Mounting to the megadash. Please help me figure this out and maybe learn something from all the mistakes I made.

[hemiarch]

Bear with me here for the long “once upon a time” story. If it’s too long, this thread is probably not for you.
I love having a Starlink mini in the truck for various reasons, but the main one is when I take my young children off-roading out in the Arizona desert, I like to feel like I can call for help from anywhere.
When I first got it, I mounted it to the glass top like many of you and it worked great.
Then I got my plaid electrochromic glass skylight thingy and decided to move it to the dash after seeing several posts on how well it worked there. The glass roof was no longer possible with my new trashy limo accessory. I will attach a picture below to make it clear why.
Unfortunately I made the decision to buy the skylight and move the Starlink without conducting testing first because I’m a bonehead.
When I set the Starlink up in the windshield after installing the Tesstudio skylight, I could not get it to connect at all. This is because as a new Starlink and relatively new Cybertruck owner I did not realize the tint I had on the windshield had some metallic content in it which blocked the signal.
Once I got done feeling dumb for a while and finally realized what was happening, I reluctantly paid for a repeat tint job with new film that didn’t have any metal in it and voila, the Starlink worked great. Even the tint shop which was making money was like, “you want us to do what?” , “but why?”. Basically nobody but me thought it was a good idea until it worked.
It worked very well actually, but the particular angle of the windshield and the white Starlink top produced a very strong reflection which was distracting when driving.
So I got a veritas vans mount for the mini and wrapped it in flat black PPF which was incredibly effective at removing the glare.
https://a.co/d/4BKYLN1
See the picture below for the wrapped version..
My plan was to use the magnetic feet to stick it to the megadash but I quickly realized the metal in the dash is largely nonferrous and the magnets despite being super strong did very little. It holds well while driving and offroading if you push it back far enough that the back magnetic feet are over the vent grill which apparently is made of ferrous metal of some kind but I do worry about it coming loose and potentially causing head or facial trauma in a high energy accident. So there remains that problem to solve.
The other problem I ran into was that running off the CT usb-c intermittently causes it to cut out. It needs a 100w usb to work consistently and despite what I have read in multiple threads and trying the various cables people suggested, the 65w CT ports don’t cut it.
So I just ordered one of these peak-do batteries in the advice of another forum member to act as a buffer.
https://www.peakdo.com/PeakDo-LinkPower-Power-Bank-and-Mount-for-Starlink-Mini-p6467650.html
The plan is to dremel out one of the sides of the veritas mounts to make room for it under the Starlink. This is relevant because it has three camera tripod mounts at the bottom I might be able to use but there are also plenty of screw holes at the bottom of the veritas mount.
So what I need help with is figuring out a way to attach this securely to the megadash.
My leading idea at this point is somehow lifting up the mesh cloth and VHB’ing a steel plate to the dash under it so I can then apply magnets to the outside of the mesh. Wouldn’t be super excited about drilling into it without clearly seeing what’s underneath.
unwanted to get some thoughts from you all on whether this was the easiest/best solution here or if there is another way to get something to sit rock solid on the dash.

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[SlegMD]

Velcro, the good stuff

https://www.velcro.com/products/garage-organization/extreme-lock-fasteners/

Simple solution, temp resistant.

Would apply to entire underside

There could be better stuff out there, this works well.

 

[mongo]

The other problem I ran into was that running off the CT usb-c intermittently causes it to cut out. It needs a 100w usb to work consistently and despite what I have read in multiple threads and trying the various cables people suggested, the 65w CT ports don’t cut it.

Were you using multiple USB-C ports when it cut out?

Wouldn’t be super excited about drilling into it without clearly seeing what’s underneath.
unwanted to get some thoughts from you all on whether this was the easiest/best solution here or if there is another way to get something to sit rock solid on the dash.

Here's the top cover:

Need to remove passenger airbag and 4 bolts, then it unclips.
https://service.tesla.com/docs/Cybe...UID-5DEA8399-CD2A-44E7-A64C-50F99006E229.html

 

[hemiarch]

Were you using multiple USB-C ports when it cut out?


Here's the top cover:

Need to remove passenger airbag and 4 bolts, then it unclips.
https://service.tesla.com/docs/Cybe...UID-5DEA8399-CD2A-44E7-A64C-50F99006E229.html

Yes. I was using other ports but I don’t want to run my Starlink in such a way that it makes the other ports useless. Works most of the time isn’t what I’m shooting for. I charge my fridge battery at 54w on one of the other usb-c’s.
That looks like a bit of an operation to take off. Thanks for the image.
I wonder if I can just identify a safe place to drill a drywall screw or two . You know, the kind that expands behind the drywall?

 

[hemiarch]

Actually. It’s not the top cover I need to attach to. That pic is of the sort covered in Alcantara on a beast right? The part I need to anchor to is forward of that. The area that looks like it is covered in speaker grill.

