Working from JL going down the road?

[HopeOverLandandSea]

Ok so here is the concept, I am heading out on 7600 mile trip this summer with my nephew in June, I am driving a 2022 Wrangler Rubicon 4xe and I am towing a 2021 Aliner Scout. I have a RV Starlink, the square version and I am thinking of doing the mod to flat mount it on the Aliner so it can be used driving (I realize this has TOS issues) because that gives me the ability to work and take / make phone calls via WIFI even in the parts of the USA with little to no Verizon coverage. (Yellowstone, etc)

Part of this experience will be my co-driving nephew who will be taking the wheel on travel days so he gets some experience and with the Starlink (in motion) then I actually can do some work on drive days which pays the bills!

So that is the backstory, now I am trying to figure out the practical parts of trying to go multi screen with my laptop and having extra screen real estate. I have gotten so used to that over the last few years that I really am more efficient and want to retain this ability. I have seen the systems where I can buy / add the extra 2 small monitors to my laptop itself and that is my fall back position.

What I would PREFER is to find a way to mount a bigger monitor in the Wrangler.

What I am thinking is to mount a monitor to the rear of the passenger seat so I can sit in the second row with my laptop and go back and forth to the screen there and the bigger screen above it?

Has anyone done anything like this? Looking at the seat, the MOLLE panel is nice but not sure it would support the weight of the monitor. I have thought about a bracket bolting around the supports for the headrest?

If anyone has a link to any kind of mounting system that bolts around those supports I would love to see it. I realize the other option is maybe something dropping down from the roll bar / speaker area?

((I had considered sitting in the front seat but the airbags up there would blow my monitor / laptop into my face and I cannot imagine that would end well.)

Going along with this, anyone know how good / much use the 115 V AC 150 W plug is for 2nd row? I will have to see what wattage the monitor would take (and the laptop) and I have a Jackery 500 if needed to give me extra juice)

 

[1000arms]

You might consider the idea of a plywood mounting-plate that covers most of the back of the front seat and is secured with straps wrapped around to the front of the front seat. Something that you could mount a monitor or monitors to, as well as your laptop (or a keyboard).

Just keep in mind your own safety in case of an accident.

 

[zgfiredude]

Check out Police Car equipment companies such as Police1, RamMounts, Havis and others.....Will that seat back fold forward and perhaps create a more desk-like environment?

 

[AggieOE]

The more miles you drive, the more at risk you are of accidents (not prone to but at risk of).
I'm like you though, I can't imagine trying to work from one monitor. The laptop-mounted additional screens setup looks like an ideal solution for just this type of application. I assume you mean something like this:


I'd tend to lean that way. I'd sit in the back seat with a lap desk, a wireless mouse, and this setup. Is it as good as a 32" monitor? No. But is it adaptable, modular, and a more efficient, safer use of space? Yes.
Also, you only need one plug to charge this.

 

[smbisig]

Man, I can barely read a book or magazine while in the passenger seat. It would be hard for me to work off a computer and I'm not one who normally gets motion sickness, but for some reason, I do in this case.

 

[HopeOverLandandSea]

https://a.co/d/aicElQg Something like that but much beefier is what I was thinking, basically you could wrap around and mount to both posts?

I went ahead and ordered this tv / monitor mount, I like the tilt feature because I am sure it will sag and make me unhappy at the very least.

My current VERY alpha / beta plans thought is a 1x1 or 1x2 board on either side of the headrest posts to sandwich them and then mount this wall mount to that wood structure. Lots of bolts etc to hold them but guessing over time fatigue would kill this solution.

Another plan I thought about was a sleeping platform for the rear of the wrangler but the piece over the driver side (the 40% of the 60/40) would fold over so you could put that seat up to work from. But that structure would be built in a way that a more traditional monitor mount that attaches to a desk could be used off to the side if not in front of you.

