Does anyone know where I can find a shorter antenna by about 4 inches? The only thing I have found are those short, ugly rubber ones. I'm tired of it scraping all the way along my garage door everyday.

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2000 F150 XLT 4.6L V8 Auto, SuperCab, Torreador Red, Magnaflow Cat-Back Exhaust, K&N Drop-in, 265/75/R16 Futura Mud Terrains, Ford Bedliner, Tinted Windows, Steel Horse Billet Grill, Fabtech 3-inch Spindles, 2-inch rear blocks
www.geocities.com/y2kf150

 

Well, shorter antennas are available, but I don't know where.

Two problems though. First is most antennas are tuned and the radio operates best at a certain length. When you cut it or install a shorter one, your reception may not be as good as the original. Second, you lose your early warning system for low clearance situations.

What I have done about dragging the antenna across the garage door is to put strips of plexiglass from the bottom to the top of the door. Works fine so long as you enter the garage the same way everytime.

 

I'll second the motion on the radio reception and add this as well:

I use the antenna the way a cat uses it's whiskers, if the antenna hits something overhead I get out of the cab to see if the roof is going to clear.

 

Just go down to your dealer parts store and ask them for a telescopic antenna. Got mine last summer . They used to be stock on all cars and trucks years ago.

 

Got mine at pep boys.....Seeing how my antena was hitting and that little ball on the end catching the ridges on my garage door I had no choice...I think the antena was about 8.95...has not affected my fm reception as far as I know....
The early warning system was nice but now I just watch closer..IF ITS EYE LEVEL I BACK OUT........3/4 of a inch clearence in my garage..So if it says 7 ft clearence I move very slowly and make sure I can back out...Dave

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1998 F-150, SC/Flairside,oxford white 4x2,4.6,auto,3.55s,nerf bars,cls 111 towing,bed liner w/mat,Eagle polished wheels 16x10 w/Yokahama Geolandars 315/75/16s,all plastics guards/bug shields,air raid/k & n filter, superchipped, duals out the back corners, flow master 3 chamber, snug top lid, f-150 online sticker back window-honk if you see me!!! Fabtech 3 1/2 lift,3" spindles, 3" body lift=9 1/2 inches of lift, lift lips.coverking dash cover, Lumi Logo's (front and rear), clear front corner lenses, muth mirrors,dash mounted CB, (TX Chapter requirement,lol),personalized license plates, Superlift traction bars,Image tail light covers (painted).and it still fits in the garage, yeahhhhhh

San Antonio
DWESSELS89@AOL.COM

 

Imagine having a big a$$ cb antenna on it too! Carwash here i come!!

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'97 XLT Clearcoat Red 4x2
17 inch Wheels,Stepside, K&N,bedliner, 32 inch tires, flowmasters, deep tint, big Ford oval on back window, 5 spd, platinum plugs, CB, hidden hitch, ford emblem hitch cover and a little wal-mart smiley face on the antenna wearing a coboy hat :-)

http://www.my-f150.com/waldo0506

 

And I thought I was the only one struggling with squeezing into a garage! I ended up chopping the top of the antenna off. About a 6 inch snip. So far, no loss in reception, which may change the farther out of town I drive. Thanks everyone!

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2000 F150 XLT 4.6L V8 Auto, SuperCab, Torreador Red, Magnaflow Cat-Back Exhaust, K&N Drop-in, 265/75/R16 Futura Mud Terrains, Ford Bedliner, Tinted Windows, Steel Horse Billet Grill, Fabtech 3-inch Spindles, 2-inch rear blocks
www.geocities.com/y2kf150

 

Has anyone heard of or have an aftermarket power antenna? I have already changed the stereo, so reception isnt an issue with the stock radio.

