roller tracks for monitor?

trader007 · 05-05-2009, 07:26 PM

looking to attach some tracks to the side of my eby701 so i can have it slide out from underneath my radio, then fold down for position. sort of like a manual upside-down single din unit.. but more simple.

these tracks im thinking of would be like what you see in your kitchen cabinets, but smaller of course. im really not sure what i can use... but i need to figure something out.

and there is no other option. i refuse to mount the screen permanently so its visible all the time. i want to keep my truck looking factory, as much as possible.

rdholtz · 05-05-2009, 08:13 PM

If theft is your biggest concern, you could build the EBY701 into the dash, and build a false face for it to cover the screen when you're out of the car. That sort of concealment is covered in my worklog from post 173 to post 192.

If you still want to find the slides, start with this link for one example of something you could use, and

"mini drawer slide".

jpinkerton · 05-05-2009, 09:10 PM

You'd want to be sure they're in tight, would suck to have the touchscreen fall off when you hit a bump!

trader007 · 05-05-2009, 10:45 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by rdholtz

If theft is your biggest concern, you could build the EBY701 into the dash, and build a false face for it to cover the screen when you're out of the car. That sort of concealment is covered in my worklog from post 173 to post 192.

If you still want to find the slides, start with this link for one example of something you could use, and

"mini drawer slide".

i just came here to post this link, because i just bought the little ones - http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=2325

good stuff. i have no idea how this is going to work, but god damn it, it will.

jpinkerton · 05-05-2009, 11:41 PM

Take pics, I'd be interested to know how it turns out! What kind of truck do you have?

trader007 · 05-06-2009, 12:30 PM

99 ranger xlt. im interested to know how it will turn out too- like i said i have to make this work, and i really dont have the proper machinists tools that would allow me to do what i really need to. this is going to have to be another one of my incredibly genius yet incredibly simple designs.....

jpinkerton · 05-06-2009, 01:10 PM

Are you going to make it so you can tilt it side to side as well as rolling out and folding down?

I'm assuming the screen is going to go in face up, pull forward, hinge lets it down - any sort of locking pin to keep it in place as well?

black_mamba · 05-06-2009, 04:25 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by rdholtz

If theft is your biggest concern, you could build the EBY701 into the dash, and build a false face for it to cover the screen when you're out of the car. That sort of concealment is covered in my worklog from post 173 to post 192.

If you still want to find the slides, start with this link for one example of something you could use, and

"mini drawer slide".

I agreee with rdholtz. If you're looking to keep it completely factory looking, the best way is with a false face. If your stock radio is a double din it makes it even easier. You can keep the false face from falling off by molding some neodymium magnets into the bezel and corresponding ones on the face.

treetop777 · 05-06-2009, 07:57 PM

"Requires a mortised installation in the drawer side" That is going to give you a fit!

How about a CD-ROM mechanism?

How about a picture of your dash..

trader007 · 05-08-2009, 01:19 PM

tracks came in today! that was really fast.

pretty surprised too- these tracks are exactly what i was hoping for. perfect size, great quality, and they stick when you fully extend them (so when the screen is out it will have a nice locked position)

it will still be a challenge though. because of space constraints, the monitor probably cant be attached to the slide at a fixed position. its likely going to have to be a dual-sliding action, like a tool box drawer would be (and that might have been another good place to get drawer rollers)

i have hope though. these tracks are great pieces to start with. i want to give a shot out to Rockler for the tracks, and fast shipping. a+!

jpinkerton · 05-08-2009, 01:27 PM

trader make sure you take lots of pics! Looking forward to hearing how this turns out for you.

Are they going to make the LCD slide out too far though? I would want the LCD to basically end up being just in front of the stereo, for my setup though.

trader007 · 05-08-2009, 02:02 PM

well, no. because... well there are a few ways of doing this. easiest and least intrusive way for the monitor would be to screw the end of the track (about 2" back) right into the side of the casing, about the middle of the vertical height of the screen. then just mount the tracks to the dash and the end result would be the screen coming out just far enough to flip down, the only weird part would be the 2" of track that would be sticking out on the sides of the screen because the screen is tilted down and doesn't line up with the plane of the casing anymore.

this could be just fine for me, it wouldn't look that bad especially if i powdercoated the tracks glossy black. the problem is, the case of the screen is already too wide to fit in a normal din chassis, and i don't even have much room to hack out of my dash on the sides of the radio opening to allow the tracks to be there.

so another option is to build third rails inside the case of the screen. there IS enough room to do that apparently (i just took it apart), and the end result would be how a lot of tool boxes work. the normal track slides out first, then the third rails inside allow the end of the track to slide back toward the top of the screen. once at the end, there will be enough clearance for the screen to rotate down (and likely have have a little keystone in the end so it hooks into a good position. this wouldnt be fully adjustable on the rotation like the first option could be, yet the viewing angles of the screen make it a non-issue really) After you fully extend this setup and rotate the screen into position, you would then push the first set of slides back until the whole thing meets close to the dash, or wherever you want it. this means forward and back adjustable, which is pretty cool.

im just trying to lay all these ideas out in case anyone can think of better. i wish i was good a drawing because i would better describe what im trying to say... this kind of stuff i normally just go at it and figure as i go along.

trader007 · 05-08-2009, 02:27 PM

screw all that noise.

i took a walk out to the truck and started eyeballin some stuff. i noticed two things. you can cut the sliders on these tracks, and they have resistance when you slide the bearing mounts around. basically, what i found out is these tracks far, FAR exceed what i thought i was getting. these things are so perfect in size and they way they operate im a little in disbelief.

it just all came together as soon as i held it in there. i could literally make a kit out of this plan for others to buy. a simple half-din sized cage, with these tracks cut to the right length bonded to the sides inside of the cage, and have a universal strap on each side of the monitor that would hook to the track at the top. the straps would just wrap around the face and back of the screen, on the sides, so it would hold well without any modification to the screen at all. no worries about warranty. i could sell the whole kit that would allow many lcd screens to be 'manually slot loaded' for less then $50 shipped...

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