Garmin GPS permanent installation

Hello Group,
I am going to purchase a Garmin GPS and I am looking to permanently install it in my Tacoma.

A member named @knine00 apparently made custom overhead consoles. I PM'd him but he hasn't been on TW since December of last year.

I know that I can purchase a double din HU but I don't need a DVD pkayer or BlueTooth. I just eant a reliable GPS that I don't have to be removing all the time. I plan to hardwire it and use a switch to power it on when I want to.

Has anyone on here ever done this?

Here's a couple of pics of my trucks interior and the custom OH console that I'm looking for.

 

Like the idea and that it will out be mostly out of sight of thieves in the OH console. Are you planning to put a wired remote gps antenna somewhere? Reception will suffer in that position without one.
I went a different route; very interested in what you come up with.

 

I didn't think about the reception suffering up there. If I have to, I'll install an antenna. By the way, nice stereo. I assume it doesn't have GPS or is the Garmine that much better than the stereos GPS?

 

A member made me one out of wood. It goes in front of the cup holders. It fit my GPS unit perfectly which I haven't used in a long time. I could get the dimensions of the outside and post them.

 

I would appreciate that very much! BTW, hows the reception down there?

 

Yes, the stock radio has navigation which is almost worthless. Another feature of the Garmin is the ability to use external maps that run from the microSD reader. Really like the USGS 24K topo maps when offroad.

 

You win. That is the holy grail of nav setups! Info on that in your build thread?

 

Sorry. Missed that in all my excitement.

 

Cool! I'm looking to get the Garmin with a 5 or 6"" glass screen and the Lifetime maps & traffic feature.

 

Garmin nuvi 2689 LMT would be a good choice then. As long as it'll fit in your mounting location...

 

Yep, after researching for a long time I ordered that one for the gf for Christmas last week- 6" GPS North America, Lifetime M NUVI2689LMT. My garmin vehicle GPS is almost 10 years old. Afraid that after setting her up I will want to upgrade too....

For mounting I just use the sandbag on the dash and it sits there all the time. If I do go up 6" then I will likely go with a Tacoma Tech Deck

 

That setup is badass

Here is the wood insert



I seem to have lost a pic

The face top is 8 9/16"
The face bottom is 8 1/8"
The face sides are 3 7/16"
The angle from top to bottom is 78 degrees
The angle on the face front is 93 degrees in the bottom and 87 degrees on the top.

The back top is 8 1/4"
The back bottom is 7 7/8"
The back sides are 3"

It is 3/4" thick

I used to have an outlet in that area but with my new truck I don't. I drilled a slot for the cord on the right.

 

The sandbag is fine until you go off pavement. Then it sometimes ends up on the floor.

 

I have a Nuvi 255. It's old as dirt and needs updated maps but it works well.

 

One of the models that I was looking at.

Awesome! I'm sure you'll want to upgrade. It's in our TW DNA! . As for the tech deck, heluvan idea but in my case all I would have to do is ad one more 1" ram ball in the space under my radio, to the right of the current 1" ram ball that's there. I currently use it to mount my I-phone 6 so that I can view what my Go-Pro (mounted under my rear view mirror) sees.

Agreed

Durable indeed.

 

Where I hunt grouse it is really off road LOL. It always says navigating off road and doesn't show anything anyhow except an image of the truck with no background so I just unplug it and put it in the center console. Often when it does show a road it now is a single track instead of a 2 track. That far North sat reception is hit or miss also, it gets confused very easily.

Have the Garmin Alpha and TT15 for the dog and with the addition of the Russian Sats in GLONASS it is fantastic and spot on, all the time. Which just made me look and can't tell if the 2689 has GLONASS or not. If it does would be a reason for upgrading right there.

 

That's a cool alternative! Pretty creative. How was the reception having it installed down there?

 

The USGS 24K topo maps are pretty good for showing what passes for roads off the beaten path. As far as reading Russian birds or not, no idea.

 

I've done like some other members and just mounted it to my A Pillar. Allows me to put it away easily if I so please. Plus is stays in line of site while driving without messing with the stupid suction mounts.

Using stock wire that I ran up from the steering wheel cubby pocket and out to the A Pillar. So I still effectively use th cig lighter for power, decided not to hard wire it.

 

No issues that I've run into.