The vent attachment tightened and held on to the vent even after I tested its strength.

Now I need to decide if I want to fish the cable through the vent.

https://www.autozone.com/gps-radar-...emier-vent-extended-magnetic-mount/177618_0_0

 

[rallytaff]

What about "Alien tape' stuck on the steering wheel centre?

 

[Jabbit]

I use one of these, works great - Miracase [Upgraded] Car Phone Mount, Air Vent Cell Phone Holder for Car, Universal Car Phone Holder Cradle Compatible with iPhone 14 Series/14 Pro Max/iPhone 13 Series/iPhone 12/11/XR and More https://a.co/d/1jIJSXP

 

[woodford86]

I've been using the Scosche version of exactly this, its fantastic. Perfect view, out of the way. Does vibrate a bit though.

The best part is because the vents come off with that piece of plastic trim, it was super easy to notch out a little hole and just run the entire OBD cable inside the dash. IMO its the cleanest way to mount the AP.

http://imgur.com/URGZzYb

View: https://i.imgur.com/URGZzYb.jpg

 

[rallytaff]

I use one of these, works great - Miracase [Upgraded] Car Phone Mount, Air Vent Cell Phone Holder for Car, Universal Car Phone Holder Cradle Compatible with iPhone 14 Series/14 Pro Max/iPhone 13 Series/iPhone 12/11/XR and More https://a.co/d/1jIJSXP

If only these sellers had spell check! <provide excellent strudiness.>

 

[Wolfsbora]

I've been using the Scosche version of exactly this, its fantastic. Perfect view, out of the way. Does vibrate a bit though.

The best part is because the vents come off with that piece of plastic trim, it was super easy to notch out a little hole and just run the entire OBD cable inside the dash. IMO its the cleanest way to mount the AP.

http://imgur.com/URGZzYb

View: https://i.imgur.com/URGZzYb.jpg

That’s exactly what I want to do! Where can I make the notch?

 

[Clint Beastwood]

:hands on temples: I sense a disturbance in the force.... I sense... someone may have just created a new community modification by running the ap cable inside the vents

 

[Wolfsbora]

:hands on temples: I sense a disturbance in the force.... I sense... someone may have just created a new community modification by running the ap cable inside the vents

It’s funny because I had created a separate post for modification ideas for that vent. Posting my celebration of finding a working vent mount inadvertently triggered what you said. Huge kudos to @woodford86 for the idea. Gonna pop the vent out today and see what he is talking about. I’ll post a reply here

 

[Clint Beastwood]

It’s funny because I had created a separate post for modification ideas for that vent. Posting my celebration of finding a working vent mount inadvertently triggered what you said. Huge kudos to @woodford86 for the idea. Gonna pop the vent out today and see what he is talking about. I’ll post a reply here

Nice!

My big concern would be thermal-cycling the cable. The cladding on cables tends to be pretty durable, but when you put it somewhere like in an HVAC duct, the thermal cycling and constant hot, dry air can cause the cladding to crack. It's a big no-no to run network cables inside of hvac ducts for that reason. How it'll affect the AP cable, I don't know.

I will say, I wish cobb sold ap cables in varying lengths because right now I have just a fat bundle of cable that lives on top of my steering wheel all ziptied into a tidy little chunk but... there's some appeal to the vent method.

 

[woodford86]

That’s exactly what I want to do! Where can I make the notch?

I guess it wasnt a notch so much as just drilled a hole lol. Doing it this way will prevent you from using the directional control in that vent, I didn’t care since I have that vent closed all the time anyway.

First remove the trim panel with your CD player, audio controls etc (remove the display screen hood, then two small bolts and some clips to free the panel; the front 6” or so of the vents will come with it.

Now’s a good time to run the OBD cable. Plug the OBD end in, then fish it up and over/behind your pedals and steering column, ziptie-ing it to stay out of the way. There’s room to ziptie all the extra cable and stuff it in beside the vents, so just pull all the excess through so your footwell area is tidy.

Then I found a drill bit and drilled two semi-overlapping holes just big enough to fit the AP end of the cable through. Pretty sure I just drilled right in the middle of the bottom of the vent, making sure it wouldn’t block the vent close flapper.

From there its easy to get the cable inside the vent, but in order to get it out through the vent grills it’ll need to get past the directional flappers which it just won’t fit. So use a baby screwdriver to carefully separate the vent face (its small 1/8” clips, very obvious when you have it in front of you), then you can pop a couple of the bottom vent grills out of the way, run your cable through, then pop them back in place. Just take your time and be gentle, you shouldn’t need to force things or fully dismantle the vent, I’m talking just separating enough to get the cable through.

Then just ziptie the excess cable and reassemble the dash.

Important, run the cable through the bottom gap in the vent and put the mount on the upper end, the cable is stiff enough that if you bend it too tightly to plug in it’ll pull the AP off the magnet mount but doing it this way gives it a perfect, supportive, clean install.

