Mobius Maxi F1.5 2.7k

[Dashmellow]

Half my cams use suction mounts in the work van; no A/C, hot humid summers, mild winters, mid-grade mounts. On windows exposed to sun I get 2-4 weeks. On side windows that are less exposed I get 3-6 weeks. On the painted metal above the window, never exposed to sunlight, I get 4-8 weeks. A clean surface on both sides is critical, and a bit of spit on the edges of the cup seems to work best so far. Water doesn't do half as well for me, and the same for greases and oils.Judging by the residue, my guess is that the spit hardens into any voids, then stays there while everything else remains viscous and eventually moves, breaking the seal. And I've never figured out the time-spread mentioned above, even when I do everything exactly the same there is a 100% variation regardless of weather. Residue clean-up is a beach though. Remembering the "barbecued Buick", it was a 2/3 to 2 week mounting, but that windshield got really hot sitting in the sun. I don't remember seeing it fall off in the fire though but it might have.

Phil
(added) I think every cam should be supplied with both suction and permanent mounts, or at least letting the customer choose which one they want.

Your time frames sound about right for suction cup holding longevity although in my experience there can often be unexpected failures. Part of the equation is that I often drive on (depending on the time of year and weather conditions) very bumpy rural dirt roads like the one I live on. Of course, living in New England I get to deal with extreme sub zero temperatures which silicone suction mounts don't seem to like very much. In fact, once a suction mount falls off in sub-zero temperatures you can pretty much forget about remounting it until things warm up quite a bit and even then it still may not stay on the glass too long.

 

[jokiin]

One would have to be seriously incompetant to break a windshield removing a mount, professional or not. It simply requires a little care and common sense.

Side effect of using the wrong tool for the job

 

[Dashmellow]

Side effect of using the wrong tool for the job

Ahh...

Sometimes it's using the right tool the wrong way.

Or using the right tool the right way.

A high quality thin bladed putty knife is the quickest, safest and most efficient method I've come up with so far for removing 3M VHB camera mounts. Forceful penetration of the corner of the mount using a tool that provides a secure comfortable grip, power and good control with good support for the mount once you get behind it. A gentle twist back and forth for leverage, a further push or two to penetrate further behind the mount, a little more gentle twisting back and forth and you're there. Then peel off any remaining VHB tape with your forefinger and use an appropriate solvent for clean-up. Never so much as a scratch.

 

[kamkar]

Thats what i have used often too ( the putty knife )
I have never once used the string saw method.

 

[Dashmellow]

Thats what i have used often too ( the putty knife )
I have never once used the string saw method.

Me neither!

The whole thing with the string method was a sort of well intentioned YouTube "hoax" promulgated by Techmoan for garnering YouTube clicks using dental floss, and that idea was later picked up with all the best of intentions by the likes of Street Guardian who started including string in the box for this purpose. And this idea was later picked up by other manufacturers (such as Viofo). I guess the string thing technique can actually work but it takes a lot of time and hard work and can be very hard on your fingers and in the end doesn't always work all that well. Seriously though folks, if you need to remove a 3M VHB tape mount from a windshield in a more convenient, controlled, safe and faster manner use a good thin putty knife, along with some basic common sense.

 

[jokiin]

Me neither!

The whole thing with the string method was a sort of well intentioned YouTube "hoax" promulgated by Techmoan for garnering YouTube clicks using dental floss, and that idea was later picked up with all the best of intentions by the likes of Street Guardian who started including string in the box for this purpose. And this idea was later picked up by other manufacturers (such as Viofo). I guess the string thing technique can actually work but it takes a lot of time and hard work and can be very hard on your fingers and in the end doesn't always work all that well. Seriously though folks, if you need to remove a 3M VHB tape mount from a windshield in a more convenient, controlled, safe and faster manner use a good thin putty knife, along with some basic common sense.

I never saw anything from Techmoan about it, the string method works and has no chance of breaking glass like can happen when users are left to the own devices and use things like screwdrivers (it happens) to twist under the mount, the basic common sense is what lets some people down, some people just aren't mechanically inclined

 

[kamkar]

Hehe yeah you dont want to give people the chance of messing up on their own, that ability are strong with most of us i think, so only prudent to provide a safe alternative.
Its not like i have not wanted to thry the string method, its just every time i mess with cameras the string are not around, and as i mostly mess with cameras at my friends house a putty knife are more easy to find than a suitable pice of string.
Of course if i could learn to bring the whole dashcam box and not just the pieces i need, then the string would be there at least with SG products.

 

[c4rc4m]

I'm not aware of a single report of anyone ever breaking or even scratching a windscreen removing a 3M VHB tape mount. Over the last eight years I've done it dozens of times as have many others here. I've lost count actually. Having dealt with three defective replacement windshields since July I've removed four 3M mounts including the original windshield that was replaced. Since the windshield was about to be replaced anyway I was especially careless about removing the mount for my GC but it came out unscathed anyway. I used a putty knife.

Here we have yet another example of someone who has never had experience with something making an incorrect blanket statement as if it were fact.

I just told you above that I had removed a mount and had some nasty glass crunching along the way. Hardly someone who's "never had experience".

I used a hairdryer to soften the pad and a putty knife as others have suggested as the correct method. The 3M bond was extremely strong on what was a properly cleaned windscreen - 99.9% pure Isopropyl alcohol. I also tried some Isopropyl to weaken the bond.

