Non-Drill GPS Mount for Ipad for 5th Gen 4Runner
iPad Mount (No Drilling Required) on 5th Gen Toyota 4Runner
In a previous post, we covered a solution for a phone mount on the 4Runner. We pulled the dash apart and drilled a small hole into the side-dash to mount the RAM mount. In another post, we are going to cover another drill option for the iPad mount. If you are looking for a no-drill option for mounting your iPad, we got it. This submission came in from William, who has written a few installs on the website.
iPad/Tablet Mount on 5th Gen Toyota 4Runner
This tutorial is for people who want to mount an iPad or tablet for GPS onto their 5th Gen Toyota 4Runner without having to drill into the dash or center console. This tablet mount is completely removable, and simply clips onto your center console. This an awesome idea if you do not want a permanent iPad or tablet mount hooked up to your center console.
Parts Needed
- Tablet of your choice (I used an Ipad Air due to ease of use)
- ProClip USA center console mount for 5th Gen 4Runner
- Ram Mount RAM-B-101U-C 1-Inch Diameter Ball Mount with Long Double Socket Arm (Black)
- Ram Mount Tab-Tite Universal Clamping Cradle for 10-Inch Screen Tablets with Heavy Duty Cases Including the Apple iPad 4/3/2
- GPS App (Gaia is what I currently use)
- Optional- Bad Elf GPS Pro (for people who only have wireless tablets)
- 3 MM Drill Bit
- 4 MM Hand Tap
- Drill
For those who like to do solo runs on trails occasionally, you will find out that an accurate GPS is a must. My 4Runner came with Toyota’s factory navigation which is adequate for freeways and surface roads, but definitely not trails that are off the map.
This is where a separate standalone navigation system comes into play. There are many types of GPS systems and mounts available, from using your smartphone mount to using a handheld unit like a Garmin. I found the easiest to use and navigate with is using a tablet mounted system.
The tablet could either be an android or an Ipad. For this install, I used my Ipad Air simply because I had one on hand and it is user-friendly.
There are different ways that you can mount a tablet to your dash or center console with an external GPS. You could drill and bolt the mount onto your dash or in my case, I used a clip-on system to my center console. I don’t like drilling into things that I don’t need to, so the center console set up works perfectly.
iPad Mount (No Drilling) Installation
Pro Clip USA center console mount
The first thing I ordered was the Pro Clip USA center console mount which attaches to the side of your shift knob. The Pro Clip is basically just a clip with no holes drilled at the base. You would be required to drill the base of the Pro Clip in order to mount the Ram Mount double socket arm.
Base of the Pro Clip
This is the base of the Pro Clip where you mount the Ram Mount. As you can see, there are no holes to mount the arm. You would need to drill into this base in order to lock the socket arm. The holes in this picture are NOT drilled through for mounting. They are mainly just drilling points.
Mark and Drill the Pro Clip
Using the base of the Ram Mount, align and mark the areas you will need to drill. After you mark it, drill the Pro Clip using a 3 mm drill bit.
Threading the Mount
After drilling, use a 4mm hand tap to create threads for your screw to mount the Ram Mount.
Ram Mount Ball Mount & Ram Mount Tablet Cradle
The Ram Mount Ball Mount is an extension arm, this should fit perfectly onto the Pro Clip that you just drilled. The next thing to install is the Ram Mount Tablet Cradle. The installation for this is pretty straightforward and just requires a few screws. You will then mount the cradle to the Ram Mount extension arm to complete the setup.
Pro Clip Mount to Center Console on Passenger Side
Mounting it to your 4Runner is very easy, just take the Pro Clip and snap it onto the passenger side of your center console. The Pro Clip has some double sided stickers where you can use to lock it in place but I didn’t use it since I will be frequently removing the mount when not in use.
Non-Drill Tablet Mount – 5th Gen 4Runner
Here is the finished install. As you can see, it fits an Ipad just fine even if you were to have an extra thick protective case. The only downside is that it will get in the way of the cup holder and hits the shift knob when it is in “drive” position, but to me, that is not a big deal. I stuck a book between the passenger seat and Pro Clip to help reduce wobbling of the mount.
