Like the title says. Lets see how you mounted a laptop in your truck. Just looking ideas.

 

any ideas for a stick shift? The shifter is in the way...any idea on how to get around that?

 

i set it in the pass. seat..

lol

i think doc has a cool setup, and matt(fireranger) maybe, and john griggs...

 

I think you saw mine. Rubber "shock ball" mounts from RAM mounts. The laptop is held with industrial velcro (and it never bounces loose even with my driving) to a metal plate which has a "ghetto" 2x4 wood spacer to raise it up above the mount had a bit.

The one ball is mounted to the floor, then there's a clamp arm about 8" long with a big t-handle screw to tighten it down, and the top is another ball attached to a cast metal plate. The wide plate and 2x4 spacer screws to that. Works great and is adjustable. A sharp upward pull on one corner of the laptop takes it off the mount quickly.

My laptop has a metal case, however. Not sure how some plastics would respond to the stress required to detach it from the mount.

 

I saw how you camera mounted, never saw how your laptop was, can you post some pics please ?

 

Yeah I was thinking that except Candi is usually with me and she said the laptop gets hot, I figure why not make a nice setup. I know I saw Doc's on time but Doc if you could post some pics that would be nice.

 

Hey, it's not a big deal. One twisted pair, ground, and power if all you're doing is OBDII. If you're doing the ISO-9161 (or is it '9141 -- don't remember) with the proprietary Ford protocol there's more. But basically, a cable with two twisted pairs in it which taps the wiring under the dash should be all you need.

Ben: okay, will do.

 

John did you get my PM, I have a question or two abou the software.

 

Here is mine, got it on EBAY. It is black now to match to rest of the mounts but this is when it was first installed. It now sits a bit lower and has a CF71 Touchbook hard mountged with a GPS receiver mounted on my roof.

 

LOL, what did you search to find that, what keeps the laptop on the plexy glass ?

 

I just searched for "LAPTOP MOUNT." It came with a velcro strap but I upgraded it to 3 pieces of industrial strength velcro to hold it more securely.

 

http://www.havis.com/ < look on this website, there are many different optionts for you. then talk to this guy mikey about getting a price

 

These are the people who supply the radio mounts and hardware I use:

http://www.rammount.com/

I used their universal mounts with different adaptors that I "fab" (which is too good a word for it, lol) to use the computer. I also use them with my largist ham radio rig when I take it in the truck.

 

i'm glad to see someone else rockin an HP laptop!!!!

i've thought about doing this before....i just dunno about a permanent mount, so xtian's way is coundin good about now...

 

It has to stand up to offroading for some of us. Sitting on the seat isn't an option, lol.

I use mine with a GPS and satellite photo maps to navigate offroad.

Here's RAM's page on laptop mounts as a direct link:

http://www.ram-mount.com/laptopcomp.htm

 

Thats a pretty good idea, with a five speed it would be tough.

 

The only idea I can come up with for those of you with a 5 speed is to fully open the laptop screen and mount it vertically off the passenger side of the transmission hump. Or from the cab roof or dash. I don't really recommend the roof because if you roll over the mount could swing for your head. It could mounted in other ways but I feel the roof is the most dangerous. So play at your own risk.....lol

 

We need those glasses with displays built in. Hmmm...Carl's in the military, maybe he could obtain some, or a "head's up display", lol...

 

I have that exact mount sitting around here somewhere, I never got around to installing it and dont think I ever will

 

The Toughbook is Awesome! I have a CF28! I use it at work mainly. I would like to figure out how to operate my truck's accessories through it. The systems that we have at work can turn on lights, ac compressors, adjust engine idle and more...all with the click of a mouse lol

 

You want a mouse running around in your truck?...

My toughbook is the older CF-27. The one I sold Ben is the CF-25 I had for a backup. The toughbooks in general are pretty dang cool with their magnesium cases and all.

 

and their spill proof, and look like the most durable laptop I have ever seen.

 

now thats a dedicated fireman! good stuff.