# Truck mounted laptop?



## shott8283 (Feb 17, 2008)

anyone using a truck born lap top during your route to keep track of start and stop times and locations and conditions of your accounts and storms? similar to the law enforcement officers use with those toughbooks .

figured it would be easier to just hit a few bottons then writing down in your log book.. then that way you can print off any information needed

assuming there is software out there that supports an idea like this (dibs on the copyright,patent and idea if there isnt!!)


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## mcfly89 (Nov 2, 2005)

a good old fashioned ink pen and clipboard still does the trick for me. I love the cool factor of my ultra portable laptop, but its really less convenient.


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## f250man (Jan 28, 2005)

No just like said above good old paper and pen for me to


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## wizardsr (Aug 8, 2006)

Paper and pen for keeping track of times, laptop in the truck is for radar updates, road conditions, etc. Tracking times on the laptop would be more cumbersome than scribbling a time down on a time sheet.


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## Elite Property Services (Oct 28, 2008)

I have a toughbook in my work truck as a project manager and I love it. I have sprint mobile broadband and can view plowsite all day long and also great for instant emails. I have nothing bad to say except with the ram mount I don't know if it would hold up slamming snow for 24hrs. But the computer is indestructible.wesport


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## xtreem3d (Nov 26, 2005)

my RAM mount held up good last year. the version i have sort of crowds any passenger but not bad. i have cricket broadband and it worked good also. how do you power yours?
the laptop i have now has a "glossy" screen which is just terrible in daylight..i would look into an anti glare (i think that what they call them) screen,
steve


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## cubicinches (Oct 19, 2008)

I use my laptop in my truck all winter long. I'd be lost without it. If you're looking for a really good mount, try the Jotto Desk... not cheap, but very sturdy and great adjustability.

http://www.jottodesk.net/


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## MIDTOWNPC (Feb 17, 2007)

I have yet to find a sub $100 laptop stand. Nothing anywhere.
I am working on trying to get a camera wired into a netbook for the rear.
they are so cheap and the screen is larger then some backup cameras. im thinking about making a small bracket that the laptop goes into which mounts in my cup holders in my ram.


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## Elite Property Services (Oct 28, 2008)

I havent heard much but am curious but Ford was suppose to have some form of microsoft system buil into the in dash navi screen it would be nice to have all those capabilities with a factory appearance. I also have the garmin gps on my laptop which is amazing.


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## wizardsr (Aug 8, 2006)

MIDTOWNPC;830451 said:


> I have yet to find a sub $100 laptop stand. Nothing anywhere.
> I am working on trying to get a camera wired into a netbook for the rear.
> they are so cheap and the screen is larger then some backup cameras. im thinking about making a small bracket that the laptop goes into which mounts in my cup holders in my ram.


Friend of mine has a ******* mount... It's a piece of steel pipe with a couple fabricated brackets bolted to the floor. The top is a piece of lexan, and bungee cords to hold the 'puter on. Looks like crap, but seems to be holding up, he doesn't plow with the truck though.

I use a jotto desk in my F350, but with the Dell Latitude on it, it can really get rocking front to back on the rougher highways and plowing... A tie-down from the upper part of the "mast" to the back of the seat brackets worked well to secure it. I know jotto has a strut for this purpose, but I haven't looked into it since the tie down works so well...


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## Nascar24 (Feb 11, 2006)

Hi

Here's my set up, its a Ram mount , it ran me about two hundred on-line.


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## jhook (Jan 24, 2004)

Nice looking. Here is another thought for you. We do something a bit different. I give the guys mp3 voice recorders and we just talk in to the between jobs. So we have a full log of everything but don't have to stop and write stuff down. I know the writing only takes a minute but man, I like to get paid $2.50-$3 a minute so that pen and paper is VERY expensive to me. Especially when doing a lot of smaller places. It is really easy to talk between jobs. Then transcribe it back at the office when you are not plowing - when your time isn't worth so much or have someone else transcribe the logs for you.

