How to mount laptop in trunk?

phatrabbitzz · 09-23-2004, 08:40 PM

How do you guys mount the laptop in the trunk in a way that it doesn't slide in sharp turns or jumps in case of a pot-hole or two?

I was thinking about mounting my laptop on-top of my sub-box (MDF), but I'm not sure what materials to use and how to keep it in place.

Any ideas?

TIA

Quattro · 09-23-2004, 09:50 PM

Do you think mounting you laptop on the sub box will be a good idea. I may be wrong, but that constant vibration from the subs will be nothing but trouble. I know laptop hard drives are designed to take a beating, but will it be able to survive this amount of abuse.

MoFo · 09-23-2004, 10:04 PM

My laptop is ontop of a fanpad that I drilled onto a piece of masonite board. Under the masonite board is industrial strength velcro material. The Laptop is secured to the fanpad with a strip of nylon that velcro's from the bottom of the fanpad to the top of the laptop. I can take sharp turns at high speeds and the laptop doesnt budge

DarquePervert · 09-23-2004, 10:17 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by MoFo

My laptop is ontop of a fanpad that I drilled onto a piece of masonite board. Under the masonite board is industrial strength velcro material. The Laptop is secured to the fanpad with a strip of nylon that velcro's from the bottom of the fanpad to the top of the laptop. I can take sharp turns at high speeds and the laptop doesnt budge

Yes, but those are entirely different forces than the constant vibration of a subwoofer enclosure...

phatrabbitzz · 09-23-2004, 10:31 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Quattro-A4

Do you think mounting you laptop on the sub box will be a good idea...

No, I don't. I guess I could make a enclosure that would mount from the rear deck, (see last pic, not my car) that the laptop would sit in, but would that make a big difference? Since the rear deck of the car also gets vibration once the subs hit.

Here are pics of what my trunk looks like before I had subs.

Pic of a friends car:

ppgt94 · 09-23-2004, 10:41 PM

Is that a Jetta I see? My Carputer is held down with Velcro. It STAYS PUT. That **** is strong as hell on the factory carpeting. Just use he "grab" (coarse) side.

phatrabbitzz · 09-23-2004, 11:25 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by ppgt94

Is that a Jetta I see? My Carputer is held down with Velcro. It STAYS PUT. That **** is strong as hell on the factory carpeting. Just use he "grab" (coarse) side.

Close, it's a Passat. Do you mean I should tape the bottom of my laptop the "grab" side? If so, I wouldn't want to do that since I'd never be able to take it off the laptop. Or did you mean that I should put the laptop ontop of the carpet, and take several stripes of the "grab" side and place them on-top of the laptop from side to side?

Also, would making an enclosure, like the third pic, cause significantly less vibration to the laptop then putting the laptop right on-top of the sub-box?

gutterslide · 09-23-2004, 11:28 PM

you strap it to a board that is mounted to the sub box with some shock absorbing feet like these. i'd use the largest ones.

or you could make a similar setup by mounting a board to the box with two sections of large rubber hose (radiator hose) separating the board from the box. then strap the laptop to the board, so it's alittle more isolated from the vibration and bumps, from the road and the subs.

kinda like this...

======= <-- laptop
--------- <-- board
.O.......O. <-- hoses/quietfeet
[(o) (o)] <-- sub box

although, you might want to mount the laptop so that the hard drive is vertical to avoid damage from a hard bump.

phatrabbitzz · 09-23-2004, 11:55 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by gutterslide

although, you might want to mount the laptop so that the hard drive is vertical to avoid damage from a hard bump.

I like the idea of the "shock absorbers" and maybe I could also add a thick sheet of foam between the laptop and board. Will mounting the laptop vertical and leaving it like that for a long period of time not damage the laptop?

ppgt94 · 09-24-2004, 12:00 AM

OK, scratch my idea. I just realized that if you set your notebook on the carpet it would probably sufficate its air flow. Check and see if there's a fan on the bottom of your notebook.

Check out my favorite of all setups:

http://pathintosh.usersites.com/Pictures010.html
Destin's Pathintosh. He uses a Apple Powerbook.

Might give you some ideas.

phatrabbitzz · 09-24-2004, 12:20 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by ppgt94

OK, scratch my idea. I just realized that if you set your notebook on the carpet it would probably sufficate its air flow. Check and see if there's a fan on the bottom of your notebook.

I also have this Targus Chill Mat to help cooling:

gutterslide · 09-24-2004, 12:33 AM

you can put something to act as spacers between the laptop and the mounting board. you can find simple stick-on rubber feet anywhere.

i have too much free time...

phatrabbitzz · 09-24-2004, 02:16 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by gutterslide

you can put something to act as spacers between the laptop and the mounting board. you can find simple stick-on rubber feet anywhere.

i have too much free time...

How and what would you use to make tha laptop stay in place on-top of the board?

Also, how would you connect the quietfeet to the sub-box and the board to the quietfeet to stay in place during sharp turns?

Btw, thanks for the visual image!

blicky_1 · 09-24-2004, 04:46 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by ppgt94

Is that a Jetta I see? My Carputer is held down with Velcro. It STAYS PUT. That **** is strong as hell on the factory carpeting. Just use he "grab" (coarse) side.

I use the same, works for me!

gutterslide · 09-24-2004, 04:48 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by phatrabbitzz

How and what would you use to make tha laptop stay in place on-top of the board?

Also, how would you connect the quietfeet to the sub-box and the board to the quietfeet to stay in place during sharp turns?

Btw, thanks for the visual image!

a couple of cheap adjustable nylon belts, crossed, would hold it firmly in place.

as far as attaching the feet securely enough for the road, that's a tough one. you can put screw in from the inside of the box, and from the top of the board, into the feet. a couple into each foot. you just can't put them too deep because the screws will transmit the vibration and i'm sure it would cancel some of the dampening.

if you really wanna go crazy, you can use some RC car shocks.