Jeep Wrangler. Rugged. Drives through anything. People that have them usually love them. But when it comes to mounts, this is a bit of a challenge.
Jeep Wrangler Mount Analysis
I guess that comes as no surprise. Previous experiences with the Jeep Renegade and Jeep Compass have shown that finding good mount spots in Jeeps aren’t easy. Several of the traditional and favorite spots for mounting a smartphone, GPS or tablet aren’t going to work well in a Jeep Wrangler. Interestingly enough, we did find a some mounts that aren’t available in other Jeep models.
First let get places that won’t work out of the way.
One of my favorite places to mount a GPS or smartphone is the air vent. The air vents in the Jeep Renegade are round and thick which nullifies the ability to mount anything on this location. I’ve tried to mount devices on round vents. It just doesn’t work out well.
The other location that isn’t going to work well are cup holders. Technically you can put a mount in a Jeep Wrangler cup holder. However, it’s set too far back to be practical. You don’t want to consistently have to look to your far right to see your device. I recommend a different location in a Jeep Wrangler.
Jeep Wrangler Mount Recommendations for the Windshield
The windshield will work well in a Jeep Wrangler. The Arkon MegaGrip Suction Cup Windshield and Dash Mount is going to work just fine on Jeep Wrangler windshield. The mount features a vacuum locked suction assembly attached to a pivoting arm. The phone cradle opens to 3.4 inches and can swivel into any orientation. The mount also comes with an adhesive disk that you can stick to the dash to turn the mount into a console mount but it might not be a great selection for a Jeep Wrangler that has the recessed tray embedded into the dashboard.
A similar mount for a Garmin GPS is the Arkon Windshield Dash Garmin Nuvi Suction Mount. I have recommended this one over the many years it has been available and have used it myself. It’s an excellent mount that comes with a 2-year warranty. It’s more rugged and longer than the Garmin mount you received in the box.
Jeep Wrangler Mount Recommendations for Other Spots
A custom choice for a Jeep Wrangler dashboard is the Daystar Upper Dash Panel and Phone Mount. This mount fits within the accessory tray found on many Jeep Wrangler models. The included expandable cradle fits most smartphones and it even fits tablets up to the size of an Apple iPad Mini. The cradle swivels to put your device in portrait or landscape. Remove the cradle to expose a 17mm ball that’s the perfect size for attachment to the back of a Garmin Nuvi or Drive GPS cradle. Trays are molded into the mounting base to hold other stuff. These only fit Jeep Wranglers that have the deep tray on the dash. A great idea.
Use the Arkon Car Seat Bolt Floor Mount for Tablets for a large tablet. The mount has a hook on the bottom that fits under the seat bolt. Installation is easy and takes five minutes. Depending upon the model of Jeep Wrangler, you should likely find an exposed seat bolt near the center console. Check before purchase because depending upon the year and trim level, you may not be able to access the seat bolt.
Use a wrench or pliers when installing these seat bolt mounts. Don’t hand tighten the bolt. Use the wrench or pliers because it needs to be completely tight to ensure the weight of the tablet doesn’t compromise the mount. The mount itself is made of metal and is flexible so when your tablet isn’t in the mount, it can be bent out of the way so a passenger can sit without a problem.
A CD Player mount should work fine. The Apps2Car CD Slot Mount uses a knob on the bottom to secure the mount within the CD player. I prefer this mount to others in this category as it will permit a more custom and secure fitting. You don’t want the mount to rattle around inside the player. The cradle opens to almost 4 inches which is wide enough for most phones and many GPS devices.
Mount Summary
So we uncovered some good mounts for the Jeep Wrangler including one that’s custom-made for the model. Remember these are mounts made for everyday riding. If taking your Jeep Wrangler off-road, consider removing these mounts as they are made for day-to-day highway driving and may potentially become an issue in rugged environments.