Is your Rider mount a POS too?

[Harbinger67]

I wouldn't cut nor file the pins, it would irreverible, whereas adding the squares it is.
Also squares need to be very small, hard metal and not touching each other, easier said than done

I have a spare set of mount innards that I can experiment on, but for now I've got a better idea. Machining such small bits of copper would be pretty hard. The best thing I could think of is using some heavy copper sheeting like they use in chem labs and art classes. Only downside is is that it's rather soft. Before I do that, I may remove the old solder and make some little ovals out of unshielded light gauge copper wire and solder them to the contacts. It would hopefully increase the surface area of the contacts while at the same time providing some reinforcement for the solder, thus preventing more dents. Who knows.

I've decided that this is going to happen one way or another. I don't care if I have to fashion my own mount out of something and stick the guts from the actual mount in it. This damn thing is going to charge on my bike whether it likes it or not

 

[MaelStrom]

I have a spare set of mount innards that I can experiment on, but for now I've got a better idea. Machining such small bits of copper would be pretty hard. The best thing I could think of is using some heavy copper sheeting like they use in chem labs and art classes. Only downside is is that it's rather soft. Before I do that, I may remove the old solder and make some little ovals out of unshielded light gauge copper wire and solder them to the contacts. It would hopefully increase the surface area of the contacts while at the same time providing some reinforcement for the solder, thus preventing more dents. Who knows.

I've decided that this is going to happen one way or another. I don't care if I have to fashion my own mount out of something and stick the guts from the actual mount in it. This damn thing is going to charge on my bike whether it likes it or not

That's the spirit !
Grab the darn acethylene torch and melt it all! YEAH !
Another concern I have is, in fact, the fear of melting all the rubber around the contacts.

 

[Harbinger67]

That's the spirit !
Grab the darn acethylene torch and melt it all! YEAH !
Another concern I have is, in fact, the fear of melting all the rubber around the contacts.

The soldering I did didn't really effect the rubber or plastic much. I plan on buying a more precise iron here sooner or later; I really want to get one with a very fine point for delicate things like this.

As far as making a mount goes...I'm toying with the idea of fashioning something out of some plastic that I can't remember the name of currently. It'd take a good bit of dremeling and probably more than one attempt, and it's my last resort plan, but it could be a fun project.

 

[myvrodrocks]

That's exactly what I was considering doing, but I mentioned the idea to a few friends and they said that it wouldn't be worth it because the solder would fall off quickly. I'm going to try it anyway. Right now, actually; I'm going to take it over to the engineering lab and use a really high quality soldering setup

If this doesn't work, I'm pulling out all the stops. Taking a Dremel to my old crappy mount and cutting a hole in the bottom large enough to mount the unit with the SD card/charger plug door open, and then mounting a car charger adapter on my bike and charging it through the bottom of the unit. I know for damn sure that THAT plug makes contact

Thanks a ton for your input. Hopefully this works

*edit*

Just did it and it appears to be nearly perfect. I have yet to really test it, but so far it looks like it finally works as it should.

I just spent the weekend riding to Prague and had the exact same thoughts. I have had my mount replced twice by TomTom but they don't get it. It is not the mount, it is the holes in the unit. The pins no longer reach.

I had the same thought about the car charger...2 issues arise.

1. With the door hanging open it is no longer water tight.
2. The unit charges on 5v DC and your bike's system is 12v. You would have to use the power converter that is built into the car charger and not just simple cut off the end and wire it to the bike.

 

[MaelStrom]

Well, guys, fiddling with soldering iron and metal platers was fun, but sending the unit to Texas and getting a new and newr model back (hopefully in few days) was priceless.
You oughta try, someday, it might work: call 866-486-6866 during business hours E.S.T. and you might get the same treatment.

 

[Thom]

but sending the unit to Texas and getting a new and newr model back (hopefully in few days) was priceless.
.

You know it...