The Toyota Landcruiser Owners Club

Crispin · Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 22:27 Post subject:

oh. so when it (monitor) is not in place the swivel bracket is still there and not as per your photo?

In your pics you have a picture of the cable hanging out the dash and the square tube butt. I assumed that is what you are left?
I now understand it as "just the monitor disconnects leaving the bulk swivel bracket behind"

Confused....

Thanks for the offer! Might just take you up on that. Let me know how much. Not in a hurry either, am on leave next couple weeks.
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wildsmith · Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 22:49 Post subject:

The picture with just a wire poking out is the not so quick release Laughing

I just have a nut in the end of that tube and the bracket complete with monitor has to be turned onto it. It looks fairly neat and tidy with the monitor removed but it's a) fiddly, not so quick and b) the monitor has a big bracket on the back so wherever you store it needs lots of space.

The latest 'refinement' that I'm calling my quick release modification is the slotted bars screwed to the monitor VESA holes and the swivel bracket width trimmed a little to fit the slotted bars. The slots are lined with foam which grips the bracket very firmly but now I can just undo the wire connection and slide the monitor off to hide it away. The monitor is still 3/4" deeper because of the bars but it's much easier to find a storage spot for.

I can still twist the bracket off the dash if I needed to but now without the bulky monitor complicating it.

I think the cost is about £9.89 , that's £4.98 for the ali, £2.47 postage to me and presumably £2.47 postage from me to you.

EDIT: This was the picture of the new quick release:

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01 UZJ100 lifted (AHC & 40mm BL), ARB locked f&r, cryo'd 4.88's, TJM front bumper, 12k goldfish, sliders, rack, snorkel, 35's, storage, aux power etc.
93 HDJ80 sold
94 HDJ80 RIP

Crispin · Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 7:39 Post subject:

I was thought you had some type of bayonet cap type fixing in the dash...

The way you have it now makes sense. Go and enjoy your holiday. I'll place my order when you back.
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Crispin
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Crispin · Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 1:39 Post subject:

Had a rummage around in the dash today. Seems my memory fails me. What I remembered about the inside is wrong. Here are some pics.

Radio and airvent removed

the tube runs behind the wire loom visible. The wires cannot be moved out the way as a) they are attached to the tube with cable ties and b) they damn think and pretty taut.

Here I put the vent back and stuck a brazing rod through the seatbelt warning hole to try and show where the mounting screw is in relation to the desired hole.

This is a shot from above, with the vent in place. the gray plastic is the mounting screw and the silver steel behind it is a piece of channel plate which is spot welded (butt) onto the steel tube.
I do not think that this will work by itself for strength reasons. It is a single piece of plate coming out with no other bracing. Put any load on the end of it and I would not be surprised if the spot weld fails pretty quickly. Quicker if off roading.

Finally, here is one which is pretty much straight on.
The screw is the same hight as the seatbelt warning light, slightly off to the right. (Stupidly I did forget to measure it) Maybe 20-30mm

With the final pic in mind, I was thinking of taking a piece of flat bar, bending a C into one end of it, hooking it over the steel tube and attaching it to my bracket. It would then take all the weight of the monitor.

After today I am wondering if the goose neck idea is a better option for me (and other sods with a manual). With the monitor in place on the same bracket Jon used, 1st gear would become a luxury. You would have to swivel the monitor out the way and all most face it away from you to use first. For normal day to day this would not be a huge problem but still an annoyance. If you off road and it would just be an annoyance.
The viewing angle of the monitor is pretty good though so, barring any glare, this would not be a huge issue.

Jon - I envy the simplicity of your bracket. Two pieces of angle iron. Evil or Very Mad

Back to the drawing board. Without some handy tools or lots and lots of trial and error, a good dash mount is going to be tough.
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Crispin
Have Snorkel, Will Swim

PtP · *** Joined: 20 May 2009 Posts: 184 Location: Stourbridge

Crispin · Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 23:42 Post subject:

garystockton · Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 21:48 Post subject:

Guys,

Thoughts on this monitor / touch-screen?

