CarPC Needs to Survive Severe Offroading

**Tidder** · 06-24-2009, 03:35 PM

Just to throw this out there... my durabook uses a gel around the hdd to dampen movement. Hdd jello shock absorption anyone?

**rodweb** · 06-24-2009, 06:22 PM

Have a look at this thread and scan it for posts from Thwack to get some feedback from somebody who drives offroad for a living. He joins in on Post #26.

I'd be looking for a fully self contained motherboard so you don't have to add any PCI cards, a SSD and take head of his advice.

Oh and maybe look at my Worklog to see how to connect USB devices.

Cheers

**corvettecrazy** · 06-24-2009, 07:23 PM

Originally Posted by Tidder

Just to throw this out there... my durabook uses a gel around the hdd to dampen movement. Hdd jello shock absorption anyone?

I think a regular HDD would be fine in some foam, but if the budget is big enough for a SSD then by all means go for it.

**Josiah** · 06-24-2009, 08:36 PM

I am glad I asked. I would have never thought about dislodged PCI cards or USB cables. A self contained mobo is going to be a priority, and looks like a must as well.

Does anyone have any idea what material cracks least? I am afraid I may have to go straight plastic welding and primer like the mastermind TurboCad did.

Originally Posted by thekl0wn

Severe off-roading? You drove through a mud puddle and had to bump an idiot out of his own holes...

To be fair I'm gearing this towards offroading in Pismo which is another stomping ground it frequents. I can't describe the motion as "vibration" when a 6,500 lb truck jumps a few feet in the air. Also, according to what some people are saying, some of the videos on that youtube account of mine are enough to give a hard disk some physical trailscars of it's own.

**rodweb** · 06-24-2009, 11:18 PM

Originally Posted by rodweb

Have a look at this thread and scan it for posts from Thwack to get some feedback from somebody who drives offroad for a living. He joins in on Post #26.

Flog me and kick me, it helps if I actually paste in the link I was talking about! Sorry about that!

Try this:

Aussie Offroad Carputers

**Crinos** · 06-25-2009, 02:30 AM

Better yet.... Black Box info from HowStuffWorks

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com.../black-box.htm

Should survive a severe offroading, even a head on collition

**blinkin2000** · 07-10-2009, 01:39 AM

Be sure to use locking SATA cables with your SSD.

Take a look at InnoDisks NanoSSD. This would eliminate a second connector between an SSD and Mobo.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/04/i...d-at-computex/

Pretty cool but probably not available to purchase yet. Would be perfect for your situation.

**IssaquahWA1979** · 12-23-2009, 01:56 PM

Wow 6500#'s for an F150 those things have gained some weight! Well so far my 9000 pound Ram 3500 with the Cummins Diesel and a lot of other stuff added on it has not encountered any issues with the PC off roading; to be honest I think you have more shock to it at 70mph on the freeway hitting a pot hole or the 6x6 piece of lumber I nailed doing 60 the other day and nothing from the PC. I would say the dampened drives would be fine and if you can afford it then go for the SSD but for the price of drives these days I am going to stick with a regular drive that is imaged and worry about it when the time comes....

**txspazz** · 01-15-2010, 11:49 AM

I know this is an old thread, but I've got to agree. I do a little off roading and run a regular 3.5" HD. The only problem I've run into is that Delorme Topo will sometimes lockup when the trail gets rough. I'm going to try installing the maps to a Compact Flash card and see if that fixes it. Other than that I've run Moab (Hell's Revenge, Fins n Things, 7 Mile Rim, etc.) while playing music and recording web cam video and not had a single problem.

And since we're shareing off road videos........ http://www.youtube.com/user/txspazz

**ARN1382** · 01-15-2010, 12:07 PM

Durability wise, SSD highly recommended, performance wise ($$unwise) Intel SSD only, the others are resistant but have proven to have some deficiencies on block managing, memory wearing and other stuff that might dissapoint you if you expect improvement in EVERY area as it´s advertised.

Over the epoxil things, i believe that you might got over some rubber-like glues than very hard/solid ones, as rubbere-like ones will tend to abosrb movements and anything that tries to bend.

Sorry i can not recommend to you any specific one, I am not very expert on that yet.