Improving the Amazon Basic Vehicle Tablet Mount - Fit Tablet in a Protective Case

 

Mount Livingstone, Alberta (Photo by V.A. McMillan, 2020)

Do you need to mount a tablet that is in a protective case into your vehicle?? Are you planning to use the Amazon Basic Vehicle Tablet Mount?? Are you concerned reviews state the mount will not work with tablets in a protective case?? Looking for a solution??

This blog post is to solve the issues described above. Use the Amazon Basic Vehicle Tablet Mount (https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07RD8B8ZB/) and modify it to work with a tablet in a protective case. 

Caveat - the solution I will propose will work best if you are looking for using your tablet when the vehicle is stationary. I did not create this solution to solve using a tablet in a protective case while the vehicle is in motion, this will likely work; however, you will have to use your own deductive investigating skills to prove that this solution works for that need as well.

Let's start by looking at the Amazon Basic Vehicle Tablet Mount:

First, the quality of this mount is quite good and uses a blend of metal and plastic materials. Further, there are plenty of adjustments for both anchoring to a post and adjusting screen viewing angle of the tablet when mounted.

The challenge with this tablet mount is the spacing between the nubs and the frame is too narrow to hold a tablet in a protective case. See below.

The mounting nub before modification

The mounting nub after modification

The following tools and supplies will be required to perform the modification:

1x Hand Saw

1x Flat File

1x Robertson Screwdriver

1x 10 mm wrench or socket & ratchet

4x 1 1/4" x #10-24 Machine Screws

4x #10 Flat Washers

4x #10-24 Nyloc Nuts

8x 1/4 S Flat Faucet Washers - Rubber

Step One:

Cut off the four (4) plastic mounting nubs.

Step Two:

Re-assemble. File plastic nub cut area flat, if needed. Using the #10-24 x 1 1/4" machine screw, thread from nub towards frame, add 2x 1/4 S rubber washers, push assembly through frame. Add #10 flat washer (outside of frame), and secure together with the #10-24 Nyloc nut.

Step Three:

Using a #2 Robertson screwdriver and a 10mm wrench, snug the whole assembly together until the threads from the machine screw just pass the nylon of the nut. See below.

Step Four:

Install the modified bracket into your vehicle, anchoring to one of the headrest posts. Once you are happy with the anchor location, tighten the large thumbscrew. See below.

Step Five:

Finally, install your tablet into your new vehicle tablet mount. As I stated earlier, I do not need my tablet to be mounted while the vehicle is in motion, thus, I am using the mount top and bottom, not corner to corner. See below.

This entire project took less than two-hours including going shopping at the local hardware store for the machine screws and other parts. The actual modifying took less than an hour, while carefully using a handsaw to make those vital cuts to remove the plastic nubs. I do not have a fancy shop, so this had to be completed on my front deck, without power tools. 

For those who may attempt this modification, knowing exactly what hardware is required and how many should speed up and economize your project. 

Total cost: $29.95

Amazon Bracket: $17.20

Hardware: $12.75 (2.99+2.99+2.79+1.99+1.99) 

I am sure if your hardware store sells #10 machine screws and parts individually, your costs will be lower. Many of these packages had more screws, washers, and nuts than were needed for the project.

Until next time...If you see what you need, but it needs modifying to work, then modify it!

Mountainman.