Home Made GPS Mount!

[skydoc_17]

In the past I have been one of those riders that gets on his bike and just rides! With that being said, Jean surprised me big time and got a Garmin Nuvi 855 as my birthday present over the weekend. (Bless her heart!) Well needless to say I spent the better part of Sunday shopping around for a mount for the thing. By the time I was finished, I felt old. There were so many choices and they looked so complicated to install and operate I said, "the heck with it" and made my own. I went to the hardware store, bought a 7/16-14 Stainless Steel bolt, a nylon inserted lock nut, a 10-32 set screw and went to the shop.

As you can see in the pics, It went pretty quick. I heated the bolt with my little torch, put a couple bends in it, machined off the bolt head, drilled and tapped it for the 10-32 set screw, machined a Delrin ball for the mount, drilled and tapped it for the 10-32 set screw. On my 87'VR there was a hole plugged for what looked like a mirror, I drilled and tapped this mirror stem hole to 7/16-14 and screwed the mount together. After a test ride, the mount worked perfectly but I think I am going to add a strip of Velcro to the back of the GPS, just for safety's sake.

Comments, questions are always welcome,

Thanks for letting me share, and thanks Jean for a great birthday gift!

Earl

[Guest Ken8143]

Dang, Earl - you don't waste any time. I saw that GPS Saturday evening before I left. Jean said you would fix something up your own way. That is just way too nifty.

 

Now I know why there is that extra mount on the right side!

 

Great work - Ken

[LilBeaver]

Awesome! - Great work

 

[cecdoo]

Way to go Earl, mount looks great, remind me never to ask you what time it is, you would probably build me a clock:rasberry: Nice job, and you are gonna love that garmin. Craig

[Guest HdHtr]

Good job Earl. Now you have it mounted ... can you figure out how to use it? As I recall from talking with you up in Kentucky ... I thought you were one of us still left who head out in a direction instead of a destination!!

[painterman67]

Now that is nice. How much to have one made? I dont have the tools to do this myself. maybe put it in the classifieds as a kit..

 

 

David

 

 

If I can ever get home to get the fuel to stop leaking and then save up for a gps that is.

[a1bummer]

I love it when a plan comes together!

 

Now you've given me some ideas to think about.

 

Thanks

[BuddyRich]

Good job Earl. Now you have it mounted ... can you figure out how to use it? As I recall from talking with you up in Kentucky ... I thought you were one of us still left who head out in a direction instead of a destination!!

 

 

His destiny is unforetold . The GPS just tells him where the next gas station is.

 

Jeeze, You mean you can't get bolts bent like that already ?

 

Looks Good.

[saddlebum]

Home made huh, Then hows come I sees one a them thar overhead millinn machines in the photeegraphs Huh splain that one Lucy.

 

Nice job for sure. Garaunteed you will get requests for more:thumbsup2:

Edited October 6, 2009 by saddlebum

[gibvel]

Well, sure, if you want to do it the easy way!!

And you've got all the machines.

 

Very ingenious. Kudos!!

[Squidley]

As always Earl...very nice work, it's good to still see craftsman are alive and well in this country

[IH Truck Guy]

Hey Earl,great work as always...

 

I can't believe Jean got you a GPS and she calls me a sissy...:rotfl:

 

Dude,I thought you were old school and here you are with modern electronics..

 

All Shari gets me is paper Rand McNally maps....

[Ivan]

The machining of the ball is what interests me most. How did you accomplish that?

[skydoc_17]

Thank you everyone for the kind words, this group is too funny sometimes.

 

To address Ivan's question, I drilled and tapped a block of Delrin with a 10-32 tap. I threaded a 10-32 S.S. cap screw in the block of Delrin with Locktite. I ground a right hand and left hand form tool for my lathe and cut the ball in two operations, the front radius first then the back radius. I then sawed the head off of the cap screw.

NOW, what I am wondering is, If I replace the GPS ball mount with a gimbaled cup holder would anyone be interested in one??? I have attached a pic below of the cup holder I would like to use. I would be very grateful for any comments you have about this project.

The "Kit-Meister" may be going into action if there is some interest in either the GPS mount or the gimbaled cup holder. The GPS mount has a 17MM ball for the Garmin GPS's but I can do a 1 in. ball as well, or another size with some more tooling.

Let me know what you think,

Thanks for the help,

Earl

[Monty]

I am interested in the GPS mount. Could you make one that would just screw into the existing mirror hole?

[skydoc_17]

Hey Monty,

The problem with the right side mirror hole is that it is a left hand 10MM metric thread. I looked high and low for a left hand metric bolt and there were none available at a reasonable price in stainless steel. (the cost of the 6" x 7/16-14 bolt is $5.00 just for one bolt!) I could make the GPS mount from a Stainless Steel rod but both of my lathes are older pieces of equipment and are not set up to cut a metric pitch thread. I chose the 7/16-14 bolt because it was close in size to the hole that was already in there which let me run a drill into the existing hole and then a 7/16-14 tap. If you are interested in the GPS mount I would send a drill and tap with the mount (which you would send back) for the install. I wish I could afford a newer metric thread cutting lathe but the thousands of dollars it would cost is beyond me financially at this time. That is the reason nobody uses that mirror mount hole to mount anything on their bikes.

I hope this answers your question,

Earl

[Monty]

OK, how much to make me one like yours then? I have a Garmin Nuvi 205W. Should be the same mount.

[skydoc_17]

Hey Monty,

I would build the mount and ship it to you for $35.00 along with the drill, tap and a tap handle, you would need to pay the shipping to return the tools to me. I will include written instructions on how to drill out the mirror hole and install the mount.

If that's OK let me know.

Earl

[DragonRider]

Earl, that is one slick mount, makes me want one just in case I get a GPS...............my birthday passed and didnt get one, in fact I turned down the offer from my wife to get me one............Great work, I have no doubt you could machine any part you needed for your 1st Gen................keep em coming..............Fantastic job.

 

Soon as I get some extra cash, Im going to order a fuse block kit..........gotta wait for a few extra bucks...........

[skydoc_17]

Hey Lewis,

Thanks for the kind words! Jean found my Garmin on the web for under $200.00 with free shipping! It has more bells and whistles then my high school gym coach.:rotf:When ever you are ready for your Fuse box upgrade kit or anything else, it would be my pleasure to provide one for you. You, and that "wild bunch" of long distance riders you hang with have my up most respect and it would be my pleasure to make items that would withstand the kind of punishment you can put on them.

Let me know when I can help, and thanks again for the cudo's,

Earl

[PBJ]

Earl you are absolutely amazing! That is awesome to behold. So when are you building Cecdoo his clock LOL!

[Monty]

I will let you know soon. Right now, I am concentrating on getting the bike back on the road. As soon as I get that ironed out, I'll be in touch.

[Ivan]

How much for a couple of those machined balls? No threading needed, I have lots of taps, but don't have the tooling to make some form tools...

 

PS did you use an off hand grinder to make those forming tools? Not trying to steal trade secrets, but as a machinist, I find that the conventional machining is becoming a lost art, and I want to learn more. I could program a CNC lathe, but there is no art in that.

[Jimod]

What can I say Earl ? You're a legend ! When you start a production run I want one.

 

Jim O'D.....