| Author | Message | ||
     Jamil Abbasy (Jamooche) Member Username: Jamooche Post Number: 198 Registered: 05-2003 |
I just purchased today a Garmin GPS V from Amazon.com (cheapest price right now), but I also want to use it with my laptop on longer trips. How do I mount the Jotto Desk to the console? Do I just drive some heavy duty screws into the transmission hump or do I have to take the whole thing apart? I was checking out the area today and the outer covering seems a bit flimsy. Here's a pic of how I want it mounted: http://www.pbase.com/image/23927136 Thanks for any help. Jamil | ||
| Dean Brown (Deanbrown3d) Senior Member Username: Deanbrown3d Post Number: 1083 Registered: 02-2002 |
Ha good luck witht he bolts! All you got to do is remove the transmission and it should be simple right? Peter Blatt is making laptop mounts for the D1 and I am making some for the D2, if you're interested. Dean | ||
| Victor Biro (Vabiro) New Member Username: Vabiro Post Number: 35 Registered: 10-2003 |
Jamil, I used to install 2-way radios and Cellular phones (back when they had part in the trunk), and we would just use self-tapping screws through the carpet, padding, and into the transmission tunnel metal. Not the console, but below it, on the carpeting. Don't try to drill a pilot hole with a drill bit. The padding wraps around the bit and really makes a mess of the carpet. Nuts and bolts are less secure, and a pain to install (imagine a brand-new Mercedes on jack stands so you can get under it. no fun at all). Simple self-tapping or drill point screws, about half and inch in length. The key is to use a variable speed cordless drill with a Robertson head (square head) screw. Just put the mount where you want it mounted, and put your back into it. Don't forget to check the back-side of the area you are drilling into. This isn't too hard with a Disco, especially if you have a lift. Screw the oposite corners in together. For example, bottom right, then top left, then bottom left then top right. Doing it this way makes the last two go in really easily, because the carpet pad is compressed. Always use as many holes (within reason) that are available. It distriibutes the stress, which will be especially important with the weight of a laptop. There was a thread on this a couple of weeks ago. A search for jotto and laptop should yield results. Victor | ||
| Jamil Abbasy (Jamooche) Member Username: Jamooche Post Number: 199 Registered: 05-2003 |
Do you have any pics or info on the mount you are making? Is it removeable and does it have the ability to swivel around? Jamil | ||
| Dean Brown (Deanbrown3d) Senior Member Username: Deanbrown3d Post Number: 1086 Registered: 02-2002 |
It bolts through the floor with 2 x 1/2" bolts on either side, close to the tranmission tunnel but out of the way of your feet. Its strong enough for offroading with a heavy laptop. I'll see if I can get some pics of it here. There is a fixed metal platform with a bolt going through to a wooden sheet, which can swivel to face you or the passenger, or inbetween. Can be removed / re-installed in around 5 minutes I guess. But I keep mine there even when I'm not using it. Dean | ||
| Jamil Abbasy (Jamooche) Member Username: Jamooche Post Number: 203 Registered: 05-2003 |
Thanks Victor. I saved your post and I am going to try your technique. If all else fails I can crawl under and do it the bolt on way. Dean, I want something that I can easily have off most of the time so I ordered a Jotto today. Jamil | ||
| Josh Gorman (Jgdds) New Member Username: Jgdds Post Number: 33 Registered: 02-2003 |
Jamil, I would use the bolt through technique and use a plate on the underside of the •••••• tunnel. The reason I say this, is that my buddy Bill Mallin installed his without the backing plate and it wobbled too much because the metal in the •••••• hump is really thin. We drilled the holes, made the plate to distribute the forces, then sealed the plate to the tunnel with liquid weatherstripping and bolted it all up tight. No more wobbles. Survived five days on the trail in Colorado and worked great. ' Good Luck with the install. You can contact Bill at bill@billmallin.com or go to www.HoustonLandRoverClub.com | ||
| Josh Gorman (Jgdds) New Member Username: Jgdds Post Number: 34 Registered: 02-2003 |
Don't know why, but it censored transmission out of the last post. | ||
| Jamil Abbasy (Jamooche) Member Username: Jamooche Post Number: 204 Registered: 05-2003 |
Josh, Thanks that's good to know. They should have some metal plates at Home Depot. I guess I'll have to crawl under the truck and figure it out. I thought I could do this without taking the console apart. Nothing is ever easy. Jamil | ||
| Alyssa Brown (Alyssa) Senior Member Username: Alyssa Post Number: 345 Registered: 01-2003 |
Be careful where you drill through the transmission tunnel. The SRS harnes runs through there, and it could end up being an extremely expensive mod if you hit it! | ||
