Made my GoPro camera mount for the utility rail

[emax]

Yesterday, I made my GoPro camera mount for the utility rail. I used the fittings I have shown here:

https://www.theineosforum.com/threads/airline-rails-track.12411220/post-1333208696

The photographs are partially a bit unsharp as it was already getting dark when I mounted them.

The materials you need: Two fittings, a RAM 9/16" ball joint arm and a 9/16" ball base.
The 9/16" is called the 'A' size ball, as opposed to the 'B' size which has a diameter of 1" and the 'C' size which is even larger.

Whats missing here are the two M6 nyloc nuts and their washers. The GoPro Adapter for the Gopro is on the next image.

If you look for such RAM accessories you will somtimes wonder about the prices. The 9/16" arm below is e.g. offered for 68€ in some shops , but you can get it way cheaper, I paid 18€ here and bought the 9/16" base there as well:

RAM Mount Verbinder - 85mm 9/16 Zoll (A) Kugel

www.air-store.eu

As you can see, the mounting holes for the base are too small for the M8 bolts of the fittings. So I turned the bolts down to 5.8 mm on the top ...

... and cut an M6 thread on them. The VA material is quite tough and you have to be careful not to ruin the bolts or the tap and die. Cutting oil is compulsory.

The holes in the base are a bit too small. So I drilled them to 6.5 mm which still leaves enough material around them.

The holes of the original RAM base are drilled to AMPS standard grid and have thus a distance of ca. 48 mm. This is almost exactly the grid of the airline rails which is 25mm and thus 50mm for my needs.

As the fittings have a bit of play before tightening and as I have drilled the base holes to 6.5 mm, everything fits perfectly after mounting:

I should have made the M6 threads a tad longer, but it's still ok:

That's the RAM 9/16" arm with the GoPro adapter. If have taken it from a chinese assembly which is too flimsy for a serious GoPro mount, but the part from the assembly which I'm using here doesn't have any joints and is thus quite sturdy in this application.

A first view on the mount without camera. You can tilt the arm in any direction.

 

[emax]

Here, the RAM arm is tilted forward. The back mirror always protrudes the camera mount, whether its sideways pointing or forward. So no relevant change of the vehicle profile.

You can point it downwards as well if you want to record the wheel actions. But I haven't yet tried this perspective.

In the position below you can operate the camera even while driving.

If the camera angle is very wide, you should tilt it slightly outwards. Otherwise there is more body than scene on the film.

The rear and front displays can be configured to stay on or to dim after a while. Mine is set to two minutes.
The only visible thing is then the red "recoding" LED if you don't turn it off in the configuration.

As you can see, I have taken this photograph from the drivers seat - inside the car.
If you don't have a remote control, you can still operate the camera from the driver seat. But even with a remote control you couldn't adjust the perspective or switch it on again, which is however possible with this mounting.

I have already tested it and made some footage. The mount is quite sturdy and there are no visible vibrations - not even on the damaged roads in Germany.

The camera can be taken off in a second as the RAM arm can easily be taken off by just loosening the tommy screw. I own an external power bank (Ulanzi BG-2) with 6800 mAh. It could be attached outside with an extra DIY-holder because these fittings allow you to basically attach whatever you need.

If you have your own GoPro mount, I'd be happy to see it. Suction cup mounts excluded ...

 

[emax]

And that's the type of chinese ball joint moint from which I've taken the adapter above. Shipping costs more than the thing. But you can get them on Amazon as well for little money.

 

[IG_in_AZ]

Cool! someone previously linked to a commercially available solution, which I purchased. They seem well made, but yours is certainly robust and probably much less expensive.

Base https://www.67d.com/products/l-track-base

https://www.67d.com/products/gopro-camera-mount

 

[Miki]

<snip>

View attachment 7824628


View attachment 7824630

I should have made the M6 threads a tad longer, but it's still ok:

<snip>

Could I convince you to cut another 3mm of M6 thread ?
The engineer in me is cringing everytime I see the pictures,

Alternatively you could source some M6 Nyloc type T nuts which I think will also engage the anti-vibration section.
Or countersing the back of the ram ... or both

 

[Logsplitter]

Lots of different solutions but @emax is cheaper I guess

RAM Mounts 9mm Angled Bolt Head Adaptor Ball Base with GoPro Adaptor

RAM Mounts 9mm Angled Bolt Head Adaptor Ball Base with GoPro Adaptor from the UK's leading online bike store. Free UK delivery over £25 and easy returns on our range of over 80,000 products.

www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk

 

[emax]

Lots of different solutions but @emax is cheaper I guess

RAM Mounts 9mm Angled Bolt Head Adaptor Ball Base with GoPro Adaptor

RAM Mounts 9mm Angled Bolt Head Adaptor Ball Base with GoPro Adaptor from the UK's leading online bike store. Free UK delivery over £25 and easy returns on our range of over 80,000 products.

www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk

But how would you fit this to the rail?

