How to Use a Suction Cup Mount on a Car Dashboard

Back when car mounts for GPS devices and cell phones were first available, you had one choice for placement and that was the windshield.  Times have changed a lot in the mobile device mount industry over the years and now there are mounts for almost anywhere.  Ironically though, the variety of mounts available for a car dashboard are somewhat limited.  This article is for those that want to use a suction cup mount on a car dashboard.  This article should be of special interest to those living in states where mounting a device on the windshield is illegal.

Your average suction cup only adheres to a smooth flat surface.  For it to stick to a car dashboard, an additional mounting accessory is required.  There are two different types of accessories that can be used.  The first type is a round plastic disk with adhesive on the back.  The second type is a bean bag with a round plastic disk stuck in the middle.  Let’s look at each option in some detail.

The Bracketron Nav-Mat Dashboard Pad weighs in at roughly 1.5 pounds, comes in black and measures 7 inches across.  That’s the one in the photo that accompanies this article.  These mounts are made to work in conjunction with your suction cup mount.

The mount features an attached 3.5 inch smooth round plastic plate which is a bit larger than the diameter of most suction cup mounts.  You will attach your suction cup mount to the center plate just like it was your windshield.  A feature that is unique to the Arkon Friction Dashboard Mount is the inclusion of a safety anchor.  The safety anchor has an adhesive bottom and can be placed on your dashboard.

The mount has a non-skid bottom which rests on a car dash.  Avoid using oil stains on a dash as that turns it into an ice rink and these won’t work on that surface.  Keep it clean but oil free.

The second type of car dashboard mount is the Arkon 90mm Adhesive Mounting Disk for Car Dashboards.  This dashboard mount consists of a round plastic plate with an adhesive bottom.  Peel off the wax paper and place it on your dash.  The plastic plate is smooth like your windshield and your suction cup mount will stick to it like glass.  Be sure to apply this to a clean car dashboard.  Wipe off any oil or dust with some good cleaner and allow 24 hours for the adhesive to cure prior to use.  A major drawback to this type of mount is that it’s fairly permanent.  We offer some advice on how to remove one of these mounts in another article.

This second type of mount is the least expensive of the two, but it has the disadvantage of being a somewhat permanent solution and takes some effort to remove when you trade in your car or if your lease is over.

Out of the two available options, we prefer the bean bag as it isn’t permanent and can be easily ported to another vehicle, or your vehicles glove box.