How do you keep a cab from rocking on carpet.

[DarakuTenshi]

My cab was perfectly level on concrete... now that I have it inside on carpet it wants to rock around a lot. I've got some very plush padding under my carpet and no idea how to keep this from rocking when playing the cab. My only thought is to bring it back to the main floor and put it in the dining room where there is hardwood flooring. I would love to refrain from doing so.

[chopperthedog]

Put a CRT in the cab. When did you move it to the carpet? Cab may need time to crush the pile of the carpeting and settle in.


good day.

[DarakuTenshi]

It's been a couple weeks now... I will be putting about another 40-50 lbs into this thing by the time it's finished so I hope that will be enough to help.

[EMDB]

Use wheels in combination with leg levelers. This will make a cab rock steady on every surface.

 

[JDFan]

If it is going to be it's permanent spot could always remove the carpet and padding from under the machine !

[DarakuTenshi]

That's the combination I'm using. Maybe I need to put the front levels higher than the wheels. Actually those look exactly like the same levelers I bought from eBay.

 Unfortunately it's not a determinant place so I can't take the carpet out.

[EightBySix]

Some people who install speakers mount them on spikes that separate the carpet pile and sit directly on the floor underneath.

[ChanceKJ]

yeah, big heavy duty tower speaker spikes work for me downstairs in my theatre. just google "speaker carpet spikes" and you'll find a ton of options. Might want to double up on some hefty ones or make a platform mount with some spikes and a sheet of MDF you can sit your cab on top of.

[DarakuTenshi]

If the extra weight doesn't do it then the spikes should help.

[keilmillerjr]

Place the cab on top of the large outdoor tile. Those "bricks" are heavy. You can even line them with felt if you want.

[Xiaou2]

Ummm, I would not use any spikes!   A speaker stays in place.  But a cabinet will be rocked... and when that happens.. it will tear up the flooring like you wouldnt believe.

 You probably are using an LCD for the display.  Typical cabs used CRTs, as well as much more wood, due to the needed depth.   This mass was far more than enough, typically, to hold the cabinet in place.

 A person putting their body into play.. can easily get a 200# force output.   Add 2 players.. and you might even double that.

 The best thing you can do, is to get some metal weights... or bags or sand / gravel at the home improvement store.. and place them in the bottom of the cab.

 The only other means of dealing with extreme forces, is by direct connection  (bolting to the floor),   or by absorbing forces... such as a CP that has the ability to move an inch or two in any direction, with a foam/spring absorbing material...  and possibly the cabs bottom, having a counterweight and tilting pivot system, with that same shock absorbing material.

[michelevit]

installing casters will solve your rocking problem.

[Turvey]

[mgb]

So you already have casters in the rear with good beefy
levelers in the front? That's how mine is and it's rock solid, but
my cab is semi narrow with a 27" CRT in it.

I agree with adding weights in the cab. You should be able to get
it good and still.

[RandyT]

Good suggestions here.  The dense foam padding and carpet are capable of resisting compression when the load has a larger surface area, and penetrating the padding and carpet with spikes may not be desirable.  So, the only real option is to reduce the surface area of the cabinets points of contact with the carpet and padding, in order to concentrate the weight over the smallest area possible.

One possibility would be to use large carriage bolts, head down, as feet.  This would probably get it stable, but if not, the addition of a couple of sandbags in the base of the cabinet would help.

Just keep in mind that it will very likely compress the padding to the point of no return (i.e dents), and if the cabinet is rocked around a lot, then the carpet will probably be damaged as well.   So enough weight to keep it from moving is a good idea.

[angryred]

My cab is up against a wall. I cut a couple of pieces of 5/8" MDF, about 2" x 5", and shoved them under the front feet, giving each front foot a bit of its own "floor", and angling the machine back just a bit.

Then, I bought a couple of these: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Prime-Line-Clear-Shower-Door-Bumpers-4-Pack-M-6164/100576084

...and wedged them between the wall and the back side t-molding, one on each side.  Nary a wiggle any more.

[DaveMMR]

I don't know how feasible this is for you, but when I was planning my LCD, slim cabinet, I was just going to attach it to the wall as if it were a book-shelf.  If you still need access to the back, you could always put a 2x4 between the cab and the wall when attaching it.

[yotsuya]

How do you keep a cab from rocking on carpet.

[Malenko]

I was thinkin a piece of wood under the cab, like slightly bigger than the entire base, or even just a smaller piece under the front legs.

[RandyT]

I was thinkin a piece of wood under the cab, like slightly bigger than the entire base, or even just a smaller piece under the front legs.

Believe it or not, this would actually make the issue worse where dense carpet padding is the issue.  What this does is distribute the load over a larger area, which decreases the pounds per square inch at the areas of contact.  The inability of if the cabinet to uniformly compress the padding is what is causing the rocking issue.  The only reason the OP's solution worked, is because there is now friction between the rear of the cabinet and the wall, and the wood in the front is basically wedging it against the bumpers.

[Malenko]

Believe it or not, this would actually make the issue worse where dense carpet padding is the issue.  What this does is distribute the load over a larger area, which decreases the pounds per square inch at the areas of contact.  The inability of if the cabinet to uniformly compress the padding is what is causing the rocking issue.  The only reason the OP's solution worked, is because there is now friction between the rear of the cabinet and the wall, and the wood in the front is basically wedging it against the bumpers.

short term yes, long term no. I had to do the same thing for one of my cabs at my old place. The wood distributed the weight evenly, letting the cab settle evenly on the carpet. After a couple weeks, its was rock solid. Pushing the cab against the wall just means more drywall work when you move it  

[RandyT]

short term yes, long term no. I had to do the same thing for one of my cabs at my old place. The wood distributed the weight evenly, letting the cab settle evenly on the carpet. After a couple weeks, its was rock solid. Pushing the cab against the wall just means more drywall work when you move it  

Probably depends on the type of padding.  If that worked, then there's really no reason to do anything but wait for that same settling to occur at whatever points the cabinet contacts the floor.  I agree about the drywall, though.  If you are going to mess up the wall anyway, you might as well bolt it down.

[michelevit]

Speaker builders solve the rocking problem with speaker spikes.
They elevate the flat bottom using spike. I've built speaker spikes using these...

http://www.studsandspikes.com/spikes.html