I think anything that has to go on the glass other than black double sided tape or similar will have an issue with looks. I have a F250 windhshield on mine so I have that center part that is tinted, but you'd even see it on mine.

That's why I was thinking if you could make a bracket that carries the load at the console mount bracket, you could bend it to shape, thread it or however you want to mount to it, then rattle can it or powdercoat it to get a clean look from the outside.

 

Sounds like a great idea Robert

 

I'll be removing my overhead console soon (adding a through-the-roof NMO mount, a cutoff switch for my sub amp and to rework my backup camera wiring). I'll take pics and see if I can get a chunk of scrap aluminum in there.

Can someone send pics of the gauge pod "back" (the part that faces the windshield)? Or even a scan/photo of the install instructions?

I'm assuming it's solid so you wouldn't see the back of the gauges. If it is, you should be able to mount the gauge pod to the aluminum bracket, letting the bracket carry the load to the console mount and ditching the Velcro or double-sided tape completely.

Pre-paint or powder coat the bracket and it should look pretty clean from the outside.

 

thx guys, yet another mod I need for my truck. wish I'd seen that pod before I put my 4-pod on the pillar

wonder what gauges I can throw up there?

 

Have you mounted your pillar one yet? If not, list it in the Classified section, I'm sure someone will pick it up.

 

I'm looking - found 1 after googling, I could take one tomorrow if through the windshield if it's sunny enough. It is mostly solid since the tape needs some surface area to adhere to.

 

So, it looks like the angle of this pic is as if looking down through the windshield.

Does the velcro or tape adhere to the center or what looks like that 1/2" edge?

 

they're already mounted...and I like them being there. It's just rather obvious to people driving by that my truck might have a little "something" going on

 

And that's a bad thing?

 

I'll take a pic of the outside looking in from my F-250. The doubles sided tape adheres to the larger flat surface. Usually put 2 rows of tape.

 

Ok...hard to tell angles from that one pic. On the other side of that panel, do you know is it flat just like the side in the photo?

 

I'm not sure

 

I asked RiffRaff to see if he could send me the install instructions and/or photos from the back and top to try to see how they are made. I'm hoping that inside surface is the same as the outside - flat or with a simple center support...that should mean you could run a simple bolt or screw through both the plastic and metal support, and ditch the tape/velcro all together.

 

What made it stick for me(first time was a disaster) was the 3M clear heavy duty velcro/hook loop stuff that is all plastic(not velcro with fabric). Its at Ace Hardware and it says on the package that it is impervious to cold, heat, and moisture. That is the ONLY stuff that works! I would also clean the window with rubbing alcohol and give it enough time to dry.

Finally, and this is the most important: If you have a new pod, please save yourselves some trouble and test fit the pod, mark where the velcro makes best contact with the windshield, place your velcro on the pod(after some cleaning and a little bit of sanding to rough it up, and a little more cleaning) THEN paint it! You can cover that spot with painters tape or cover the backing paper of the velcro and the size of the velcro with some painters tape...the paint will not allow the velcro to stick to the pod if it covers the part of the pod your velcro will be touching.

If its too late and you already painted it...you have company on this. Sand and scuff the back as best you can and clean it up dry it off and then go for it...worked for me!

 

I don't know that this would work for me. When my windshield was broken this summer, I had them replace it with the F250 windshield that has the center tint (those little dots that get bigger the higher up the window they go).

A pic:


If you need your windshield replaced, you'll have to deal with that drama of the tape again. If we can make a bracket, problem solved - permanently!