Garmin NuviCam LMTHD was introduced a short time back and has caught on to become quite popular. Makes sense. Dash cameras have become extraordinarily popular so Garmin combined the best of a GPS with a very good dash cam. The camera paired with the 6″ GPS provides collision avoidance alerts if following too close to the car in front of you. It also will provide lane departure alerts if you drift off the road or onto oncoming traffic. The device also provides a high-definition camera which continually records your drive. The camera is mounted on the back of the GPS so our mount discussion will take this position into account so that you can use the GPS and camera most effectively.
Interestingly, Garmin made an excellent decision in using their standard 17mm ball and socket design on the mounts. This is a proven design that has been in use with their Nuvi line for about ten years. That means there are a lot of mounts out there that can work with a Garmin NuviCam LMTHD. Most mounts that fit the NuviCam may not mention that model. If it says it fits a Garmin Nuvi, the NuviCam will fit as well.
The Garmin NuviCam LMTHD comes with a standard Garmin mount which features a suction cup attached to a stem with a 17mm ball. There is a powered cradle that attaches to the 17mm ball via a socket on the back of the cradle. The cradle uses a magnetic attachment to the GPS which appears to be a new direction which we really like. This cradle is necessary to power your NuviCam and can be easily removed from the Garmin stock mount by simply pulling it off. If you would like further instruction on how to do this, read our article on that topic here.
This is a GPS combined with a dash cam so let’s turn it into a dash camera.
The most popular mount from Garmin is the Garmin Portable Friction Mount. This mount has been available since the early days of a Garmin Nuvi. The mount weighs 1.5 pounds. The bottom of the mount features a rubber coated base which is designed to stay put in most normal driving circumstances and most typical dashboards. There is a 17mm ball on the mount which will fit the back of your cradle that came with the NuviCam. Easy to install and very portable.
In the photo with this article is the Arkon Replacement Suction Cup Mount for Garmin Nuvi. It includes an adhesive dash disk. This is especially useful in states where windshield attachment is not allowed. The suction cup sticks to anything smooth and flat so it’s going to stick to your windshield as well as the included dash disk. I have recommended this mount for a long time for a few reasons. These mounts come with a 2-year warranty and these stick real well. Unlike the Garmin mount, this one has an adjustment point halfway down so you can adjust the height.
For those preferring a suction cup mount but don’t like adhesive, the Arkon Sticky Mounting Pedestal for Garmin Nuvi will adhere to anything that’s flat, even a textured dashboard. There is a sticky bottom that sticks to your dash. The bottom can lose the sticky feeling with a lot of use, but it’s easily recharged by washing it in some warm soapy water. Like the prior mount, this can also be adjusted up or down.
And for those in love with their Garmin suction cup but would like to use it on a bean bag type of mount, there is the Arkon Weighted GPS Friction Mount. This is featured in the photo accompanying this article. The mount features an attached 80mm smooth round plastic plate which is a bit larger than the diameter of the Garmin suction cup mount. You will attach your suction cup mount to the center plate just like it was your windshield. The Arkon mount features an open front. You may find it more convenient to keep the front pointed towards the windshield to provide an unobstructed view for the camera. This mount includes a safety anchor to attach it to the dashboard which is a very nice feature.
Now, go ahead and use your NuviCam as a dash camera!