Where did you mount the camera? Post your pictures

Hi. Here is my SGGCX2PRO install in a 2019 MINI convertible. I also have the hardwired kit and wanted to use it instead of the 12v plug, but chickened out when I started trying to remove the trim on my new car. All of the YouTube videos I found for dash cams in MINIs were hard tops with soft headliner , and the trim in the convertible is different and so is a bit harder to hide the wires without taking out the pillar covers :/. I will eventually redo it the right way, but for now, I think this is ok. I have the camera on the passenger side, and was able to get most of the wiring behind the plastic trim, with the exception of the corner (wire too thick for the crack). I also have a bit of exposed wiring at the dashboard, but the rest of it is hidden away. I don’t have the gps installed at the moment but may add it in eventually if and when I reinstall.
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Decided to swap my DR900S windshield mount for a blendmount. Ordered some of the extra links to get the cam to exactly where I wanted it.

In the comparison picture the bottom is the windshield mount top is the blendmount.

Once you tighten the extensions the unit becomes very very solid. Tested it over some rough roads and it didn’t budge.
 

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Street Guardian SG9665GC installed in BMW 320d M-Sport 4x4 (2013)

Re-installing 5th time (5th vehicle) The good old Street Guardian SG9665GC for my local customer who changes his cars more often than I do change my socks :)
He didn't want it to be hardwired, because he never knows when he wants to upgrade his car, but his wish was to hide the wires.

P.S. this BMW has about 1/2h cigarette lighter charger timer switch-off delay (just for the records). This is a good option to record while the car is parked while doing short "shopping".
Also, there are no air-bags in the side windscreen A-Pillar. "Side" Air-bags are inside the top "horizontal" part of the roof above the front door.

Although I recommended installing dashcam from the left side of the rearview mirror rain sensor for more factory (stealth) look, but he wanted it to be in the center along with cables cover.
Customer's wish is a priority! ( As long as you pay, you can have it your way. You got the money, we got your honey. ) :)

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Think I would have run without the cable cover to get it higher up the window

I would do the same, but ...

Although I recommended installing dashcam from the left side of the rearview mirror rain sensor for more factory (stealth) look, but he wanted it to be in the center along with cables cover.
Customer's wish is a priority! ( As long as you pay, you can have it your way. You got the money, we got your honey. ) :)
 
I currently have my A129 rear camera and a Mobius fixed directly with VHB tape to the plastic trim around my rear hatch. Since taking this photo I have replaced the lens in the Mobius with a heavier varifocal lens. Now my problem is that the VHB is not holding the Mobius camera permanently on the textured plastic, especially in warm weather.
y4miQgQv9z3VxdmFhTegxODU78LXqWk-ic6YGWi2YTiIIy54W6BpQoVTJeBr0yLEU8qQUEX2U-cswVpaKd6DatO7FMRO0EJFm3qyZsYDg6gJaQZNR55OheG0N8s5l_sbAyJb67nA9HTTgFKbY4hB8nwtQT9J3o-FmSEeotJprGD0l4doivtmSbRAYhEuUjG-RancHI7l8FSo60HK_NxsygEHw
Get some 3M Scotch Dual Lock Tape unless you already have some, in which case you should try it. :doctor:
So I tried some dual-lock tape. It appeared to be working fine for 4 months, until yesterday I noticed it was starting to peel away from the plastic trim again. I don't really want to change the mount location as it's so convenient and ultra low-profile, so I suspect the solution will be to revert to a lighter-weight lens than the 2.8-12mm varifocal. Perhaps a small 12mm telephoto.
 
So I tried some dual-lock tape. It appeared to be working fine for 4 months, until yesterday I noticed it was starting to peel away from the plastic trim again....
I was experiencing the same and resolved the issue by using VHB tape to attach the dual-lock to the plastic.
 
I was experiencing the same and resolved the issue by using VHB tape to attach the dual-lock to the plastic.
Hmmm. I was already having trouble with VHB in the first place, which is why Dashmellow suggested I try dual-lock.

