Does anyone have a suggestion for installing a CB antenna on the truck? How does one get the antenna cable out of the cab without drilling a hole?

 

Depends on where your mounting the truck...use and existing grommet on the firewall or floor boards or you can use the back vents if your mounting out back say on the bed rails or toolbox. The best way to go is drill a 3/4" hole in the roof and use an NMO mount. I install two way radios, cbs, cell phones and other vehicle communications equipment for a living. It will work the best, and give the least problems. But if you check out my truck, I did not take a drill near it and worked my way around it (as far as 2-way installation). They do make on-glass CB antennaes, dont work that great but they do get the job done. Let me know if you need any more info.

 

Thanks for the ideas. I don't think I want to drill any holes in the roof. Of course it probably wouldn't leak any worse than the rear slider. Damn 1997 problem! Don't those rear vents have a filter of some sort in them? I had one of those window mounts on my 87 Turbo Coupe and 89 Ranger. They worked OK for medium distance but the outside antennas kept breaking off after a while. I will probably mount the antenna on the bed rail behind the rear window and try to snake the cable out the door temporarily.

Beak

 

Hi Warner-

Here's what I did on my 2000... I made a wooden "platform", if you will, to mount my CB on the hump in the middle of the cab in front of the seat. I ran the wires under the driver's seat, then between the seat and the seatbelt trim at the floor. I took the trim off for the carpet, and I ran the wires through a grommet in there through the floor of the truck.

To mount the antenna itself, I took one of the slim type antenna brackets for a mirror mount on a big truck, and I mounted it inside the front stake pocket hole (the bolts come through to the inside of the bed). To do this, I lined the bracket up where I wanted it on the inside of the bed to drill the holes. I then mounted the antenna connector and antenna cable to the bracket. Then I mounted the bracket inside the stake pocket. It's kinda tight, but once I got the bolts lined up, it was easy to tighten them with a wrench and rachet / socket. On one of the bolts, I ran a ground wire to the frame to ensure the ground (due to paint on one side and a Rhino Liner on the other). I then mounted the antenna in the bracket inside the stake pocket, again, it's tight quarters, but I got a pair of slip-joint pliers to work pretty well (I had to put a lock washer on the antenna, too). On my truck, I have those nice plastic bed rail covers and stake pocket covers. I wanted to keep the "clean" look, so I marked the stake pocket cover where the antenna would come through, and I drilled a 1" hole in it. Then I slid the cover over the antenna and put the cover back in place. It turned out really nice and clean. It was kinda tricky mounting the antenna in the bracket since it's tight, but I think it really turns out well like that. I don't have any problems with the antennas hitting the cab (even off road). I've hit tree limbs before, and they hit, but it's a rarity. I have a chest type tool box, so even my bolts for the brackets are "hidden". By the way, only the driver's side antenna on my truck is "live", the one on the passenger side is only for looks and balance.

I had a Ranger before my F150, and I mounted them the same way on it since I had a hard bed cover. I've never seen them mounted this way before, but I've never had any problems with it.

Hope this helps!