What's the deal with the V1 suction cups?

Just recently my V1 suction cups have been failing. I was using the small ones, but one side kept falling (different sides too). So today I go out with the big suction cups, clean the windshied thoroughly with Windex and spend a good 45 minutes getting it mounted perfectly. I hit the canyons for some fun, no problems. On the way back I stopped at Target, and when I come back out the V1 is hanging by one suction cup again. :(

Kind of shi**y because I take a long time to get it mounted right, and then I never get it stuck back in the perfect spot again when it falls. So then I had the bright idea to replace the V1 suction cups with my Escort ones, but surprise, the V1 cups are proprietary or something with the little hook thing. :mad:

I never once had an Escort suction cup fail like that, and don't recall having this problem the last time I had a V1. It only happens in my S2000 too ... the other cars it stays perfectly.

The bright side is it's never fallen completely ... one cup has always held it so far, but I can't figure out whats going on.

i had the same problem but what i did was mount the suction mount on the windshield then slide it out of the suction cups to where the suction cups are just on the windshield then i push them in and make sure they stick then slide the mount back on and it worked perfect..

I've had mine up for about 3months now and they haven't moved or fallen. Its been through temps ranging from 80 to -12. I did put a dab of car wax on the suction cups and that gives extra security. If anything try 90% isopropyl alcohol instead of windex.

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Originally Posted by Char1iebrown

i had the same problem but what i did was mount the suction mount on the windshield then slide it out of the suction cups to where the suction cups are just on the windshield then i push them in and make sure they stick then slide the mount back on and it worked perfect..

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Hmmm, that's a good idea. Can't get a lot of leverage on those things though the plastic piece ... I'll give it a try tomorrow. :thumb2:

This sometimes happens when the suction cups get some "age" them. If you take the suction cups and reform them by rolling them back to their original curve that might help you out, it did on mine.

spray a little hair spray on the suction cups before mounting them, use the spray that comes in the metal aerosol cans, that will help them stick. It basically is a mild glue.

Why does it matter if you can't reinstall the release bar if it takes you forever to get it in the right position anyway?

I usually end up ordering new ones every year from v1s site for 1.00$ shipped to my door.

I just went with the 3M dual lock. It's sort of semi-permanent but if you don't move your RD much you may want to consider it.

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Originally Posted by srtga

I just went with the 3M dual lock. It's sort of semi-permanent but if you don't move your RD much you may want to consider it.

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I bough some the other day the DS tape and it did not stick to my windshield for crap, and id didnt even want to stick to the cups either?

Do you know if the 3m will stick to the black dot's? if they do i want to relocated a little more high :)

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Originally Posted by muledoe1

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Originally Posted by srtga

I just went with the 3M dual lock. It's sort of semi-permanent but if you don't move your RD much you may want to consider it.

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I bough some the other day the DS tape and it did not stick to my windshield for crap, and id didnt even want to stick to the cups either?

Do you know if the 3m will stick to the black dot's? if they do i want to relocated a little more high :)

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It should. You may want to try some adhesion promoter. It comes in little packets and you can get it from any auto body parts store. I get it from Carquest's body supply.

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Originally Posted by Akosikojak

This sometimes happens when the suction cups get some "age" them. If you take the suction cups and reform them by rolling them back to their original curve that might help you out, it did on mine.

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Originally Posted by dirt ninja

I usually end up ordering new ones every year from v1s site for 1.00$ shipped to my door.

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I've only had this V1 a few months, plus the large suction cups were never used and broke loose the first day I used them. I had the mount for my 9500ix up for 9 months without moving it and it never fell.

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Originally Posted by supercowpowers

Why does it matter if you can't reinstall the release bar if it takes you forever to get it in the right position anyway?

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Good point ... I guess I don't really need that release bar attached.

Maybe it's this cold-as-hell 60 degree weather we've been having. :D

Windex could well the be the problem. It leaves a residue that is often quite visible, and most careful car detailers never use the stuff. Try to clean the window with another cleaner designed for auto windows, or, even better, a "glass polish" such as that made by Zaino. This will leave the window clean and the suction cups will adhere the first time and stay in place. I have had the suction cup holders on my two cars for years at a time without incident and frequently move the V1 in and out.

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Originally Posted by djrams80

Maybe it's this cold-as-hell 60 degree weather we've been having. :D

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It was 11 degrees when I was driving earlier, the suction cups have yet to fail me. :D

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Originally Posted by djrams80

Maybe it's this cold-as-hell 60 degree weather we've been having. :D

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X2. I had to pull over in the canyons yesterday to put the top up cuz I was getting cold. Stupid 60's. :D

car wax, hair spray, rolling, new cups each year, 3M dual lock, adhesion promoter from Carquest's body supply ...

Mine have stayed up surprisingly well, coming down only once or twice over 4-1/2 months. I always expect them to come loose though, just because I've never had great success with this mounting technique.

I think the V1 comes with 2 extra ones. I guess I should plan on replacing them once a year, and ordering a good supply of replacements. But until then, and while they are not a problem, what should I plan on doing the next time it comes loose? In order of usefulness, how would these rank?

1. 3M dual lock
2. Adhesion promoter from Carquest's body supply
3. hair spray
4. car wax

Or use all of them and have a big 'ol glob? :)

The 3m adhesion promotor is for the 3m ds tape. It's specially made for it.

I say use alcohol to clean the part your going to stick the cups to and it should work fine.
yOke side of my V1 down and kept coming down until I took it all the way off and cleaned it and wiped some alchol on the part of the windshield where I wanted to stick it. Since then it has not came down once.