I can fit magnets in behind the plastic trim. If I can fit a metal plate to the Mobius it may stick with the dual-lock tape AND magnet combined.
 
Hmmm. I was already having trouble with VHB in the first place, which is why Dashmellow suggested I try dual-lock.

I can fit magnets in behind the plastic trim. If I can fit a metal plate to the Mobius it may stick with the dual-lock tape AND magnet combined.

There was a suggestion (forgot where from :sick: ) to heat the area where you're mounting VHB with hair dryer for VHB to stick properly. Give it a try.
 
So I tried some dual-lock tape. It appeared to be working fine for 4 months, until yesterday I noticed it was starting to peel away from the plastic trim again. I don't really want to change the mount location as it's so convenient and ultra low-profile, so I suspect the solution will be to revert to a lighter-weight lens than the 2.8-12mm varifocal. Perhaps a small 12mm telephoto.

In theory, according to the specifications, Dual Lock should have plenty of adhesion to hold a camera in place, even one with a heavy awkwardly balanced varifocal lens on it. The problem is likely to be with the fact that it is mounted on a textured plasticized surface. Before abandoning Dual Lock completely, I would consider trying it again being very careful to do a proper installation of the tape.

According to 3M, the technique is "Equilibrate, Surface Preparation, Remove Liner & Apply Adhesive, Apply Pressure, Dwell".

"Equalibrate" means that you need to have both the Dual Lock tape and the surface it will be mounted on at the same temperature of between 60° to 100°F (15° to 38°C) for a minimum of one hour. After installing Dual Lock tape I suggest leaving it overnight (dwell) or even longer with no weight on it and reapply pressure one or more times before installing the camera. A hard rubber roller is useful for applying equal pressure to the entire tape. Applying heat with a hairdryer before applying pressure can be very helpful and then applying some heat and pressure again after the tape has been attached for a while.

According to 3M, "Once attached to the surface after applying pressure, acrylic adhesives achieves approximately 50% of the ultimate bond strength within 1 hour, 90% after 24 hours and the ultimate bond strength is obtained within 72 hours at 72°F (22°C) and 50% relative humidity. Increasing the temperature after bonding, e.g. to 150°F (66°C) without an applied load or the use of primers and adhesion promoters may reduce the time required to achieve the ultimate bond strength."

Surface prep is very important. Use 91% Isopropyl alcohol and a clean lint free cloth. Do this at least twice and use a clean section of cloth with each wipe so that you don't just smear surface contaminants around.

From my own experience, I've learned that installation technique and lack of patience with the bonding process is a main cause of Dual Lock or VHB tape failure. Often we can get away with this because dash cams don't weigh all that much and even a less than perfect bond can hold well enough in many cases. With the added weight and awkward balance of a Mobius with a varifocal lens there is a greater likelihood for adhesion failure from going over bumps in the road and this puts stress on the bond. Taking the time to do a careful job and then giving time for the bond to cure can make a huge difference and might be worth a try before going with another method.

https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media...e-fasteners-att-pres-sens-adh-or-heat-bnd.pdf
 
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Hmmm. I was already having trouble with VHB in the first place, which is why Dashmellow suggested I try dual-lock.
...
There are a number of different grades of VHB tape. This is what I use and, with proper surface preparation, have not had it loosen (it's even difficult, but not impossible, to remove intentionally). It works for textured surfaces because it's more pliant than the dual-lock and will conform to the texture.

 
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I like to use that 2 inch wide black 3M #5952 VHB tape too. It's excellent, especially on glass. I don't like to use it on textured plastic interior surfaces because it is difficult and messy to remove when the time comes.

For some years now, I use grey 3M #4941VHB for this purpose instead. It has excellent adhesion properties if carefully applied, especially on plastic surfaces and when the time comes to remove it, it peels off cleanly with minimal effort and leaves zero residue. Recently, during a windshield replacement I had to remove my dash mat which had been secured to my dashboard for at least two years with 3 inch strips of grey #4941VHB. After easily peeling the tape off there was zero evidence that any 3M VHB tape had ever been applied to my textured dashboard. I didn't even have to do any clean-up after peeling off the tape.

