Backup Camera Vent and Mirror Mounts

Vent Mount

I added an aftermarket backup camera to my car, and I didn't like the mounting options that came with it.  I designed a swiveling vent mounting kit that clips onto the vent and slides into the back of the camera screen.  It works great.  I used the included license plate mounting for the camera itself.

Design / Assembly

The mount is made of 4 pieces

• The clip snaps onto the blades of the vent.  I added a few different sizes of clips for different vents
• The ball slides over the back of the clip and makes up part of the swivel joint
• The collet slot mount slides into the back of the camera screen and snaps over the ball
• The nut screws the ball socket tight against the ball to hold the mount in place after swiveling.  There are two versions of the nuts, but I like the one with the two “wings” better.

Printing

• I printed the clip in ASA because that's what I had loaded.  I tried them in PLA and they worked, but they were pretty stiff - I'd recommend PETG instead.
• I printed the collet slot mount with a pretty low layer height because of the threads.  Again I printed in ASA but would recommend PETG.  The collet fingers are pretty thin and might break with PLA.
• Print the ball separately and push it on the end of the clip - it should be a tight fit.  I think this could be anything.
• The nut should be printed with a relatively low layer height because of the threads

Mirror Mount

I later added a version that zip-ties to a rearview mirror for a van where the mirror is always blocked.  The screen then works as a mirror.  The camera itself is magnetically mounted to the top of the back of the van.

Design / Assembly

• There are two versions of the camera mount - one long and one wide.  I ended up using the wide version because of the way the van roof curved.  Either one should work.  They  each have three 1.26 x 0.08 inch magnets embedded in them for a solid attachment to the roof.
• Instead of a vent mount, the mirror mount is designed to be zip-tied to to the mirror in extra-classy fashion.  It didn't have the built-in swivel because the rearview mirror already swivels.  

Printing

• The embedded magnets in the camera mount require you to manually add a PAUSE to the slicer at the layer where the magnets will be covered.  When it pauses, drop the magnets in and then resume.  NOTE:  I used put some glue stick on the tops of the magnets after dropping them in because they were very slick and the filament didn't want to stick to them otherwise.  I used ASA again because it's what I had loaded.  I would recommend against PLA because they are exposed to outside environment - PETG should be much better
• The mirror mount should be able to use any material.  It does require some supports for the slots, but they're pretty easily removed.