Question to everyone that has a CB. I have a 2001 F-150 with Captains chairs. What would be the best location to mount a CB, antenna, and what brand would be best. Also are there any Pro's or Cons you can see to having a CB?

Thanks,

 

One of the best places is right below the radio and cup holder at the bottom of the dash. You can actually use the bolt that is in place already to hold most cb mounting brackets. If you travel or off road or do any group rallies they are very handy.

Stay away from the Window mounted antennas for CB's unless you really don't want more than a mile range. Mag mounts are ok for temporary just be careful not to scratch the roof. You can also use a clamp mount in the bed on the cargo tie down bracket, they also have mounts that fit INSIDE the stake hole pocket. route the coax along the side under the plastic cover (step plate?) and out the back of truck cab through the little vent and into the truck bed through the rubber plug in same spot.

 

ktigre

The Uniden I have is pretty compact. I mounted it as Regulator suggested with the one screw holding the lower part of my grey dash and the black heater vent cover together. I needed to drill a hole in the center of the cb mtg bracket and bend it a little to get it to work. Also, I cut a thin strip of rubber the same size as the bracket and placed it between the bracket and the dash to eliminate scratching of the dash and rotation, since only one screw is holding the cb in place. Paint the bracket black, unless you like the gold anodized finish.
My antenna is a magnet mount on the roof.
The set-up seems to work well.

Regulator, you mention the vent in the back of the cab for wire routing. Prior posts on this board said you can get alot of dust and dirt coming thru there with it opened from the cable. Do you find this true? I haven't figured the route of my cable yet. Right now I go thru the third door and to the cb but the cable is a bit short to route nicely along door and under the dash.

The pros-emergency help, directions, just yesterday I used it to find the best way home with the seven inches of snow that fell and accidents all over.
Th cons-?

REDEYE_1

------------------
1998 F-150 XLT 4X4 supercab flareside
Bright Red, Med graphite 60/40 int
4.6L V8, Auto, 3.55 rear, HD/Tow pkg, ORP
Slider, Keyless entry/Alarm, Pwr/W/L/M/S

ADDED

Uniden PRO520XL/Wilson 1000 CB
Alpine CHM-S655RF 6 CD changer

 

How easy is it to install a cb? My brother-in-law said I should have a pro do it for optimum reception/performance. I wouldn't think it's that hard. In the SD there isn't a good place to mount a cb so I was thinking of getting a "Shelf-It" and mounting in there. Any thoughts?



------------------
Rip
2001 F350 XLT SC Dually
V10 * 4X4
Westin Platinum Series Steps
Line-X Spray In Bedliner

 

Rip350

Install consists of pwr and gnd wire hook-up.
(Most people seem to be tapping into tow pkg wiring. I tapped into my stereo juice since I installed the cb when I did my CD changer. Then route the antenna wire.

You do need to tune your antenna to the cb by using a SWR meter. If you don't have one, a shop can do it for around $10. Some better cb's have this capability built in, I think?.

I also thought of the Shelf-it, but wasn't sure if the depth was deep enough for the cb and the cable out the back without looking like it was hanging half way out the shelf-it. Plus you have to route the antenna wire thru the headliner which can be a pain sometimes. You may be able to run it along the windshield too?

REDEYE_1

------------------
1998 F-150 XLT 4X4 supercab flareside
Bright Red, Med graphite 60/40 int
4.6L V8, Auto, 3.55 rear, HD/Tow pkg, ORP
Slider, Keyless entry/Alarm, Pwr/W/L/M/S

ADDED

Uniden PRO520XL/Wilson 1000 CB
Alpine CHM-S655RF 6 CD changer

 

i mounted mine on an old car phone bracket rite under the heat a/c controlls ran my wire under the carpet through the holes in the rear of the cab and under the bed to my back bumper..took my step pad off the back bumper and drilled a hole through put the nut on and put the step pad bacck on...no holes seen anywhere..
Jim

------------------
97 4x4 ORP 4.6l
flareside supercab
rear blackouts
westin step bars(black)
side window louvers
lund shadow wiper cowel
true duals 5 in tips
k&n F.I.P.K
17in' wheels 265/70 Bridgestone dueler A/T's
ventshades
tinted windows 5%

www.f150world.com/southernthunder

[URL=C:\My Documents\armyofthenorthernvirginia_md_clr.gif[/URL]