 

[Logsplitter]

With one of those I guess

RAM® 9mm Angled Bolt Head Adapter Ball Base

Mirror Mount 9mm hole with 1" Ball. - The RAM-B-272 marine grade aluminium base consists of a 1 diameter ball and base with 9mm hole.

www.ram-mount.co.uk

 

[emax]

Cool! someone previously linked to a commercially available solution, which I purchased. They seem well made, but yours is certainly robust and probably much less expensive.

Base https://www.67d.com/products/l-track-base

https://www.67d.com/products/gopro-camera-mount

$36 for the GoPro 9/16" ball adapter. That's a lot for something which costs less than 10€ on amazon. I have seen these solutions, but I didn't accept to get ripped off.

And the rail mount doesn't look vibration proof. If have made a test drive on bumpy roads, no vibrations at all, although the GoPro can iron out a lot of them by software. I have however had the same GoPro in my an Diamond Aircraft, and the result was terrible since the SW apparently can not get finer vibrations under control.

wording​

 

[emax]

With one of those I guess

RAM® 9mm Angled Bolt Head Adapter Ball Base

Mirror Mount 9mm hole with 1" Ball. - The RAM-B-272 marine grade aluminium base consists of a 1 diameter ball and base with 9mm hole.

www.ram-mount.co.uk

View attachment 7824730

Looks ok.

But you'd need an A-ball size for the RAM clamp. I haven't found RAM-arms with one side with an A-size and the other with a B-size.

 

[Logsplitter]

Looks ok.

But you'd need an A-ball size for the RAM clamp. I haven't found RAM-arms with one side with an A-size and the other with a B-size.

I take it you don’t like my way of doing things

 

[emax]

Could I convince you to cut another 3mm of M6 thread ?

Although I already had this idea: No.

Because as an engineer, you should know that a second pass on the lathe only worsens the result. Because of their flat head, I had to use tricks to clamp the screws in my chuck (with shims), and I can't do that a second time centered on the status quo of the now existing thread.

If the nuts get loose, I'll apply some locktite for the time being. The next specimen will be better.

The engineer in me is cringing everytime I see the pictures,

Thank god i'm an amateur and can look at them completely relaxed.

Alternatively you could source some M6 Nyloc type T nuts

Due to lacking technical language skills, I'm not sure what you men with 'T-nuts'.
If you mean a T-nut for e.g. aluminum profiles: How would you put them into the rail?
If not: what do you mean, translating doesn't help?

which I think will also engage the anti-vibration section.

There are no vibrations.

Or countersing the back of the ram ... or both

This would even be possible with M8 nuts (and maybe washers) from the backside, no need to go back to the lathe.

 

[emax]

I take it you don’t like my way of doing things

Why shouldn't I like it?

If I had found a 9/16" to 1" RAM arm I had probably bought one. But without it, it's simply no solution.

wording​

 

[Logsplitter]

Looks ok.

But you'd need an A-ball size for the RAM clamp. I haven't found RAM-arms with one side with an A-size and the other with a B-size.

Both sides of this ram mount are B size and marine garde aluminium alloy not plastic

 

[emax]

Yes, aluminum, that's the standard, even for the chinese thing above. All parts I use are all aluminum and stainless steel. Plastic is junk as such a rig poses higher forces on the joints than one might think.

The both sided B-ball is indeed a solution. Since I want to mount two cameras occaisonally, it would however be a bit costly.

But less work.

wording​

 

[Miki]

<snip>
Thank god i'm an amateur and can look at them completely relaxed.

Due to lacking technical language skills, I'm not sure what you men with 'T-nuts'.

Nuts (in general) come in different depths, plain nuts are refered to as full and half (or lock) nuts.
Ny-Locs come in two types, P and T.
The type T (DIN 985) are 'thinner' or shallower than type P (DIN 982) which are taller.
Both need the polymer insert to engage with the thread to stop then undoing.

There are no vibrations.

Well, start the car and drive about and there will be, but parked in the drive the only force trying to undo the nuts is gravity, and your right, that is a constant force.

 

[emax]

You've perhaps not read that I already have taken some footage, of course when driving. Bumpy roads, varying revs, everything is fine.

The shallower nylocs are a good hint, thanks. But to be honest the nuts are pretty tight as the ball base rests flat & tight against the M8 part of the fitting bolts and thus the nuts don't actually rely on the polymer insert.

"T-nuts", in Germany this means such things, that's why I was puzzled:

I would have understood, though, DIN-xxx.

 

[Miki]

You've perhaps not read that I already have taken some footage, of course when driving. Bumpy roads, varying revs, everything is fine.

The shallower nylocs are a good hint, thanks. But to be honest the nuts are pretty tight as the ball base rests flat & tight against the M8 part of the fitting bolts and thus the nuts don't actually rely on the polymer insert.
"T-nuts", in Germany this means such things, that's why I was puzzled:

View attachment 7824761

I would have understood, though, DIN-xxx.

I will remember that
I did miss that you have some footage .... can we see some ?

 

[emax]

I'm currently making a YT video of it.

 

[emax]

The video is online, albeit not publicly listed yet.

It's obviously in German, but automatic translation will help, although not always error free.

View: https://youtu.be/HUQHz3Pe-3w

Updated listing state​