Repair Universal Cell Phone Car Dock

This instructable covers the general dissassembly and reassembly of a Universal cell phone Car Dock. This one was purchased at a Verizon store, but I have seen others similar.

I noticed mine was starting to slip, after about 6 months of use. The problem appeared to be in the gears slipping when closing (clamping shut) the brackets onto my phone. After searching briefly for a replacement, and being the cheap skate I am...I decided to take it apart.

What follows is a brief write up of what to expect and how to put it back together.

First, you will find 4 short screws on the back of the clamp section.

Not shown are the various styles of attaching this to your car. Most people use the suction latch on the window, and I have found that to work great. The clamp section is removed from the arm extension, and is the only mechanical moving part once you install this.

After removing the 4 screws you will find the clamp opens up like a clam shell, and you may find springs and plastic thingies popping out, as I did!

See picture for details on what to expect.

Everything can be installed on the inside of the back panel, and then the front (left) side closes shut over these, once all the thingies are installed.

First, make sure the large gears are where they need to be. Gear with larger top is shown at top. Gear with smaller spindle is on bottom.

Next, the button with it's small spring can be installed (upside down). This is the button you press on the backside to disengage the latch for the gears. Notice the spring will later be installed into the protruding hole on the left side shell.

Then, the latch can be placed over the button and the latch onto the bottom gear. The small spring is then replaced on it's tab. Notice the left side has a plastic ridge to keep the spring in place.

Then, you need to get the large spring on. It took me a few minutes to figure this out.

What you want to do is insert the half pipe plastic piece into the first groove on the right.

Then you want to take the bottom piece which has a cone like plastic piece, and insert the large spring onto it. The other end of the large spring just slides into the half pipe.

Finally, you are ready to keep everything together.

First, make sure you line up the clamps and test their closure before screwing everything back together. I had to do this a second time as I did not gauge this correctly.

The trick is to keep the the clamp pieces (top and bottom) flat, while you close the clam shell.

You may come up with a better way of doing this, but I just wedges a small pad or brace under each one as I closed the left side of the clam shell.

And, you just need to slide the left spring (for the button) into the plastic tube as you close the assembly.

Then, screw the four screws back on and test!

When I was done, I had a working dock again, not slipping.