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White 2000 XLT Flareside 4X2 Supercab, 5.4L Triton V-8, Automatic-3.55 LS, Class III Tow Package, Duraliner, White gauge faceplate, Alpine 60w x 4 CDA-7863.
Superchip
FUTURE MODS:
-K&N FIPK
-2001 Lightning wheels?
-Lightning front bumper cover, & foglights
-MTX Thunderforms for S/C
-Upgraded speakers in doors
-amplifier
-2" drop, front & rear
(I think that is a good start)

 

Crutchfield has a couple - they're about $60. I think I'll put one in down the road.

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2001 Lariat SC 5.4 4x4 LS ORP Class III 17in wheels Captains seats

Sony ES CDX-M650 Polk EX572a(2 pr.) Dynamats

Westin nerf bar, ARE Z series cap, Yakima rack, Bedrug

Superchip

 

Billet makes one too http://www.4hummer.com/mac/billet_antenna.htm


I know a couple Lightning owners have put them on.

 

I chopped mine off right below the garage door height. I then took a lead weight, rolled it into a ball and stuck it on the end of the now chopped antenna. Shot it real quick with some black paint... walla, looks like a stock antenna, just six inches shorter. Cost $0.05.



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Supercrew 4x4 Lariat
Solid Black , 5.4 Triton, 3.55 Limited Slip, 6750# GVWR Package, Skid Plates, Moon Roof, Sliding Rear Window, Trailer Tow - Class III, Cargo Cage, Grey Leather Captains Chairs, 6-Disc CD Changer

Mods:
305/70/16 Goodyear ATS
American Racing Atlas 16x8
Chrome Westin Steps
Flowmaster, Delta Flow 50 SI/DO

Planned:
Toneau Cover
Expedition Console Mod.

Another great Ford truck site -www.fseries.com

Truck Pictures

 

DGreen ..

I shoped and fretted .. and didn't know what to do .. and hated that scaping noise and what it was doing to my g-door .. I would have bought a billet antenna .. I believe 18 or 24 inches .. but I didn't want to pay that much money for a aluminum collored antenna .. yeah I know I could have painted it .. but damn .. after paying 30 bucks .. NOT .. anyway I didn't find a black annodized one like I prefered .. and I cut my antenna off about the 3 inches I needed .. and just left it at that ... at firlst I thought I I might miss the ball on the end .. but now I don't even notice that it's gone .. and as for a "overhead feeler" ?? get real .. if you need that .. ride the bus .. and besides the speed I drive .. that 1 nano-second of warning .. wouldn't even get my foot on the break ...
The reception was uneffected as near as I can tell ... but I ride a Harley and can't hear **** anyway ..just my 2 cents ...

.......... o&^o Share the Road

Russ

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1971 F-250 Camper Special Alaskan Camper
1998 F-150 Lariat S/C 4x4 5.4L Line-x Flow Master 40
2000 Explorer XLT Mach Audio SOHC

 

Russ-

I agree...thanks!

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2000 F150 XLT 4.6L V8 Auto, SuperCab, Torreador Red, Magnaflow Cat-Back Exhaust, K&N Drop-in, 265/75/R16 Futura Mud Terrains, Ford Bedliner, Tinted Windows, Steel Horse Billet Grill, Fabtech 3-inch Spindles, 2-inch rear blocks
www.geocities.com/y2kf150

 

check out www.trenz.com. Their billet attena was my first mod. I haven't had any reception problems whatsoever. Roger Lemere has them if you email him. I think they were like $25, but damn they look slick.

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99 XLT 5.4L SC 4x4 ORP Wedgewood Waldoch - 3.73LS, grey/blue leather, wood dash and door inserts, Lund Deflector, Trenz Billet Antennae, Clear Corner Lenses, Line-X Bedliner, Retrax Bed Cover

On the way: a non slapping engine

1977 1/2 F250 4x4 "Low Boy" 400-4spd

 

If I drove that fast into the garage, my gas cap would be in the freezer!
Billet: "A narrow, generally square bar of metal, especially one rolled or forged from an ingot". Then, "billet" also became slang for an object that was machined out of a billet.
I doubt that an antenna for a car or truck was machined! Isn't advertising BS great?