Sending off my starlink to be modded next week to flatmount and putting it on the hood of the wrangler! https://star-mountsystems.com/

When I get that back I will start testing various designs, would like to have something before my summer trip. As stated earlier in the thread, if all else fails the multi screen dealio for the laptop itself is an easy solution and sometimes KISS is the best plan.

 

[zgfiredude]

ProClip also makes some headrest mounts, you could attach your above referenced monitor mount to the ProClip mount for a nice solution.

 

[HopeOverLandandSea]

ProClip also makes some headrest mounts, you could attach your above referenced monitor mount to the ProClip mount for a nice solution.

Thx found them!

Tablet Headrest Mounts

Mount your iPad or other tablet and make entertaining your backseat passengers easier. Look no further for the best selection of tablet headrest mounts. Choose from the safest and most secure mounting – perfect for taxis, Lyft, and Uber drivers.

www.proclipusa.com

Medium appears to be the correct size as the space on the inside is 5.5" and to outside is 6.5" (each headrest bar is approx 1/2" thick)

Biggest question will be is that flat side of their mount if it will size up to the VESA mount. I think this will work, headrest is directly in front of my eyes when sitting in the rear seat, if all else fails one of those "portable monitors" should fit here very nicely.

Sizing Specs:

• Minimum inner length - 4.75 inches (123 mm)
• Maximum outer length - 7.19 inches (183 mm)

 

[AggieOE]

why not just stay at home.... yer missing the reason to travel

... because one must work to afford to travel? Early in the pandemic, before kids, I wish I would have done this.
With a laptop and some sort of internet, you could be posted up on a new cliff or campsite every few days instead of in a home office and accomplish the same things.
Yeah... I regret not capitalizing on these moments.

 

[Scrib]

From what I hear from my sailboat racing friends (using the RV system - also a TOS violation), you should be fine with the StarLink. Your monitor(s) might not like the Jeep's inverter (I assume it's not actual AC sine wave) but you can wire the Jackery to your 12V and use its AC. Are you taking dust into consideration? My entire interior (not just the back) is coated in dust by the end of my trips. Sounds like a grand adventure though!

 

[Dan Grec]

From what I hear from my sailboat racing friends (using the RV system - also a TOS violation), you should be fine with the StarLink. Your monitor(s) might not like the Jeep's inverter (I assume it's not actual AC sine wave) but you can wire the Jackery to your 12V and use its AC. Are you taking dust into consideration? My entire interior (not just the back) is coated in dust by the end of my trips. Sounds like a grand adventure though!

From your profile it looks like you're in a JK?

Both my Gladiator and JL Wrangler are much, much better dust sealed than my JK. Basically nothing comes inside, so long as the windows are up.

-Dan

 

[AggieOE]

From your profile it looks like you're in a JK?

Both my Gladiator and JL Wrangler are much, much better dust sealed than my JK. Basically nothing comes inside, so long as the windows are up.

-Dan

I wonder what the difference maker is. The weather stripping looks sufficient for the most part but I am imagining the rear window and the rear pressure relief valve must be the culprit.

 

[Dan Grec]

I wonder what the difference maker is. The weather stripping looks sufficient for the most part but I am imagining the rear window and the rear pressure relief valve must be the culprit.

The doors have a much more elaborate multi-layer rubber strip to keep water out, I imagine it helps a lot with dust too.

-Dan

 

[Scrib]

From your profile it looks like you're in a JK?

Both my Gladiator and JL Wrangler are much, much better dust sealed than my JK. Basically nothing comes inside, so long as the windows are up.

-Dan

Yes, correct - now I am jealous

 

[driveby]

I would be concerned about theft of that monitor. Nice big TV screen very visible while in Safeway getting more food.... Not to mention most commercial monitors aren't really well built for rough shakes down the road. That mount may crack the plastic over time. Which is why I like the idea of those "snap on extra screens". Hidden when not in use, easy to add when needed. Plus imagine the IG shot you can take of you on a concall on the edge of some cliff on zoom Multiscreen, crazy beautiful view. Gotta make those co workers jealous. Can't do that hiding in the back seat of your Jeep.