As far as software, here is what I would like to see. A software program tied in to a gps so that it knows where I am already. When I pull up to the jobsite, it could flash "Mrs. Smith's driveway" or just the address, I should push a button (like enter) and it should record the time in, I push a button when done and it records time out. If this address is on my regular client list then it already knows what service and how much we charge per time. At the end of the month I should push another button (like print) and all the bills come flying out the printer with the date, service, time in, time out, and service charge, tax and total. And Boom, my log sheets are done and my accounting is done. If anyone finds such software, let me know. I don't care what it costs.


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## Chrisxl64 (Dec 10, 2008)

jotto is amazing, have them in all our fire trucks at work,,,i can kick the thing and it won't break.


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## Marionlandscape (Jul 27, 2005)

you are talking in the thousands but I know someone that could write the program. if you are serious I will split the bill with you.


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## KL&M Snow Div. (Jan 2, 2009)

I would love to have a laptop in my truck, but I would be playing on here too much haha


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## T-MAN (Jan 9, 2001)

jhook;832674 said:


> Nice looking. Here is another thought for you. We do something a bit different. I give the guys mp3 voice recorders and we just talk in to the between jobs. So we have a full log of everything but don't have to stop and write stuff down. I know the writing only takes a minute but man, I like to get paid $2.50-$3 a minute so that pen and paper is VERY expensive to me. Especially when doing a lot of smaller places. It is really easy to talk between jobs. Then transcribe it back at the office when you are not plowing - when your time isn't worth so much or have someone else transcribe the logs for you.
> 
> As far as software, here is what I would like to see. A software program tied in to a gps so that it knows where I am already. When I pull up to the jobsite, it could flash "Mrs. Smith's driveway" or just the address, I should push a button (like enter) and it should record the time in, I push a button when done and it records time out. If this address is on my regular client list then it already knows what service and how much we charge per time. At the end of the month I should push another button (like print) and all the bills come flying out the printer with the date, service, time in, time out, and service charge, tax and total. And Boom, my log sheets are done and my accounting is done. If anyone finds such software, let me know. I don't care what it costs.


Crew Tracker
It uses GPS and has a live "real time" viewer on line. It tracks the time on sites, and any were else the truck may be. You can print the reports to save hard copies, or transfer them to a disc.
Ron G uses it in his trucks. Its also handy for CYA incase of a lawsuit.


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## Chevy05 (Apr 22, 2005)

xtreem3d;830407 said:


> my RAM mount held up good last year. the version i have sort of crowds any passenger but not bad. i have cricket broadband and it worked good also. how do you power yours?
> the laptop i have now has a "glossy" screen which is just terrible in daylight..i would look into an anti glare (i think that what they call them) screen,
> steve


Technical term is Matte Finish i believe, :waving:

Stay warm all,

Ryan


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## zerolatency (Sep 14, 2009)

I've got an old laptop mounted in my truck, basicly for weather radar, email or sometimes reading the news if i get done early..... went the cheap route because i really don't have to have it and i'm not overly worried about the laptop. I got the ebay special for like 45 bucks.... its all made out of 3/4" pipe and can be bolted to your passenger seat mount (for the no drill install) .... i would have just went to the hardware store and picked it up myself but its the plexi base that the laptop actually sits on that would be difficult to replicate. For as cheap as it is it works great, put it together got it to where i wanted it and reassembled with lock-tite....


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## thesnowman269 (Nov 7, 2009)

Ive been toying around with the idea.


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## 600rrpilot (Aug 24, 2005)

Just installed a ram mount and love it so far. I use my laptop during a storm to keep track of times and conditions. As well as the radar. To me typing is quicker then writing and i just shoot my emails out after im done.


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## Westhardt Corp. (Dec 13, 2009)

Have used RAM mounts in a few vehicles, and they can't beat, IMHO. The Jotto is a decent lower, but the cable attachment is no match for the RAM "fingers" (special bonus if you get the slim fingers so you can close the lid). The screen support for the RAM is great as well--highly recommended. I've run one in my own semi (see sig) for a couple of years, and it is rougher in the mines than anything short of a Bobcat, and the RAM has held up well.. I ran a RAM in a F-550 last season, and it was *gloriously* effective and the plowing "movement" didn't even make it flinch. (and I tend to use inertia as my "stacking partner"...)