I use a standard V1 suction cup mount on my BMW F800 ST motorcycle and it has never come loose in the roughly 4000 miles it has been on there at speeds up to xxx (censored, but count the x's for a hint [g]).

The windshield flexes a fair amount and needless to say there are worse bump forces than in a cage, but it is hanging tough. I did very lightly moisten the cups before pressing them against the plexi.

My only mod was to remove the black release bar so that the detector would not accidentally hit it and release the cups (don't ask how I found out this was necessary [g]).

-dan

Mike V recommends boiling them in water for a few seconds, it worked on my Belscort cups anyway. Just go to your local craft store and buy a bunch of them for about $2 so you can just swap them out :)

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Originally Posted by SquiddOhio

Windex could well the be the problem. It leaves a residue that is often quite visible, and most careful car detailers never use the stuff. Try to clean the window with another cleaner designed for auto windows, or, even better, a "glass polish" such as that made by Zaino. This will leave the window clean and the suction cups will adhere the first time and stay in place. I have had the suction cup holders on my two cars for years at a time without incident and frequently move the V1 in and out.

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I found this to be true as well. The only way I have been able to get my windows spotless clean is to wash them with a new dishwashing sponge and water just like cleaning dishes. Then dry with a clean towel. I wont let anyone smoke in the car either. The film it leaves on the windows is hell to get off.

I had to give my windshield a good cleaning with a micro fiber cloth, seems to have done the trick....good luck!

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Originally Posted by zerbey

Just go to your local craft store and buy a bunch of them for about $2 so you can just swap them out :)

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Adams brand suction cups (available at Michaels and Hobby lobby) work great. They seem to be higher quality than the originals and last alot longer. They fit a little tight in the mount but will work. You also loose the little "release bar", but the Adams cups have a pull tab for release.

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Originally Posted by Radar

Mine have stayed up surprisingly well, coming down only once or twice over 4-1/2 months.

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Well, make that 2 or 3 times over 5 months. It came loose again yesterday. I just put some bottled water on them and put them right back where they were before, which is what I did before. We'll see how long they last.

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Originally Posted by Obsidian

Just recently my V1 suction cups have been failing.

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Yeah, they suck - and not in a good way. :D

That's why I use a Voztech mount which bolts to my windshield frame.

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Originally Posted by swarga

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Originally Posted by Obsidian

Just recently my V1 suction cups have been failing.

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Yeah, they suck - and not in a good way. :D

That's why I use a Voztech mount which bolts to my windshield frame.

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Ok, you got my interest. I searched the Voztech. Looks cool. Unfortunately, what I found is:

"This bracket attaches to the passengers visor clip placing it just under the tint line on the windshield, while making it less visible from outside of the car."

Presently, I have my V1 installed within the tint line, so the Voztech would put it lower than it is now. Not good. More visible.

Also, I only found them mentioned only in the context of vettes.

I can live with resetting them once a month for a year and then replacement at $1.00.

I just blow on mine like when people blow on their glasses to create a water mist layer that they wipe off, except I don't wipe if off. I just attach it to the windshield right after. I've had my bracket on my windshield for at least 9 months without any issues, in both the summer and winter.

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Originally Posted by OPTiK

I just blow on mine like when people blow on their glasses to create a water mist layer that they wipe off, except I don't wipe if off. I just attach it to the windshield right after. I've had my bracket on my windshield for at least 9 months without any issues, in both the summer and winter.

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Okay Mae West

I don't know what makes my 6-year old V1 so different... I ran it in my old BMW for several years and now 2+ years in my new one, and not once have the cups failed! Cold, hot, you name it, they've never come loose unless I told them to. I don't use windex etc on the glass, just clear ammonia in hot water.

Cal

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Originally Posted by calpalmer

I don't know what makes my 6-year old V1 so different... I ran it in my old BMW for several years and now 2+ years in my new one, and not once have the cups failed! Cold, hot, you name it, they've never come loose unless I told them to. I don't use windex* etc on the glass, just clear ammonia in hot water.

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I do the same thing, except it IS glass-cleaner*, and I get similar results

Windex* cuts greasy film, but evaporates to quick for any flushing(or buffing) action.
Water flushes well, but can't break-down the greasy film.
The 'solution' is a mixture of the two.
I start with a fairly damp cloth(soft Oregon water), add a couple trigger-pulls of Windex*; gently work the Windex* into the the cloth, forming a weak cleaning-solution. Lightly scrub the area, refold the cloth to a 1) cleaner area and 2) even weaker solution. re-apply, leaving the area very moist. Buff dry with a nearly sterile [grease and body-oil free] cloth, re-folding if necessary, to a clean dry area.

Using the same two cloths, clean the suction cups.

Mount it - Forget it - - :cool:


*any quality glass-cleaner
dish-soap also works well, but must be very weak

Got my unit yesterday and all is well with the suction cups.

Put the suction cups in a coffee cup and pour hot water on them and let them soak for a few minutes.

Also, clean your windshield with Stoner Invisible Glass and a newspaper (Newspapers are the best for cleaning windows, no joke). It'll clean your windshield very well and remove most of the dirt that causes suction issues.

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Originally Posted by Nighthawk243

Put the suction cups in a coffee cup and pour hot water on them and let them soak for a few minutes.

Also, clean your windshield with Stoner Invisible Glass and a newspaper (Newspapers are the best for cleaning windows, no joke). It'll clean your windshield very well and remove most of the dirt that causes suction issues.

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What's a newspaper??

^ J/K, sort of. I took some of the suggestions in this thread and they have not fallen in awhile.