My side cameras are "ceiling" mounted with grey VHB tape as well and they are quite secure.

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https://www.homedepot.com/p/3M-Scot...ided-Outdoor-Mounting-Tape-411DC-SF/100575385
 
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Thanks for the suggestions. Perhaps I've been using the wrong dual lock tape. This is what I purchased (in a 500mm roll) :
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The white plastic backing is fairly stiff which might not be the best option for bonding to a textured surface.

I have also used it to mount two cameras to my cheese plate mount in the windscreen where the tape strips seem to have bonded well to the metal plate.
 
"Equalibrate" means that you need to have both the Dual Lock tape and the surface it will be mounted on at the same temperature of between 60° to 100°F (15° to 38°C) for a minimum of one hour.
I'm not likely to see 15° for another month or two. I've been thinking about removing all my cameras and rewiring everything as it's very ad-hoc and untidy right now, perhaps even unsafe. Replacing the adhesive mount could be something that I get around to in the Spring when I put some cameras back up again.
 
I can not find black 3M #5952 VHB tape locally, will have to resort to shopping outside DK again.
 
Thanks for the suggestions. Perhaps I've been using the wrong dual lock tape. This is what I purchased (in a 500mm roll) :
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The white plastic backing is fairly stiff which might not be the best option for bonding to a textured surface.

I have also used it to mount two cameras to my cheese plate mount in the windscreen where the tape strips seem to have bonded well to the metal plate.

I have to admit, I completely forgot about how 3M switched from using black adhesive to white adhesive on Dual Lock tape. I don't know if the new white adhesive is as strong as the original black stuff. Back when I started noticing that stores had begun stocking the white adhesive backed Dual Lock tape I started buying up a stash of several packs of the black Dual Lock and that turned out to be a good move since my fears that they would no longer offer it in black proved to be well founded. At the time I was using it for mounting cameras on my front windshield so the whole thing was all about stealth. It never occurred to me that the new white adhesive might not have the same properties as the original but I wonder if that is why you are having issues with it?

Dual Lock tape is available in a transparent version. I wonder if the adhesive is any better (or worse) than the white stuff?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/B00LZRLYYI

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company...-Fastener-SJ3560/?N=5002385+3293242295&rt=rud
 
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...Dual Lock tape is available in a transparent version. I wonder if the adhesive is any better (or worse) than the white stuff?...
I've not used the version with white adhesive so I can't make a direct comparison.

I do, however, use the clear version almost exclusively (low-profile black is the other) and can say that it adheres to glass well (with proper prep) but is not particularly 'stealthy' as it's quite visible from the outside. It does not adhere very well to textured surfaces, it's too rigid to make contact with anything other than the highest point of any raised texture. This can reduce the contact surface by as much as 75-80% depending on the material. It's for this reason that I started using VHB tape to attach the Dual-Lock to textured surfaces and that method works well in the instances where I've done it.
 
I've not used the version with white adhesive so I can't make a direct comparison.

I do, however, use the clear version almost exclusively (low-profile black is the other) and can say that it adheres to glass well (with proper prep) but is not particularly 'stealthy' as it's quite visible from the outside. It does not adhere very well to textured surfaces, it's too rigid to make contact with anything other than the highest point of any raised texture. This can reduce the contact surface by as much as 75-80% depending on the material. It's for this reason that I started using VHB tape to attach the Dual-Lock to textured surfaces and that method works well in the instances where I've done it.

Applying heat to Dual Lock tape during installation can help in securing it to textured surfaces but I agree that VHB tape is much more pliable. I like your workaround of applying VHB to Dual Lock for this purpose.
 
The spec sheets for the white and clear versions (SJ3550 and SJ3650) appear almost identical. What @DT MI said about the clear version not adhering well to textures surfaces seems to be similar to my issue.

Perhaps a run of UV glue along the leading edge might help to hold it in place?
 
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