There aren’t many Lexus GX460 dashboard accessory mount options for phones, tablets, gps devices and satellite communicators. Most on the market also require you to drill into your dash – a very permanent decision! I came up with a very solid solution using t-track and a special kind of exterior automotive tape.
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YOU MUST USE THE SPECIFIC TAPE BELOW! (I can’t vouch for other inferior brands/products)
Parts List
- Garmin inReach Mini GPS Satellite Communicator
- 3M Super Strength Molding Tape, 03616, 7/8 in x 15 ft (It is very important that you use this exact brand/model of tape)
- RAM Track Ball with T-Bolt -Attachment
- RAM X-Grip Universal Phone Holder with Ball
- RAM Composite Double Socket Arm
- RAM Tab-Tite Universal Spring Loaded Holder for 8″ Tablets with Case
- ESR Mini Portable Wireless Charger – this part is no longer sold. Find a wireless charging puck that is compatible with your phone’s wireless charging protocal that will fit inside the arms of the RAM X-Grip universal phone holder.
- T-Track
Lexus GX460 Dashboard Mount Instructions:
- Watch video first for a walk-through of how this mounts to your dash.
- Measure the space on the dash where your t-track will be installed. Cut the t-track to length (angle cut if you want the t-track to follow the coutours of the dash)
- Clean the dash where the t-track will be installed using an alcohol swab (or similar). Apply the 3M double sided tape per the manufacturer’s instructions. (THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT)
- A fix the t-track to the double sided tape and press firmly to ensure a strong hold.
- Insert the RAM track ball with t-bolt attachment
- Attach your choice of RAM phone, table, gps, satellite communicator and other holders of your choosing.
- If using the wireless charging puck, a fix it to your RAM mount now.
- Enjoy your awesome looking Lexus GX460 dashboard mount without the clutter!
- Comment on our YouTube video! (much appreciated!)
Video Transcript:
Good afternoon. TX:GX here. I wanted to address the number one question I get about my GX. the number one question without a doubt. people don’t ask me about the suspension as much as this question. they don’t ask me about what kind of tires I have as much as this question. this is the number one question and that is… this phone and iPad mount on my dashboard. the number one question I get. so I wanted to talk real quick about how I did this. it’s really snowy out here in Texas today — this is not gonna be the best video quality. I just want to do a quick video for you. Show you how I did this. So basically, this rack gives me the ability to mount a couple of different devices here. These are all ram mounts, ram arms, ram balls. I’ll put the links to these in the comments. I got all of these off of amazon but let me show you how they mount. so if you look around here there is a track right here. this t-track — it’s basic stuff, you can buy it cheap off of amazon. now you’re probably wondering how did I attach it to the dashboard? well I’m going to be honest with you – I used 3M exterior trim double-sided tape and so the first thing you’re wondering is would that really work? is that going to stick? well what I can tell you is that absolutely yes — it has stuck so far. it has survived two Texas summers. it has survived having iPads on there. phones on there. Garmin Inreach Minis on there all at the same time. On trails never had a problem with it. Now I’m not telling you that any double-sided tape will work so don’t even comment. I’m telling you of a very specific kind of double-sided tape. It will work if you use that tape. I am pretty sure that you will get the same results that I’ve had but if you use some inferior kind of tape well you know you get what you pay for. All right so going back to this t-track – so I cut it to length, I even matched the angle of the dash… see how that piece comes up at an angle? I even match that angle here on the t-track cut off both ends. You can see there and there and then I used an alcohol swab and I swabbed the dash, applied my 3M exterior trim double-sided tape and then attached the t-track rail. I’ve got two pieces of tape – I’ve got one on this side and one on this side right here. There’s a little bit of a hump right underneath where this ball is right here that is the same as this trim piece right here. Where that goes up it forms a little bit of a hump and so there’s actually two separate pieces of tape behind there. I’ll show it to you here in a little bit in more detail just in a minute but I just want to show you that’s where it is now. The second thing you might be asking about is whoa that looks like a charger right there and you’re right, it is. I’ll provide the link in the comments but that is a wireless charger so that when I put my phone into the ram mount right there my phone charges. It’s great! I don’t have any cables coming down and plugging in anywhere. it’s been great! okay I’ve taken off the iPad mini holder so you can get a better shot of this t-track here. but you can see right along here there’s one piece of the double-sided tape and then another piece right here. and it basically goes from this point all the way right up to there and then that point all the way over to the edge there so that’s how I applied the tape and I’m telling you if you use the right tape I suspect you will have great results with it. like I said this one has survived two Texas summers so far without any problem and I’m given that ram mount a pretty good yank there and that t-track is not really moving at all. you can choose to drill into the dash if you want to – I didn’t want to go that route. I didn’t want to permanently mar the dashboard but as you can see especially when you start to back up it actually looks like it was made to be part of the car. and I’ve had several people get in here and not even realize that that was a custom piece that I applied to the dashboard. so anyway hope this serves as inspiration to you! let me know what your thoughts are – I’d love to hear if you have better ideas for how to do this. let me know if you hate it. let me know if you’re tired of looking at my dusty dashboard. let me know that too! hey I just got back from a trip last weekend haven’t had a chance to get it cleaned up. I will chat with you later TX:GX out!
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