 

[Loudness]

I'm a big fan of the magnet option, I have all kinds of stuff magnetically attached to my CT, but as you mentioned, there are a lot of areas that are non-ferrous. Drilling into the dash is a bit more than I'd be willing to do, but I've had great luck with adding thin steel plates as a base wherever I need them.

Examples, they have different shapes and sizes: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09B6YVYD8

You'd have to attach them to the dash with something strong, the adhesive backing the plates come with is kind of lacking. A couple of strips of VHB should do it. Lateral hold on VHB is super strong, but I'm not sure if it will hold well with the dash material.

The nice thing about this kind of setup is it's totally reversible without damage to your dash if you ever change your mind about the Starlink location.

 

[hemiarch]

Yeah. That’s sort of what I had in mind as
my top contende plan. I need to find a way to lift that speaker grill material and stick a plate on the hard material beneath it with VHB. . Anyone know how that’s attached?

 

[Sterling Shadow]

Lightly off topic, what’s the cyber thing in your dash tray with the green light? And I’ll follow along as Starlink in the CT is interesting. I imagine at some point they may be integrated in a standard fashion.

 

[hemiarch]

Lightly off topic, what’s the cyber thing in your dash tray with the green light? And I’ll follow along as Starlink in the CT is interesting. I imagine at some point they may be integrated in a standard fashion.

It’s an air freshener I got for free with another purchase from one of the Chinese vendors.
https://shop.app/p/9757805347105?va...mpaign=share_product&link_alias=bumojrDZjrkQI

 

[Sterling Shadow]

So many cool trinkets.

 

[hemiarch]

Velcro, the good stuff

https://www.velcro.com/products/garage-organization/extreme-lock-fasteners/

Simple solution, temp resistant.

Would apply to entire underside

There could be better stuff out there, this works well.

Will that stick to the grill cloth stuff ? The issue with anything adhesive including a ferrous plate is what to stick it to. I’d have to cut the cloth to reach whatever hard surface is underneath it no?
Even if I hot glue something to it, it’s flimsy and not really “weight bearing.”
If you go look at your dash you will see it’s not a hard surface. It’s fabric.

 

[SlegMD]

Will that stick to the grill cloth stuff ? The issue with anything adhesive including a ferrous plate is what to stick it to. I’d have to cut the cloth to reach whatever hard surface is underneath it no?
Even if I hot glue something to it, it’s flimsy and not really “weight bearing.”
If you go look at your dash you will see it’s not a hard surface. It’s fabric.

Yes, I know it’s a fabric, I have to pick off the lint from my detailing towels, it’s annoying

Honestly I was thinking Velcro as you might have the option to remove the starlink if needed and reapply, however any double sided tape could work. Double sided carpet tape may offer a solution for the fabric application. I do not have experience with carpet tape though.

I have not tried the Velcro tape on cloth. It does work on vertical rough surfaces (stucco, concrete etc, I imagine horizontal porous surface would be no problem. I could try it tomorrow when I get back in town.

I think adhesion would be fine, the shortcoming I would be worried about is temperature. If I don’t run cabin control the cabin runs 140F which may impact longevity of an adhesive.

Lastly I’m not entirely sure how far you’re willing to go to modifying your dash, though by what you’ve written I’m guessing all the way.

 

[mongo]

Actually. It’s not the top cover I need to attach to. That pic is of the sort covered in Alcantara on a beast right? The part I need to anchor to is forward of that. The area that looks like it is covered in speaker grill.

That's less fun...

https://service.tesla.com/docs/Cybe...UID-2BDFEC2F-FFAC-4455-9287-652449F18B02.html

Optionally, a bracket with suction cups at the front that slips under the top pad at the rear might work?

 

[hemiarch]

That's less fun...

https://service.tesla.com/docs/Cybe...UID-2BDFEC2F-FFAC-4455-9287-652449F18B02.html

Optionally, a bracket with suction cups at the front that slips under the top pad at the rear might work?

Definitely looks less fun. I like the bracket idea. I need to think on how to build that.
Had another idea, maybe I could make an cut in the fabric large enough to slide a metal plate in, VHB it to the hard surface then put an iron-on fabric patch under it and line up the fabric edges thereby closing the defect. Then run an iron over it so the patch sticks to the underside. Then I’d put the mount over the closed defect to hide it and use strong magnets to hold it to the plate below.
Maybe I’m just stuck in my simple minded surgeon mindset. You know…open it up, do the shit you need to do inside and then close it back up. My dashboard will not heal though unfortunately.

 

[SlegMD]

I’ve been looking for a dash cover, and had the thought you could maybe solve your dilemma with something similar with adhering the starling bracket via rivets, then drop the whole thing in. After mongo posted those pics anything this invasive seems no-go.

That being said if anyone has seen some neat dash covers I would be interested as the glare from the vent is fairly intrusive, not to hijack the thread!

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