mounting a Maglite in the car...

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Psychopomp

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Feb 21, 2005
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I've carried a 4-D MagLite in my car for a few years now, usually in the back on the floor somewhere. But yesterday that almost prooved to be a bad choice of location, so I'm looking for a way to keep it in place, but still easy to get.

Yesterday afternoon I was on my way home from work going a wee bit over the speed limit (probably 58 or so in a 55 zone) when I got cut off by someone pulling out of a side street without looking.

I slammed on my brakes because I couldn't get into the other lane, and the light made a rather violent journey under the passenger seat. Had anyone been sitting there, they'd have a badly bruised (or maybe worse) ankle.

No harm, no foul. But it could have been worse... could have gone under the driver's seat and got caught up in my pedals, or it could have gone over the seat and through the windshield or my skull.

Does anyone make something to hold one of these lights? The light itself is about the size of my car ('06 Subaru Impreza) so mounting it somewhere could be tricky. It won't stay under the seats.

I could replace it with something smaller and brighter, but I do like the added benefit of using it as a club if I had to.

Any ideas?
 
Order the Mag Lite mounting brackets and secure them to the floorboard in front of or behind the front seat or parallel to the transmission cowling. Or just find a spot that works for you. Quick access and the light won't fly around.
 
I bought a pair of U shaped flahlight holders and screwed them into the floor between the seat and the door. They work great but I don't know if they will fit in the same spot in your car.
 
I'd probably get a different light for car use. Are you really going to be able to swing it effectively from the driver's seat anyway? Just a thought.
 
maglites dont have to be swung ya can also use them to poke and prod just like a baton FWIW, imho they are an excellent tool to have in a car, for SD, also a pretty good lite.

i got a 4 "D" cell LED last week and like it a lot, its plenty bright FWIW, i was worried it would be dimmer than the incans.

really for SD i prefer a 4 or 5 "C" cell though it just fits the hand better, the "D" cells arent bad though.

of course i use a surefire L4 or M3 for most of my light needs, they arent as good for SD though.
 
I was going to say brackets also. I wouldn't personally use them cause I wouldn't want them to ruin the look of my interior, I usually just jam mine in a seat or between the seat and center console. On my Envoy my mag -charger fits sort of well in the huge door pockets it has also. Perhaps a big GMC is the solution;)
 
I kept my 3D maglite under the center consol on top of the trans hump in my 1994 Crown Vic with 2000 Towncar 40/20/40 front seats. Worked absolutely wonderfully under all conditions.

Now I keep a Surefire G2 in the firebird.
 
Psychopomp said:
I slammed on my brakes because I couldn't get into the other lane, and the light made a rather violent journey under the passenger seat. Had anyone been sitting there, they'd have a badly bruised (or maybe worse) ankle.
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As I have so often said, Gollnick's Rule: If you wouldn't want to be hit in the head with it, then either bolt it down or put it in the trunk.

Center consoles, glove compartments, map pockets, all sorts of storage compartments will all come open and spill their contents into the air around you in a serious accident. Velcro, double-sticky tape, suction cups, will all let loose under the forces of an accident.

And if you think you're ok because you're such a good driver, then ask yourself about all the other people around you.
 
My sub box always makes me nervous... 2.2 cu ft of sledgehammer goodness. But its in my firebird's back seat (bought it for the crown vic trunk back in the day, doesn't exactly fit under the birds hatch!)
 
damn i never thought about my sub box. well if my sub breaks i dont want to be around after lol.
 
When I had my truck I got the mounting brackets and fastened my old 4-D Cell to the door, through the skin and into the metal shell with sheet metal screws. The first gen. mounting brackets broke constantly, but after a couple of years Mag Instrument upgraded them and that's what you get now.

If you have a std. black one, be sure to keep it out of the sun! The inside of mine is still corroded where a battery exploded inside the case 20 years ago from overheating. I also have two 3-D cells, and a 2-C cell for my wifes car, but this old one is still going strong after 26 years. Just changed the reflector and front lens, added a D-Ring tailcap back in '90, and upgraded the bulbs...

BTW, I drove cab with mine next to me on the seat for 3 years, and I can attest that there's plenty of swinging room inside most cars. :D But it that's a big consideration a 3-D would probably work better.

Norm
 
If I had a car my setup of choice would be a Streamlight Strion mounted to the dashboard with the included charger and brackets. You can get it for under $100 and it should match or exceed the Maglite in brightness.

For the Maglite I was thinking in terms of Velcro if the light is already on the ground the velcro will prevent it from rolling about?
 
I have the plastic maglite clips and they work well in my home, but absolutely would not hold up to the forces of an accident. You might try checking out a cop shop to see what police use in their cruisers. They must have something for this purpose and I'm guessing it would be engineered to withstand an auto accident.

Otherwise the trunk is a good bet unless you want access to it from the driver's seat. Another possibility is to bolt down a small tool box and put the light in there.
 
Gollnick said:
As I have so often said, Gollnick's Rule: If you wouldn't want to be hit in the head with it, then either bolt it down or put it in the trunk.
Click to expand...

Exactly, and I know I've been lucky not to get hit with it before.

I'm thinking about mounting it in the trunk now. Chances of me needing it to protect myself aren't very good, that's why I have fists and feet. And if there's ever a situation where I needed a flash light chances are I could get to the trunk, and if I can't get to the trunk, a flash light probably isn't going to help me.

I may put it somewhere fairly close to the back seat side of the trunk so I can still get it from the cabin through the fold down center thing in the back seat.

Does anyone know if Lowes has the brackets? It's the only hardware store 'round these parts.
 
i havent ever seen the clips at lowes, ya should try a police supply store for something more heavy duty vs the maglite clips.

i always just stick mine between the seat and passenger door or passnger seat and console myself, i drive a vette so aint no putting it in the trunk lol.
 
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