Garmin 496 adjustable mounts/questions

[Kenny Gene]

Hey Troops,
This year at Oshkosh I finally purchased a 496 with XM. I think I would like to mount it on the right side just below the dash (7A). Where do I go to purchase an adjustable angle type mount that will only be a couple of inches off the face of the dash?

What have you all done for mounts and works for you? Pictures?

Is there an antenna that I can hard wire in on the top of my dash like my 430W and where do I purchase this?

Is there a hard wire harness instead of using the cig plug type?

Thanks.

Kenny Gene

 

[L.Adamson]

I prefer mine on the left. I had previously made a mount for my 296 that thumb screws to the triangular piece on the longeron. I sat in the cockpit and got the perfect angle before making this "hard mount", which the plastic Garmin mount is bolted too.

Now that I have the 496, the 296 will get a mount on the right side.

L.Adamson --- RV6A

 

[hevansrv7a]

You can use the mount that came with it..

 

[Kenny Gene]

My plane is a tip up, so I'm limited on dash space. I have a 6 pack and 2 glideslopes on the left to the center then from center right is my stack; Garmin 340, Sorcerer, 430W, sl30 and 327 and to the right of that is my GRT EIS and a "G" meter, so that is about the best placement that I can see. I thought about a flexible tube up from the front center, but I was thinking this could be in the way.
Kenny Gene

 

[terrykohler]

Kenny:
Real estate is also a problem on my 9A tip-up. I fabricated a bracket that fastens on the bottom lip of the IP (nut plates are mounted on the inside of the lip). The bracket requires a single bend near the mounting point and assembly of a second piece using aluminum angle. The result is a mount that the garmin snap-in plate is fixed to and which fits under the IP between my knees and is angled to my sight line. Easy to hide wires with this setup. More importantly, the position does not take up panel space and does not block other instruments. If you need a picture, I can try to get you one tomorrow.
Terry

 

[kentb]

I built mine into the panel.

Takes up less room this way. The angle is set by the screw spacer arrangement, so would be easily adjusted after construction.



As you can see I routed the antennas through the tipup glareshield.

I just threaded some AL spacers for uses with the screws and formed a piece of .063 sheet to support the bracket that came with the 496.





Kent

 

[Kenny Gene]

Nice Job Kent.

Garmin packs lots of **** into the 496 box, most of it is useless and DON'T include the 2 small screws to hold the XM antenna, so I had to go to the hardware store, another time waster.

Is there a harness pigtail so I can hardwire the 496 without using a cigarette lighter?

Thanks.

Kenny Gene

 

[L.Adamson]

Nice Job Kent.

Garmin packs lots of **** into the 496 box, most of it is useless and DON'T include the 2 small screws to hold the XM antenna, so I had to go to the hardware store, another time waster.

Is there a harness pigtail so I can hardwire the 496 without using a cigarette lighter?

I double sided taped the 496 antenna, and velcroed the XM weather antenna, so that it's easily removable with the main unit. Power cable as previously mentioned is connected to power & auto-pilot.

L.Adamson --- RV6A

 

[Jamie]

Here is my 496 install:

It is very simple. I just made a little mount out of sheet (.032), by bending two little legs on it. I took the automotive mount and removed the part the 496 actually snaps into and screwed it to my mount...then screwed the whole thing to my panel. It works very well.

I am still pondering installing an airgizmos dock, but my mount is very functional so it's hard for me to justify.