Edit: Add a couple mostly useless pictures:

http://imgur.com/a/h5XfSPE

View: https://imgur.com/a/h5XfSPE

 

[Wolfsbora]

Nice!

My big concern would be thermal-cycling the cable. The cladding on cables tends to be pretty durable, but when you put it somewhere like in an HVAC duct, the thermal cycling and constant hot, dry air can cause the cladding to crack. It's a big no-no to run network cables inside of hvac ducts for that reason. How it'll affect the AP cable, I don't know.

I will say, I wish cobb sold ap cables in varying lengths because right now I have just a fat bundle of cable that lives on top of my steering wheel all ziptied into a tidy little chunk but... there's some appeal to the vent method.

Yes. Great point with the wiring. Working in IT has taught me a lot about it. I agree - there should be cable options for the AP. I’d love to see a right angle connector. If one was available, I’d be able to leave the AP on the A pillar and still be able to see the boost gauge when installed.

 

[woodford86]

Nice!

My big concern would be thermal-cycling the cable. The cladding on cables tends to be pretty durable, but when you put it somewhere like in an HVAC duct, the thermal cycling and constant hot, dry air can cause the cladding to crack. It's a big no-no to run network cables inside of hvac ducts for that reason. How it'll affect the AP cable, I don't know.

I will say, I wish cobb sold ap cables in varying lengths because right now I have just a fat bundle of cable that lives on top of my steering wheel all ziptied into a tidy little chunk but... there's some appeal to the vent method.

I never really considered that…but the good news is, doing it the way I did you come out on the cabin side of the vent close flapper so you can prevent the hot air from hitting it entirely.

 

[Clint Beastwood]

Yes. Great point with the wiring. Working in IT has taught me a lot about it. I agree - there should be cable options for the AP. I’d love to see a right angle connector. If one was available, I’d be able to leave the AP on the A pillar and still be able to see the boost gauge when installed.

ooh how about an adapter so you could use ethernet for the cable? monoprice slim-run ethernet cable would be mighty easy to hide in the car lol

 

[Wolfsbora]

I guess it wasnt a notch so much as just drilled a hole lol. Doing it this way will prevent you from using the directional control in that vent, I didn’t care since I have that vent closed all the time anyway.

First remove the trim panel with your CD player, audio controls etc (remove the display screen hood, then two small bolts and some clips to free the panel; the front 6” or so of the vents will come with it.

Now’s a good time to run the OBD cable. Plug the OBD end in, then fish it up and over/behind your pedals and steering column, ziptie-ing it to stay out of the way. There’s room to ziptie all the extra cable and stuff it in beside the vents, so just pull all the excess through so your footwell area is tidy.

Then I found a drill bit (9/16” maybe?) and drilled two semi-overlapping holes just big enough to fit the AP end of the cable through. Pretty sure I just drilled right in the middle of the bottom of the vent, making sure it wouldn’t block the vent close flapper.

From there its easy to get the cable inside the vent, but in order to get it out through the vent grills it’ll need to get past the directional flappers which it just won’t fit. So use a baby screwdriver to carefully separate the vent face (its small 1/8” clips, very obvious when you have it in front of you), then you can pop a couple of the bottom vent grills out of the way, run your cable through, then pop them back in place. Just take your time and be gentle, you shouldn’t need to force things or fully dismantle the vent, I’m talking just separating enough to get the cable through.

Then just ziptie the excess cable and reassemble the dash.

Important, run the cable through the bottom gap in the vent and put the mount on the upper end, the cable is stiff enough that if you bend it too tightly to plug in it’ll pull the AP off the magnet mount but doing it this way gives it a perfect, supportive, clean install.

You are amazing! I didn’t expect it to be so involved but the end product will be worth it. I’ll probably do it the same time I install the boost gauge and vent adapter.

 

[Wolfsbora]

ooh how about an adapter so you could use ethernet for the cable? monoprice slim-run ethernet cable would be mighty easy to hide in the car lol

Yes! Or simply a USB-C connector or USB-A.

 

[Wolfsbora]

All done! Thanks @woodford86

 

[Wolfsbora]

I never really considered that…but the good news is, doing it the way I did you come out on the cabin side of the vent close flapper so you can prevent the hot air from hitting it entirely.

I took some photos of the process. Is it cool if I make a how-to and give you full credit right at the beginning of the post? This may end up becoming a popular mod.

 

[woodford86]

Yep go for it, my writeup was half asleep from memory while laying in bed so who knows how accurate it actually is lol

 

[Wolfsbora]

Yep go for it, my writeup was half asleep from memory while laying in bed so who knows how accurate it actually is lol

Your instructions were accurate. Didn’t have to veer from them at any point. Well done, sir!