2009Vehicles and Mounts forum
Vehicle-mounted stabilizer arm attachment using bridge assembly modification with pipe clamp
17 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
What the thread found
- A pipe clamp can be mounted to a Steadicam bridge plate to attach the arm and gimbal assembly to vehicle rails oriented either vertically or horizontally.
- The mounting holes should be positioned to avoid compromising structural integrity of the bridge plate unless the arm is loaded beyond manufacturer specifications.
- Spare bridge assemblies enable quick changeover if equipment exceeds standard load ratings.
- Safety harnesses are essential when operating mounted camera rigs from moving vehicles.
- The arm must extend outside the vehicle to achieve lower camera angles during vehicle-mounted filming.
- Simple vehicle rail systems can be constructed from standard plumbing supplies and a vertical post secured to the vehicle bed.
Depends on
- Product images with artificial backgrounds and unclear documentation made it difficult for forum members to evaluate the design.
- The design was tested with a Flyer model; suitability for other Steadicam models varies.
- Alternative commercial options exist, such as the Klassen vehicle mount, which was originally designed for larger arms.
- Structural integrity assessment was performed by a mechanical engineer but details were not shared in the thread.
- Some participants disagreed on design choices and preferred different approaches, without resolution.