Thread: Slot-load ANY screen without voiding warranty

no, like i said earlier, thats going to be the next problem. i will have to cut the opening in the truck wider to fit this- but since the screen is already too wide for the hole and i would be cutting anyway, i figured adding more width wont really hurt. it would have been nicer to keep the width of the screen, but this is too simple to not do it this way. and even if the final appearance looks a little weird, i dont care. as long as the screen tucks away and things look somewhat stock i will be happy.

UPDATE!

first idea was scrapped when i found out it really wouldnt fit as far as height (the radio is too thick)

so, i did it again, and this time it WILL work. check it out

no more height issues, it all fits!

my best idea was to use copper tube for bracing. easy to work with, and strong.


check out the copper that wraps around the bottom. this helped tremendously to stiffen everything up.

the monitor will stick out further then i orginally expected. this is nice because it brings the screen that much closer to me when im driving, but it also means when the screen is pushed in it doesnt go in all the way. shouldnt matter i plan on making a coverplate on the front to seal everything up cosmetically. (and yes, the crossbar is off a little on each end, this is because the rails themselves werent installed perfectly in line. ill shave down that left side rail arm to look more like the right.

everything is actually fairly straight and true. again, its very, very solid and strong. Notice the square where my fog lights button used to be. that is going to have to be covered up and relocated. but the lighter socket on the otherside looks like i probably can squeeze it back in there. i might, or might just cover over it (now that i will have a carpc, i wont need 6 different 12v adapters for various crap lol)

final again, with screen inside



also, the bar on the front of the rails is now immobile. i tapped in #6-32 threads and screwed it to the rollers with screws. i can still add some washers and make the bar pivot, which i probably will if i can end up having it tight enough to hold the monitor in any position. if not, ill think of something else.

all in all, its just a matter of physically attatching the screen now, and some dynatron work (i bought that stuff, trying to do things right. im excited to see how it will look when done)

me too. the screen is mounted. i think ill have to hit the hardware store for an impossibly tight fitting lock washer or two... i must find a way to get the bar to be tight enough to hold, but still able to pivot when i need it too. right now it works once or twice and then the screws back out a bit and it loosens up completely. im thinking threadlocker coupled with lockwashers will keep the screws from backing out...

otherswise, besides a couple more supports i might add, its just cosmetic crap now. that, and install my car pc... that will be a nightmare...

more pics. im having trouble thinking of a way to put a cover cap on this when the screen is closed up.

notice below how the screen looks like it hits the radio, thats only because it has a natural 'spring' to it that keeps it popped up like that

i jammed the remote for my radio in there, to show that the screen does have plenty of clearance... i dont know why it springs up like that but it shouldnt matter... i plan on having the cover sort of snap into place and hold the screen downward when its closed

its amazing my screen is still in tact with no visible scratches or defects yet... this has been one scary job trying to fit a $300 lcd into a $3k work truck... and yes the truck is dirty, its a work truck!

the screen can hold in any position, even if i press on it as if i was using the touchscreen.

ready to go back in

the motion is not as smooth as i would have hoped. the rollers have a very high resistance once you get about this far in. ideally it would be frictionless, but that same friction is what hold the screen all the way out, and not letting the unit smack up against the dash if you say hit the brakes real hard. so you can see the metal edge i bent up around the bottom of the lcd... this whole plate attatched to the roller pin, and the lcd is just screwed into the plate with its stock 4 mounting screws. this way, i use the metal tab to push and pull on, so the lcd is left for the ride and not stressed in any way.

its basically done for fit. its all cosmetic now (hard part!)


i dont really know how to go about making the cover plate. it can't be just a flat plate, its hard to see in the pics but im going to need more like a shallow tray with lips...

i think i might actually carve a mold out of foam and fiberglass me a custom part... i dont have the material for that though... man i wish i could just stamp out a peice of tin....

Very creative. I admire your ingenuity. I know you say there is plenty of friction that should hold the screen during driving/braking... But I'd be concerned about extreme braking, it looks like it might still swivel and hit your dash.

Hopefully you don't have any problems with it, like I said, I like the idea a lot.

i really dont see it being a problem. the lcd is very lightweight and the hinge and roller both seat tight.

more pics because it was raining today, killing my other plans. i know i said i was done fabricating, but its twice as good as it was before. before it worked, now it works good and even more durable.


this is the crossbar i added, not an easy task with a $4 rivit gun kit and less then 1/8" room inside the roller track to attatch to. this update was another 2+hours in time, but 100% better functionality as the rollers don't move independently anymore, making it much, much easier to shove the lcd inside now. just playing with it in the truck had a scary resemblance to something you would think it should be like...

on the back of the radio casing, i added a brace that hooks to the lcd tray brace. i know this looks like it should extend past the brace onto the tray itself, but if you look at it leaves some flexibility- for when i hit hard bumps the radio will still have a slight flex to it.

i know this is like the third time ive been done with fab, but i really think this is it.

Xygar; you were exactly right

once i lubed up the tracks, the damn thing glides like butter now (who would have thought haha) and does still stick at the end, but nothing i would trust!

but, the fix was simple. so simple, in fact, im ashamed i didnt think of it before...

its a chunk of hose clamp. basically spring steel. now it slides out with an authoritave LOCK, and you gotta lift the tab up with your finger to slide it back in now. no more braking or even head on collision worries.


i have an idea for the screen swivel now too. hopefully i wont have to implement it, but if the threadlocker wont work i do have more tricks...


THIS THREAD is retired. i continued the project in the worklogs forum- http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/work...cd-budget.html