Need CB info...

[nadokid]

Ahhhhh! I like it.

Next question. Let's say, hypothetically, that you had a 2000 CrewCab, and, hypothetically, you don't have an ARB, and, hypothetically, you aren't too keen about drilling through the sheet metal covered in that beautiful Solar Yellow paint. Where do you mount the antenna?

[Schludwiller]

Originally posted by Synchro
the cable i have already has the big screw in piece already on it. did yours? can you snake that thing through the firewall hole? the damn thing is like .75" wide.

Yikes!

I wouldn't even try to get that through the firewall. No, mine didn't have the coax (thread) end attached. On the Cobra75 you run the line through to a junction box, which then has another wire coming out with the large connector.

[wqbang]

Originally posted by nadokid
Ahhhhh! I like it.

Next question. Let's say, hypothetically, that you had a 2000 CrewCab, and, hypothetically, you don't have an ARB, and, hypothetically, you aren't too keen about drilling through the sheet metal covered in that beautiful Solar Yellow paint. Where do you mount the antenna?

Do Crew Cabs have stake-holes in the bed like regular pickups? If so, this might work well.

http://www.firestik.com/Catalog/Mk-294r.htm

Or maybe this thing might work....

http://www.ramkodist.com/gripper.htm

[ChuckH]

Originally posted by Synchro
the cable I have already has the big screw in piece already on it. did yours? can you snake that thing through the firewall hole? the damn thing is like .75" wide.

Yeah, yikes is right! What about the other end...is it already attached? The Firesticks come with the CB end coupler installed, but the other end of the cable is open and you have to attach it to a ring terminal before connecting it to the antenna. So, we fished it through from the cabin side into the engine compartment. When I did it, I actually ran a coat hanger through from the engine side and then taped the cable to the coat hanger with duct tape and pulled it through. I can't rememebr now for sure, but I think I went through the rubber grommet where the hood release cable comes through. There's a grommet on the passenger side too that will work, but I had already run a 4 guage power wire through that one, so I kept the antenna line away from there. Good luck!

[Schludwiller]

Oh, yeah. Chuck is right. I had forgotten that part about the cable being open on one end.

I use the coathanger trick all the time to get through the firewall.

[xterrabull]

Originally posted by ChuckH

...but I had already run a 4 guage power wire through that one, so I kept the antenna line away from there.

What's the 4 gauge power line for? Did you run it to a fused distribution block inside your car?
Just curious; I mounted a 6-circuit fused distribution block near my battery, but I thought about mounting it inside my car instead. Just wondering how it would've worked out (assuming you did that).

[ChuckH]

Originally posted by xterrabull


What's the 4 gauge power line for? Did you run it to a fused distribution block inside your car?
Just curious; I mounted a 6-circuit fused distribution block near my battery, but I thought about mounting it inside my car instead. Just wondering how it would've worked out (assuming you did that).

Yep...the 4 guage line is fused near the battery and then runs to a fused distribution block under the driver's seat. The distribution block splits into two short 8 guage wires that go to my amplifiers that are also mounted under the seats. It's not clear, but the distribution block is circled in the picture. Sorry, I think I lost my good photos of that area...I'll check my yahoo photos later. Ah, here's the link!

My Xterra photos (stereo and CB stuff)

[Synchro]

the cable i have has the coax mount on both sides. it does not have the ring thing like your guys do. not fitting through the grommet is not what i want to hear, BTW.

ugh, you had to rip out the seats to put that thing in there? i think i will stick with my dash mounted one thank you very much.

[Philosopher]

Originally posted by Synchro

ugh, you had to rip out the seats to put that thing in there? i think i will stick with my dash mounted one thank you very much.

Taking out the seats is a piece of cake - 4 14mm bolts and they are out. Best way to REALLY clean / vacuum the interior.

[rhombus]

Cool...
I'm planning on removing the seats this weekend and did not know how hard it was going to be.

I might be removing the carpet since it just gets dirty and wet anyways. This was it will make it easy to clean.

[ChuckH]

Originally posted by Synchro
the cable i have has the coax mount on both sides. it does not have the ring thing like your guys do. not fitting through the grommet is not what i want to hear, BTW.

ugh, you had to rip out the seats to put that thing in there? i think i will stick with my dash mounted one thank you very much.

I took out the seats to wire the stereo and put the amplifiers in...it was not necessary for the CB install. Since that project was done in stages, I've had the seats out atleast four times. As Philospher noted, removing them is painless, only takes a couple minutes, and is a great way to get those stray french fries out that slide down between the seat and the console!

As far as your cable is concerned, I'm not sure how you would get that thing through there without mangling the grommet or cutting the cable (not recommended, BTW!). Maybe you could run it through the door and up through the fender? Problem with that though is that it will probably mess up your door seal and result in faster water entry and/or wind noise. Hmmmm, I'll have to think about that one.

[Schludwiller]

Too late Chuck. He already cut 1-2" off the cable.

[Synchro]

well we have to do what we have to do. after talking with mobycat on the phone, he didn't think it would affect it too much if i cut 1" or so off of the cable. i agreed, I cannot imagine it would have a tremendous effect, but what do I know about CB stuff. so time will tell.

but thanks to vikram the setup works great!! he spliced in the new connector a few minutes ago. he got 2 miles away across a very residentialy developed rolling hill landscape before it was bad and i was sitting with my front end (where the antenna was) almost in my garage. and i haven't even grounded my new antenna or tuned it yet. so i would say it works pretty well. and his antenna is not tuned either.

[rhombus]

Schuld-
Is this the one that you guys have?
http://www.firestik.com/Catalog/NGP_Roof.htm

Or this one?
http://www.firestik.com/Catalog/NGP_3-Way.htm

I'm not sure which mount type I need.
3-way or Roof?

I want to mount it to the ARB.

thks

[ChuckH]

You don't need the 3-way mount. Otherwise those antennas are the same and it wouldn't matter which one you got. If you get one, be careful when you crimp the terminal ring to the end of the cable...I accidentally chopped the end off mine. Fortunately, it was only a small amount, but the non-ground cables are sensitive to length.

Oops! After looking at that again, I would suggest you get one with the 3-way mount so you can get the 3 foot antenna. The roof mount is only available in the 2 foot version. With the 3 footer, you will get better performance and at about 6'9" to the top it makes a great parking garage height meter.