Hacked Together Jeep Wrangler (YJ) iPhone RAM Mounting Solution

Okay, so this isn't technically specific to flying geeks (though it's related; pretty much every flight ultimately results in a need for some form of terrestrial transportation), but ...

My yoke mount experience with RAM, and seeing RAM mounts in use in the tow truck that picked up my Jeep (20 year old clutch hydraulic system had a leak), convinced me to hack this setup together:

• Motorcycle Handlebar Clamp Base with M8 Screws (provides a hollow 1" ball a screw can be run through)
• Universal X-Grip Cradle Holder with 1-Inch Ball (kind of clunky, but allows cell phone upgrades without having to replace mount components if/when the phone dimensions change)
• Short Double Socket Arm for 1-Inch Ball Bases
• A #8 sheet metal screw, 1 3/4" long, and a #8 washer, both sourced from Home Depot

Removed one of the center section dash screws (holding the plastic dash in place) and replaced it with the longer screw from Home Depot, which ran through the 'motorcycle' base (didn't use the 8mm bolts it came with, obviously). The whole thing is amazingly convenient and rock solid, even over terrain. Relatively cheap, too. Detailed pictures of the install: https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B3wWtj5n3Y6QWWgzc05mYm91Qjg&usp=sharing

Next project: Converting the tired (and at least partially burned out) 20 year old original dashboard illumination to superbright white LEDs...