Flexible, raisable, swing-arm thingy?

**seakykr** · 10-04-2006, 02:34 AM

Here is the front interior of my new Toyota Prius:

I want to install an 8" (Lilliput or Xenarc probably) touch-screen monitor on some sort of flexible, raisable, swing-arm thingy that would be bolted either horizontally to the hump in the center of the floor or vertically to the big gray ABS plastic piece that you see stretching from the bottom of the radio to the floor hump.

Any suggestions on what I might be able to use to make this work? I was thinking some sort of flexible pipe or erector-set-style metal arm. The key would be something that allowed the monitor to be lowered almost to the floor when not in use, and raised to be in front of the radio for viewing from the front and back seats.

I'm not mechanically or design-inclined, but that's what I'm after, so any advice would be appreciated on what kind of device or material I might use for such a monitor arm in my car. Thanks.

**seanz0rz** · 10-04-2006, 03:09 AM

i really should just keep this thing in the clip board...

anyway, parts express, 40 bucks shipped.

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...number=205-625

**seakykr** · 10-04-2006, 03:23 AM

Hey thanks man, that's pretty much what I was looking for. But does it let you lower the screen out of the way? In other words is it sort of collapsable/telescoping, or is your only choice to bend it down and swing it out of the way?

**DJiK** · 10-04-2006, 03:35 AM

I saw seanz0rz's swing arm in person.
It only swings and bends; it does not telescope inwards.

If I had your car, I would so mold the screen where the conventional in-dash-gauges go. Right behind the steering wheel.

**seakykr** · 10-04-2006, 03:49 AM

Interesting idea to mount it behind the steering wheel, but that'd be kinda selfish -- giving me the drive a front-row seat to wacth movies/videos, but wouldn't be too viewable for my passengers or while stretching out in back with all the seats down. I'm thinking the flexible arm he showed might allow me to sort of bend the monitor down out of the way.

**Shadow** · 10-04-2006, 10:08 AM

That's a really odd dash. Are your climate controls in the shiny black part above that pocket?

**seakykr** · 10-04-2006, 05:58 PM

climate controls and most everything else is via the mulit-function display (MFD) computer/montor you see above the radio. It is a touch screen that allows you to control many functions.

**BobthePhotoGuy** · 10-04-2006, 06:06 PM

What about just mounting it under the dash with hinges to fold it back out of the way?

**HitmanZ** · 10-04-2006, 06:12 PM

Originally Posted by seanz0rz

i really should just keep this thing in the clip board...

anyway, parts express, 40 bucks shipped.

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...number=205-625

This is almost exactly like what I have, although i bought mine off ebay and it's a 36 incher, it's really great as it swings and bends, better than in dash to me because of the movement and placement with security benefits also.