| Dean Brown (Deanbrown3d) Senior Member Username: Deanbrown3d Post Number: 1093 Registered: 02-2002 |
Alyssa - absolutely right! Not sure if this is the same thing, but even drilling through the floor next to the tunnel goes above the frame, and there is a harness right there also. Put a metal plate on top of the frame before you do any drilling into the floor. | ||
| Donald McFarlane (Dsmcf) New Member Username: Dsmcf Post Number: 32 Registered: 11-2003 |
Dean... am interested to see pics of how you are progressing. When I last considered this puzzle I was unable to come up with any suitable location which would not be impinged upon by airbag deployment. Have you solved this, or are you just hoping that careful driving will prevent your laptop from turning into shrapnel? For the longest time I really wasn't bothered by this since browsing the internet while driving is tough. However, since you turned me on to Delorme Topoquads (not the first mapping solution I have spent good money on, but the first that I find I can actually *use*) I am reconsidering this problem. | ||
| Jamil Abbasy (Jamooche) Member Username: Jamooche Post Number: 205 Registered: 05-2003 |
Dean and Alyssa... So can I see this wiring if I crawl under the truck? That way I can just hold it out of the way when I drill. I think I may just take apart the console as much as possible and bolt it on with a metal plate like Josh described. Jamil | ||
| Dean Brown (Deanbrown3d) Senior Member Username: Deanbrown3d Post Number: 1097 Registered: 02-2002 |
Jamil, its on the passenger side frame rail. Its held on with clips that didn't seem to want to move much. Don't you have a spare metal plate or something? Or put a stop on the drill so it cant jump through far. Donald - I'll get pics when I get to work soon.... | ||
| Dean Brown (Deanbrown3d) Senior Member Username: Deanbrown3d Post Number: 1098 Registered: 02-2002 |
Jamil:     | ||
| Dean Brown (Deanbrown3d) Senior Member Username: Deanbrown3d Post Number: 1099 Registered: 02-2002 |
I've used it like that for a long pine barrens trip and it was plenty strong enough. Worked well and it was great to have the USGS maps on view. You'll need some kind of tint glass over the screen for night time runs. Oh an that mount is removed in a few minutes by undoing 2 bolts each side. The bottom plate is stuck up to the floor with silicone and it ain't going to fall off. When its removed you can hardly see the floor scar if you plug the cut-out back in place. Dean | ||
| Jamil Abbasy (Jamooche) Member Username: Jamooche Post Number: 209 Registered: 05-2003 |
Nice setup Dean. I finally understand what you are talking about and it looks really strong. But I don't think it's the best style for me. I plan on having it over the passenger seat when driving alone so it's out of the way. Depending on the length of the arm, I may be able to bolt it to the floor like you did. That's a much stronger area than the transmission hump. I'm definitly going to use 2 plates, one on each side and then have the jotto desk mount bolted through both plates. Jamil | ||
| Dean Brown (Deanbrown3d) Senior Member Username: Deanbrown3d Post Number: 1108 Registered: 02-2002 |
Jamil, Peter Blatt has made a setup that bolts onto the two front torx bolts on the passenger seat. He'll chime in here soon once he goes online. There are picks in a different thread recently that he posted. Its probably better than making holes in the floor. One point though, if you have to keep looking at the screen, you're gonna want it right next to you as close as possible, otherwise it will literally be a real pain in the neck! | ||
| Jay Reeves (Jay) New Member Username: Jay Post Number: 19 Registered: 10-2003 |
Jamil, definately go with the Jotto desk - it can be adjusted in any position from over the passengers seat to the middle of the console so a passenger can ride. The link in your first post is how mine is set up. I don't know if I agree with the backside plate idea. It's really a bitch to get in around the trans to put the nuts on the bolts, and to get the plate and holes lined up requires you to drill the holes in the tunnel almost perfectly perpendicluar (sp?) to the tunnel - remember you're going through 3 layers of metal and they all have to align. I just used washers on the backside of the trans tunnel and it seems to work fine. Sure, there's a little wobble, but it's very minor and nothing major. I would think you would want a little wobble and not rigid as hell, otherwise the laptop's really going to be jerking around hard. Hard, sudden jerks could cause a head crash on your hard drive - that's just my thoughts, so don't flame me, folks. I've had my Jotto desk for a couple of years now and I don't remember if it came with it or not, but be sure you get the attachment that reinforces the display when it's open on the Jotto desk - broke LCD's will make you cry. |
