How to mount a GPS where the coin holder is on a 2007 Tundra

shelcan · #1 (**permalink**) 05-03-2008, 06:17 PM

Hi. I was wondering in anyone out there has mounted a GPS where the coin holder is on a 2007 Tundra? I saw some posts of people mentioning they were going to do this, so if anyone has done this, if you would please share how you did it that would be great.

Thanks!!

CobERA · #2 (**permalink**) 05-05-2008, 02:16 PM

Shelcan,

I just recently mounted my TomTom One in place of the coin holder. It is actually fairly easy.

First step is to remove the coin holder. To do so, you have to pull the dash/instrument pod cover out just enough to get your hand behind it and unclip the coin holder. The dash cover is held on by clips, so you just have to pull on it from the side. To get it started I used a plastic putty knife, inserted on the far right side. You do not have to completely remove the dash, you just need to get your hand behind it.

There is a plug on the back side of the coin holder for the 4x4 switch. Just unplug it, then squeeze the tabs on the back of the coin holder and remove it.

The coin holder is in two pieces. I separated them and then using a Dremel I cut the "cup" off of the front piece. This leaves you with a "ring" that can be reinserted in the original hole and held in by the clips.

I then cut 3 cirlces of lexan using a 2 1/2" hole saw. On two of the circles, I drilled the center holes large enough to accomodate the head of a bolt that I was going to use to clamp the circles to the dash. The third circle had a hole that was just large enough to accomodate the shaft of the bolt.

I glued the circles together with the small diameter hole on the bottom, so that when the bolt was inserted through the circles, the head was recessed. I sanded the glued circles and then painted them black.

I previously used a Pro-Clip mount, so I was able to screw that mount onto the front of the circles to mount the GPS. I fit the mount then removed it before attaching the lexan circles to the dash.

Next I cut a strip of heavy plastic just about 3/4" wide and just a little longer than the diameter of opening for the coin holder. I drilled a hole in the center of the plastic strip and slipped a timmerman clip over the center hole. This strip will fit behind the dash, and in case I dropped it behind the dash, I attached a short piece of string to it and tied the other end to the 4x4 switch plug. That way if I did drop it, I could retrieve it with the string.

I reinstalled the "ring" from the original cup holder, put the plastic strip with the timmerman clip through the coin holder hole and behind the dash, inserted the bolt through the lexan circles and threaded the bolt into the timmerman clip. The lexan circles tighten against the "ring" from the original cup holder, as you tighten the bolt. When everything seemed tight enough, I reattached the Pro-Clip mount, and was done!

Later I bought a hard wire kit for the TomTom and tied into the cigarette lighter, ran it up behind the dash, drilled a small hole in my lexan disks and ran the wire through the hole under the mounting bracket.

Makes for a nice clean hardwired installation.

If you are interested, I will try to post some pictures.

Rick

shelcan · #3 (**permalink**) 05-08-2008, 10:30 PM

Rick,

Thanks very much for the reply....this is very similar to what I had in mind..I actually cut my Lexan disks earlier today to do a similar installation. For my installation, I am thinking of just removing the coin holder completely and installing the two Lexan disks in the hole where the coin holder was. I am then going to stick a dash mount disk onto the outer Lexan disk and then use an Arkon mini suction mount to attach to the dash mount disk. That way I will be able to remove the suction mount when I am not using it. I may end up getting a screw in mount in the future, but this is what I am thinking of doing for now. I will take a few pictures when I am done...hopefully it turns out OK. I really think this is an ideal spot to install a GPS on the 2007/08 Tundra...it is easy to access and better than being stuck on the windshield. I would like to see a few pictures of your set-up if you don't mind in case mine doesn't work out.

Thanks again very much for your reply!!

JJB · #4 (**permalink**) 05-09-2008, 08:22 PM

You could rig it the same way I did my ipod. I had about $15 in my coin holder replacement & mount.

Removing Coin Holder