The Best Long Haul Dash Accessory for Van Life? Tackform Installation and Review
Van life, even owning a van for recreational use means a lot of road time. Those long haul trips generally require a lot of accessibility, especially when it comes to staying attentive to the road. The Tackform Dash Mount might provide the ultimate solution to that. Apple CarPlay, and the Ford Transit infotainment screen provide a lot of accessibility, but it can't do everything, it also can provide a challenge for keeping your hands on the steering wheel. Today we'll install the Tackform Slim Track Dash Mount and discuss if it's the right choice for your van so you can keep your phone in a safe accessible position while driving.
Parts of the System, Whats Included, and What We'll Review Today
-
TackForm Slim Track Bracket
-
- The Slim Track Bracket, mounts by drilling directly into your dash. I know a lot of people are scared of putting holes in a new dash, but personally I think this is something that does not need to ever be taken out, and can become a new, seemingly factory part of the van build.
- It leaves a nice space for the factory tray to be usable as well
2. Aluminum Ball Joint Arm
-
- The Ball Joint Arms connect the Phone Holders themselves to the Dash Bracket, through a Rail system. They provide really good modularity, allowing you to configure and reconfigure where your phone sits while driving. You can have it sitting out of your line-of-sight through the windshield, and still not blocking any vents which is super convenient.
3. MagSafe Phone Holder
-
- This is what I use in my van, its available in a MagSafe charging version and the regular MagSafe holder which is what I prefer. It's very sturdy, handles bumps well so there is little risk of your phone falling out, and it is easy to take your phone on or off when you are getting out. This option also comes with a magnetic ring that can stick to the back of your phone case if it isn't MagSafe compatible.
4. 20LITE Phone Holder
-
- This is a great option for non MagSafe phones, like older IPhones or Android phones. It's a simple spring system that clamps around your phone. There are also some screws on the side so you can adjust the tension of the spring in case you are worried about it not holding your device in. This one is a lot more versatile and could even be used for devices other than a phone like a walkie talkie, or a GPS Device.
The Install Process
In this video, we installed the Tackform TR-27 the Ford Transit compatible Dash Bracket.
To find the placement, slide the bracket around the center of your dash, right behind the infotainment screen until it sits comfortably with some of the dash grooves, it should wrap right around the factory tray behind the screen as well.
There are seven countersunk screws that go into the bracket. Take a screwdriver and drive those into the bracket fairly slow as the dash is pretty soft, this could probably be done by hand as well.
Take the provided ball mount and slide it through the groove in the track to wherever you want the placement. In the video, we installed 2 ball mounts which we slid all the way to either side of the dash, to provide use for both the driver and the passenger. Then take the provided Hex key and tighten down the ball mount.
The arms clamp around the ball mounts we just installed and can be loosened and adjusted to the position you want them to sit.
The same process applies for adding the MagSafe Mount, as well as the 20LITE Mount. Simply loosen the clamp on the arm and slide in the ball joint.
Upcoming Deals
As of October 2026 we are coming up on the Holiday season, which means Black Friday Deals. TackForm themselves will likely have some deals going through their website so keep an eye on those: https://www.tackform.com/
Here at AVC RIG We have some Bundle deals on our website starting November 1st and running through the 30th, including the Driver Upgrade Bundle which features the TackForm Mount.
Head over to the bundles page once it's live to see those.
The TackForm Products can be found on our website here:
TackForm Track w/20LITE Phone Mount
Have Comments or Questions? Reach out to us or hit us up in the comments of our TackForm Install Video: Best Hands-Free Van Life Accessory?
Check out our YouTube Here: https://www.youtube.com/@AVCRIG