You need to start accepting that yours isn't the only opinion or experience that counts, or that by simply taking part in a discussion in a thread, I'm seeking you out.

 

[Dashmellow]

I never saw anything from Techmoan about it, the string method works and has no chance of breaking glass like can happen when users are left to the own devices and use things like screwdrivers (it happens) to twist under the mount, the basic common sense is what lets some people down, some people just aren't mechanically inclined

Techmoan did a popular how to video about using dental floss to remove "sticky mounts" from a car windscreen. As he says in the demonstration, "It takes awhile" as he then edits a jump cut into the video to speed things up because of how long the process takes. Not only does sawing away with string or dental floss take quite a lot of time, it's rather unpleasant on the fingers, especially if you find yourself needing to wrap some of the string around your fingers to get a good enough grip to do the job.

I'm not sure why you've introduced "screwdrivers" into the discussion as I never mentioned them and would certainly caution against the use of screwdrivers for this purpose as they are narrow, thicker and lack the forgiving flexibility and supportive width of a thin bladed putty knife. A flat, thin putty knife slowly and carefully wiggled in behind the camera mount and gently twisted back and forth safely performs the same task as string, only faster and more efficiently. Another thing I like about using a putty knife is that it can be used on the mount from different angles during the job and this too facilitates removal. Finally, with the use of a putty knife instead of string your other hand is free to use in facilitating the mount removal during the operation. As with many things about dash cam installation, those who lack even the most basic skills should probably turn to someone else for help.

Of course, anyone who prefers to use the string method certainly should; there's nothing inherently wrong with it. I'm just offering an alternative approach that takes far less time and is easier on the fingers.

 

[Dashmellow]

I just told you above that I had removed a mount and had some nasty glass crunching along the way. Hardly someone who's "never had experience".

I used a hairdryer to soften the pad and a putty knife as others have suggested as the correct method. The 3M bond was extremely strong on what was a properly cleaned windscreen - 99.9% pure Isopropyl alcohol. I also tried some Isopropyl to weaken the bond.

You need to start accepting that yours isn't the only opinion or experience that counts, or that by simply taking part in a discussion in a thread, I'm seeking you out.

I doesn't surprise me in the least that you would be one of those few people who are so completely incompetent that you could damage a windscreen removing a dash cam mount.

I'll stick with my experience and approach which has never caused so much as a scratch.

I still recall how you spent week after week pounding the table insisting the manufacturers should build ruggedized, armored dash cams because you kept dropping your Mobius on the pavement until it broke.

You are hardly a sterling example for others to follow.

 

[TonyM]

I don't know what a putty knife is. When I have struggled with adhesive mounts in the past that do not come off just by pulling, I admit that I have tried string (which hurts), credit cards (which bend), a screwdriver, a penknife and even scissors. I think the last one I used a trim removal tool. No damage done yet....

 

[Harsh]

For me the string works well, maybe due to the weather here. Takes under a minute.

 

[Dashmellow]

I don't know what a putty knife is.

A putty knife.

 

[Nigel]

I don't know what a putty knife is.

This putty knife will easily flex to the curvature of the car glass, and like all putty knifes will not scratch the glass, they are designed for applying and removing the putty that holds glass in it's wooden frame:

 

[jokiin]

I'm not sure why you've introduced "screwdrivers" into the discussion as I never mentioned them and would certainly caution against the use of screwdrivers.

yeah I would too, I mentioned screwdrivers because people have used them, and cracked their windows in the process

 

[Dashmellow]

This putty knife will easily flex to the curvature of the car glass, and like all putty knifes will not scratch the glass, they are designed for applying and removing the putty that holds glass in it's wooden frame:

I believe that's actually considered a putty "spatula". I did try a similar tool one time but I found that a shorter blade provided more leverage and a wider blade could get behind the entire mount for support.
I seem to have amassed quite a selection of putty knives over the years acquired for window repairs and house painting so I've had the opportunity to try different ones for 3M tape removal. The ones with the thinnest metal blades work the best not only because, (as you point out) they can more easily flex to the curvature of the glass but the thin blade makes it much easier to get the knife inserted behind the mount.

 

[Dashmellow]

yeah I would too, I mentioned screwdrivers because people have used them, and cracked their windows in the process

As we're discussing here at the moment, the flexibility of a thin putty knife makes the process easier and safer. People sure do dumb things sometimes, don't they.

 

[jokiin]

As we're discussing here at the moment, the flexibility of a thin putty knife makes the process easier and safer. People sure do dumb things sometimes, don't they.

unfortunately people left to their own devices don't always think things through before they proceed to break something

 

[country_hick]

I used a putty knife to remove old adhesive from a previously tiled floor. I sharpened it many times trying to get it able to remove the stuck on adhesive I would never try using that sharpened putty knife for this kind of work.

 

[Nigel]

I believe that's actually considered a putty "spatula". I did try a similar tool one time but I found that a shorter blade provided more leverage and a wider blade could get behind the entire mount for support.
I seem to have amassed quite a selection of putty knives over the years acquired for window repairs and house painting so I've had the opportunity to try different ones for 3M tape removal. The ones with the thinnest metal blades work the best not only because, (as you point out) they can more easily flex to the curvature of the glass but the thin blade makes it much easier to get the knife inserted behind the mount.

I would have called your image a spatula! But apparently it is OK to call that a knife: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Putty_knife

The real putty knife is the tool used to push the putty bead into place and shape it, so it does not have to be flexible. I don't think either of our images are true putty knifes.