Any really clean secure amp installs in modern cars?

[Onelasttime]

I was thinking of placing rods along the heat sinks then anchoring the ends of the rods some how to something under the carpet. Something that will keep the amp firmly in place even in a high speed accident. I am wanting to mount it under the dash area to the tunnel. It does not have any flange area to easily bolt to the body of the vehicle. I do not want to reinvent the wheel so if someone has a novel clean looking way to do this I would love to mimic it! I drive a 4 door sedan so I would like to keep it neat and clean. It has to be secured some how so it does not move around. I am not going to remote it so I have to be able to reach the switches to turn it on and select SSB delay. I want good airflow.

Thanks!

 

[rabbiporkchop]

What kind of amplifier is it? If it's one of those ones that's a basic aluminum box just use a nutsert tool to put some threaded inserts (nutserts or riv-nuts) into the side of the sheet metal to allow you to attach an angle bracket with a bolt.

I was thinking of placing rods along the heat sinks then anchoring the ends of the rods some how to something under the carpet. Something that will keep the amp firmly in place even in a high speed accident. I am wanting to mount it under the dash area to the tunnel. It does not have any flange area to easily bolt to the body of the vehicle. I do not want to reinvent the wheel so if someone has a novel clean looking way to do this I would love to mimic it! I drive a 4 door sedan so I would like to keep it neat and clean. It has to be secured some how so it does not move around. I am not going to remote it so I have to be able to reach the switches to turn it on and select SSB delay. I want good airflow.

Thanks!

 

[Onelasttime]

No it is a Telstar it has a great aluminum heat sink but the case is heavy ABS plastic with no lip or flange. When I was working in Telcom Union Electrician I was driving the wifes hatchback and I had about 200lbs of tools and tool boxes in the hatch area. I hit ice at 75mph and ended up in a huge deep ditch full of snow outside of Troy Michigan. I had slowed down to 75 because traffic was going about 95mph on the commute to Detroit and I thought I say some ice. The car came to a sudden stop but the tools did not. A tool box full of about 60lbs of tools hit me in the back of the head at that speed and an even heavier one hit the seat back breaking the seats steel rebar like frame and breaking a bolt at the base. The hatch area was open on top to the rest of the car. So from that day on I have made sure to mount anything I can securely to the car in case of an accident so it is not a missile in the car.

I lost 3 days of memory in that accident. I was conscious and alert when the tow truck pulled me out and the officer thought I was fine. The airbag did not go off and the snow decelerated the car super fast. As I drove about 1.5 hours home I started to have double vision etc....I had a hard time over the next 3 days with really easy words i would be looking at a sofa for instance and I could not think of the word for it with out really concentrating. Then the pain hit.....I had a terrible concussion and whip lash like you would not believe. My neck was so out of wack I could put my chin over each shoulder and touch my back. Keep in mind I at the time I was 6 foot 1 and about 250lbs. and looked like I played in NFL and had no neck from years of High School wrestling.

So I like to have everything secure in my car I am too old to hurt like that again for something like an rf amplifer! LOL I do not want to make some episode of Emergcy Room Stories on a cable channel because I had an rf amplifier embedded in my head! LOL

If it was a car audio amp going under a seat I would glue a sheet of MDF under the carpet and screw into that. In this case having no flange rules that out. Plus I want air flow.

I would have to add a remote if I was going to install in my trunk and I hate to do that. I have kids still and between band, sports and gong to see the inlaws I need all the trunk space I have.

 

[Onelasttime]

I am sure I will think of something. I might ask my wife getting a woman's take might have a different perspective. She is trained as a CNC lathe and mill operator so she is a lot more mechanically inclined than most men! She has a very arts and craft creative mind.

Your idea has me thinking about grommets and lacing like a baseball or football or sail. The problem as I see it is I do not know how hot the heat sink will get and what fibers I could use that are flexible enough to bit into the heat sink with out damaging it that will also take the heat??? I could use braided wire but that would look really ugly and might cut into the aluminum heat sink over time with vibration.

If I could find some very thin silicone or ptfe coated spectrashield I bet that would work fine. If I used copper braided line it would discolor and oxide to green. I think I still have safety wire some place left over from my aviation days. I hate to use SS wire though.

Maybe I will have to take the lid off and mount something to that then reinstall the lid. I would prefer to use non-conductive non-rf effective material maybe I can get some nylon nuts and bolts.

Sorry but thinking out loud like this is very helpful. I am not good with wood at all but maybe I can try to make something from wood that will bolt tot he car then hold the amp.

Thanks for getting me thinking!!! This problem need a cold beer!

 

[BBB]

You could strap it to a seat frame if you didn't want to put holes in the chassis. I recall installing neon transformers in Southern Cali and everything had to be "strapped down" in case of seismic activity.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2pc-Strappi...983354a&pid=100005&rk=2&rkt=6&sd=121861635622

 

[rabbiporkchop]

You could strap it to a seat frame if you didn't want to put holes in the chassis. I recall installing neon transformers in Southern Cali and everything had to be "strapped down" in case of seismic activity.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2pc-Strapping-Banding-Tool-Machine-Tensioner-Crimper-Set-Sealer-Packaging-Poly/171376872228?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid=222007&algo=SIC.MBE&ao=1&asc=35389&meid=b2c7a7bb95834f248bed64083983354a&pid=100005&rk=2&rkt=6&sd=121861635622

This is what I did for my Chevy Tahoe.
My Texas Star DX 1600 V was going to bolt to the back of the console .

 

[Obed]

if there is room inside between the case and the boards, you can use flat stock available at home improvement stores. Cut one to fit on the inside to strengthen the plastic case. Then either drill and tap it or use nuts and bolts to secure it to a mount made from the same flat stock. Flat stock comes in different widths and lengths and and can be cut and bent to shape. I have mounted tuners and radios both using that method in the past. I have a habit of using smaller base radios not designed for mobile operation as a mobile. If the unit is small and lightweight, just use one. If it is large and or heavy use two.

 

[rabbiporkchop]

I do this on all my amplifier installs looks pretty professional and it's really strong