Xenarc

I was trying to find a wireless touchscreen - that would solve some issues, but will introduce others I think Wink

Oh - and check out the in-dash car PC Laughing

Xenarc car PC
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Crispin · Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 22:21 Post subject:

on paper the screen looks pretty much like the linitx one I have (which I am pretty happy with so far)

Both suffer though from the bezel. People with sausage fingers will struggle with the edges of the touch screen. In particular, the close button on all windows.
It's claim to be ruggedised could be the difference of you getting to your destination and me not Neutral

As for the in-dash PC, I really see no point to be frank Shocked

You loose valuable dash space (is it valuable?) and actually offers nothing for sitting there.

My PC is a tad OTT with what I have crammed in the box (Have I mentioned it yet? bluetooth, wifi, cellphone, 3G are the beginnings) but it really is the simplest part. The sodding monitor is the mission now. If you going to do anything in-dash, go for the over prices custom fit PC as previously discussed. Also, the proprietary nature of the in-dash ones limits you in fixing / upgrading. I really would not go for something like this. A simple box under the seat (or another hidy-hole) is simpler.

On the monitor section, I am going to go to a mobility shop tomorrow and hassle them about mounting possibilities. Fancy electric wheel chairs have screens... Failing that, I am going to order the one from fleabay / South Korea. Hold thumbs,...
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Crispin
Have Snorkel, Will Swim

garystockton · Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 22:30 Post subject:

Ja - the in-dash one was an observation, really - OK for some I guess.

See i f you can do something with this mount:

Windshield mount

I know it's supposed to go on a windscreen, but it looks like you might be able to mod it a bit to make it work on something sticking out the centre console?
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I'll be more enthusiastic about encouraging thinking outside the box when there's evidence of any thinking going on inside it.
- Terry Pratchett

Crispin · Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 22:50 Post subject:

the problem with anywhere on the dashboard is strength. There are not two easily accessible points to mount a bracket on which would (in my opinion anyway) be stable (mostly vibration free) and not crack with time.
There are 3 points that could be used but to make the bracket would require more skill / tools and CAD than I have. Sad

I did contemplate mounting it on the dash but from the drivers position, you pretty much loose half the windscreen. Had to chuckle..
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Crispin
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Crispin · Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 15:12 Post subject:

in my hunt for a bracket, I found this: http://www.chaseavdirect.co.uk/ccp6/prod--Unicol-LVA-VESA-LCD-Wall-Mount.html
£54!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is the same bracket Jon and I bought for £10!!!!!!
Shopping around does help!

/rant
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Crispin
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Crispin · Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 21:03 Post subject:

now here is something nice: http://www.dashmount.co.uk/june03/71138.htm

Will call them in the morning. (Also going to rip my dash apart to try and see what they have mounted it to...)
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Crispin
Have Snorkel, Will Swim

lucky · Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 18:01 Post subject:

Dashmounts tend to mount to a couple of the dashboard screws. I actually have one of these as a stabiliser for my Goose Neck mount to stop it wobbling.
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Crispin · Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 12:36 Post subject:

just got a call from The Boss. "There's a parcel for you from South Korea. What is it?!?!"

The floor mount goose neck stand has arrived. So this weekend I should finish it. Assuming the stand is adequate.

Had a nightmare with the PC. The wifi would stop working after a reboot. Device not found. Tried a spare one and it blue screens.

After much trial and error a friend said to me "I once had a conflict between a USB wifi adapter and a touch screen controller" He was correct. It too was my problem. Solution? Connect the touch screen to a USB hub and not the onboard USB. Weird but it works.....

Will start another thread for this but I want to know what the ideal set of goodies (programmes) to have on it would be. Navigation type stuff etc...
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Crispin
Have Snorkel, Will Swim