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## 600rrpilot (Aug 24, 2005)

heres a shot of my set up.....minus the printer which is just on the floor for right now until i fab up a mount for it. Dont know how long the printer is going to last it was 35 bucks at walmart and it probably wont stand up to the dirt and concrete dust that accumulates in my truck. Im going to be looking for a keypad cover or something for my laptop too. during storms it accumulates a nice layer of salt from me working then typing. I have a simple excel sheet i fill in as i go and then email it along with an invoice from quickbooks contractor edition to my GC....works great and the accounting dept loves me compared to the guys who scribble thier numbers in on a wet sheet of paper. The ram mount is bullet proof. I have a nice little 3 outlet power inverter zip tied to the vertical tube of the ram mount which the laptop, printer, and spotlight are plugged into......perfect setup for me. And makes working so much easier. I have internet access to check radar, weather reports, and BS during downtime.

PS...those gauges in the dash are Exhaust Gas temp post Turbo...Boost Pressure...and Tranny temp. Keep an eye on em all the time...good piece of mind. Its a 2004 dodge ram 3500 cummins turbo diesel


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## Westhardt Corp. (Dec 13, 2009)

Interesting. I say this because now I have advice as well as a question.

Advice: RAM makes printer mounts
http://ram-mount.com/Products/PrinterMounts/tabid/2280/Default.aspx

Question: Which gauge mount is that--Auto Meter or Banks? Ironically, I also have an '04 QC/LB (2WD though...but it's pretty fast! LOL), and currently have the pocket out pending my decision. I'm mostly concerned about finish--Auto Meter stuff tends to be very glossy, and that won't match well.

I've actually put my laptop on the console, which works well if I'm stopped....eh, driving, not so much. But, I don't really work in that truck, so it's not a big deal. Maybe I should hang a blade on it...except for that little "good luck finding a mount for a 2wd stub" part. Hard to find...


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## JustinD (Jan 14, 2008)

There is a no name mount on Ebay for 95.00 plus shipping, is it worth it? I won't be using it all the time but when I want it, it seems like it would be nice to have. I will use it for mostly EFI tuning.


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## Westhardt Corp. (Dec 13, 2009)

A RAM setup is $250-ish. Spend you money once, and spend it wisely.


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## 600rrpilot (Aug 24, 2005)

westhardt....the finish is fine...I got mine from geno's garage

http://www.genosgarage.com/prodinfo.asp?number=GM-DG-15021

Def worth the money.....i like the pillar mount but the pillars in that truck suck...i ripped mine right off. I highly reccomend the kit from geno's and the dipricol guages (geno's doesnt sell them) are the best you can buy and match the factory gauges perfectly. install is simple.

http://www.puredieselpower.com/catalog/gauges-pods-dipricol-c-22_25.html

as far as a laptop mount....Def spend the money and get a ram mount. you def get what you pay for.


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## Westhardt Corp. (Dec 13, 2009)

Yeah, Geno's is the Auto Meter. Not against it, but haven't seen one in person to see how well it matches the dash. I've have a set of Pricols for awhile now--definitely the only way to go, and just been undecided on mount (and not in a big hurry...lol). I don't care for full pillars, I actually put my boost gauge in an SRT-10 pillar, so it's perfect match and retains the grab handle--bonus.


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## Freebird (Mar 1, 2010)

600 I love the Thank you for not smoking sign, and then the pack of cigs on the arm rest. Show that sign whose boss 

I have one in my car for long trips, its nothing special actually, it just sits in a cupholder and then has a pvc pipe coming up to a plastic base I took from an old monitor stand, and has to straps to hold it on. So far very steady and sits in cupholder deep enough with the weight centered that it never pops out. 

Lifehacker.com always has a few of these quick modification laptop stands up.


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