RAM Alternative for iPad Yoke Mount

[PeteMc]

My original RAM yoke mount worked great.  But I bought a new cradle for my new Air4 and it's just not cutting it so I'm looking for an alternative yoke mount.  Any recommendations?

Issue with the new cradle is that you literally have FORCE the iPad into the TOO SMALL lower corners.  And it just doesn't line up right with the yoke so it's just in the wrong place.

[RLCarter]

I use the Ram "X-Grip" and have for years, been through 1 i-Pad and 2 i-Pad minis and never had a fit issue

[PeteMc]

Yes, I used my RAM mount for years with my old iPad.  The one for the Air4 iPad is really poorly made/molded.  Not really sure what they used to create the mold, but it wasn't an Air4 or Pro (the two are really the same size). 

You really have push hard... really hard to get the iPad to go into the bottom corners.  And the "pen holder" on the side does not hold my Apple Pencil or any of my low tech styli.

 

[RLCarter]

@PeteMc, this is the X-Grip, doesnt matter what tablet you go with, chances are it will fit. I use my iPad at home more than my PC, when flying I just put it in the X-Grip, case and all

[PeteMc]

@bluehighwayflyer  Thanks for the link, but I didn't see any yoke mounts.  If they've got them, they're hidden pretty well.

 

@RLCarter  The X-Grips I saw only went up to the 10" tablets.  The Air4 is 10.9"

 

[midlifeflyer]

10 hours ago, RLCarter said:

@PeteMc, this is the X-Grip, doesnt matter what tablet you go with, chances are it will fit. I use my iPad at home more than my PC, when flying I just put it in the X-Grip, case and all

The x-Grip and the Tab-Tite (which I use) are the two best, IMO.  The EZ-Roller (which I had only for my first iPad) is the worst.

 

[midlifeflyer]

6 minutes ago, bluehighwayflyer said:

Dump the bulky yoke mount entirely.  Instead stick one of their steel balls on your yoke medallion and one of their magnetic tablet sockets on the back center of your iPad.  This works so well I’m surprised anyone still uses a yoke mount.

I suspect if you own your own airplane, there are plenty of mounting options better than a clamp.

[RLCarter]

6 minutes ago, midlifeflyer said:

The x-Grip and the Tab-Tite (which I use) are the two best, IMO.  The EZ-Roller (which I had only for my first iPad) is the worst.

 

Living down here in S. TX I wanted something that allowed for good air flow. I also like that I see through the X-Grip when I don’t have anything in it

 

[PeteMc]

Hmm....  Interesting concept to permanently add the ball to the center of the yoke.

Still need to experiment with the various other cases.  Also starting to look at if I can heat and fix the existing RAM cradle.  

 

[RLCarter]

4 hours ago, PeteMc said:

The X-Grips I saw only went up to the 10" tablets.  The Air4 is 10.9"

I just measured the X-Grip, fully opened its 5 7/8” wide if that helps any

[midlifeflyer]

4 hours ago, RLCarter said:

Living down here in S. TX I wanted something that allowed for good air flow. I also like that I see through the X-Grip when I don’t have anything in it

 

I agree. If the X-Grip was available when I bought the Tab-Tite, I probably would have gotten it. Fortunately, while not quite as open as the X-Grip, it's more open than a lot of other mounts. Fortunately, I've never overheated in 10 years of iPad use so something is going right.

[RLCarter]

@midlifeflyer I’ve had it overheat a few times but they were all self induced, but never an issue when mounted in the planes 

[carusoam]

Mark,

Ipad1s would overheat in daylight...

To keep from overheating the iPad was kept low in the cockpit...

Unfortunately, low in the cockpit lost touch with the satellites...  

The amount of brightness selected, has a lot to do with how much heat is generated in a recent iPad...  and how long the charge will last...

PP thoughts only, using an iPad for hours every day...  

Best regards,

-a-

[Niko182]

This is the best thing ever. I have one on each yoke. They hold ipads just fine, and they don't fall during turbulence. Scosche Magicmount.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/scosche-magicmount-universal-vehicle-mount-black/9701232.p?skuId=9701232

 

[midlifeflyer]

6 hours ago, carusoam said:

Mark,

Ipad1s would overheat in daylight...

To keep from overheating the iPad was kept low in the cockpit...

Unfortunately, low in the cockpit lost touch with the satellites...  

The amount of brightness selected, has a lot to do with how much heat is generated in a recent iPad...  and how long the charge will last...

PP thoughts only, using an iPad for hours every day...  

Best regards,

-a-

When I say none of my iPads have overheated in 10 years of use, it includes my iPad 1. It was on a yoke mount. 

Since I have never had a cellular iPad, loss of signal has not been an issue. I did have a Stratus overheat when I left it on the glare shield when I went to lunch one day. Fortunately, loss of signal on an EFB is a non-issue anyway.

Absolutely agree about brightness and its effect.

[Comet]

When I got my last iPad (several years ago), I got a Pivot case.  You won’t find a simpler system for putting the iPad in and taking it out, and you don’t have to take it out of the case.  A little expensive (compared to alternatives), but well worth it!

 

https://pivotcase.com

 

[Tom 4536]

11 hours ago, Niko182 said:

This is the best thing ever. I have one on each yoke. They hold ipads just fine, and they don't fall during turbulence. Scosche Magicmount.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/scosche-magicmount-universal-vehicle-mount-black/9701232.p?skuId=9701232

 

Looks like a compact solution to mounting an iPad. Do the magnets interfere with the compass?

[Niko182]

21 minutes ago, Tom 4536 said:

Looks like a compact solution to mounting an iPad. Do the magnets interfere with the compass?

Hasnt for me.

[squeaky.stow]

@PeteMc This may be a stupid question so feel free to disregard it but how confident are you in your Ram supplier? The reason I ask is that I have bought Ram EZ Roller cradles in the past that turned out to be the incorrect part number. The AIR 3 and 4 are almost identical in size but with a slightly different corner shape, which makes me wonder if someone sent you the wrong cradle. I had one that I had to force the iPad into and found that it was the wrong part number even though I specified the correct model of iPad.

I have an Air 3 and a Mini 4 and have used both with the EZ Roller. After playing with both in the plane I have settled on the Air 3 due to the larger screen. The Mini stays in the flight bag as a backup. I had to use two swivel arms to get the larger Air 3 to sit  comfortably between the yoke handles without obscuring any instruments. 

The picture is the Mini. The Air sits flatter with the assistance of an additional short swivel arm.

[PeteMc]

Actually...   There is a big difference in size in the scheme of mounts.  The Air3 is 10.5" and the Air4 is 10.9" 

My old mount was for the Air3 and there was no way to make it work for the Air4. 

[carusoam]

iPads have come down in cost...

Their skills improve every year...

people probably upgrade every other year...

iPad 6th generation I believe is current today...

For real fun... pick up a mini and a pro model...

Or supersize your phone...

There is no end in sight for variations in the case size of Idevices... 

-a-