 

I, for one, didn't want my CB hanging off the dash, so mounted it IN the dash (coupled with my Apline CD/Receiver):



------------------
VENOM 99

• Y2K F-150 SuperCab XLT 4x4
• 5.4L, 4R70W, 3.55LS ORP, Trailer Tow
• Extang BlackMax tonneau
• BedRug
• Alpine CDM-7857 CD/Receiver
• Cobra 18 WX ST Weatherband CB Radio
• envious of those with the chrome steel 5-spoke factory wheels

www.students.uiuc.edu/~cellariu

 

Nice installation Venom 99. I have the same model CB in my truck. How hard was it to mount that thing in the dash like that?

------------------
1997 F-150 Lariat
Ext Cab Short Box
4x4 Off Road Package
3.55 Gears
265/75 R16 Uniroyal Laredo M/Ts

My 2 cents worth

If you're gonna stroke it, POWERSTROKE IT!!!

 

Ok so I need some CB mounting reccomendations for a reg. cab, 5spd, with the really cheap bench seat. I cant find anywhere to put it that doesnt look tacky or require messing up the dash. I have a Cobra 25 but i think im gonna sell it and get a really small one since i dont use it much (just in case anyone is interested). Any help is appreciated.

 

Well, 1 place that I was toying around with was buying one of those overhead shelf units from Steelhorse (about $50 - 75 I think) and mounting it to that. It gets the CB out of the way, but still easy to get to. Don't know how well that would work, but just an idea. If you decide to try that, let me know how it turns out.

 

For those who have 97-99 model trucks, you can consider putting your cb where i put mine.

It's located in the little 'wallet holder' that is right in front of your right knee when you are sitting in the seat.

I drilled a small hole at the back for my power and antenna feeds, then was able to easily run the antenna cable through the gromment near the gas pedal on the firewall. My antenna is opposite my stock radio one.

HTH



------------------
Bambino Online
Owners Gallery Truck #179
1999 reg cab/short box/ORP - 3.55; 4.6l 5sp; factory snapless tonneau; twin 6" kicker sub tubes; Custom Exhaust

 

I know where you can get the export only CBs.
E-mail me, I'll give you the number.
These things can reach Jupiter...virtually.

------------------
--Lariat4WD--

2000 Ford F-150 Extended Cab Flareside 4x4 Lariat
5.4L;auto;3.55LS;Black/Silver;ORP;remote keyless;floor-shift 4wd;Class III;AM/FM/SingleCD
Mods so far:
Lund X-Terminator bug shield; Vent Shade Vent Visors; Westin Black step bars; Pendaliner bedliner; GSP black Safari Grille Guard; GTS TailBlazerII Slotted taillight covers; Clear corner lenses; under hitch backup lights; 2 KC Hilites Daylighter 6" 150W black round; Cranked torsion bars; Removed lower striping; Replaced factory ORP decals w/ silver; 2 Polk Audio EX10 10" subs under rear seat; Sony XM754HX amp; Viper 300ESP alarm
Pending
2001 Lightning taillights; White/black gauges; Replacing factory gold/maroon Lariat decals & upper stripes with silver & black
Warranty Paint Work
Entire bed possibly being repainted due to primer showing; also painting roof and passenger door due to factory defects; Changing all silver 2-tone to black
Wish list:
More lights; Flowmaster 40 Series single to dual exhaust w/ Corvette style rectangle exhaust tips; Optima red top battery; Remote starter & Prox. sensor; In-dash TV/CD/DVD/AM/FM head unit; BedRug & Soft Tonneau cover or Roll bar (not sure yet); Aluminum dash kit; Build house w/ huge garage.


Please Visit My Web Site (Updated Daily)

 

bambino--you think that you could snap a pic and show us what it looks like? What kind of CB do you have? Im just concerned about how far it'll stick out.

Thanks

 

Holy @#$@# venom that is AWESOME

------------------
97 F150 Longbed V8 4.6
K&N air filter
K&N FIPK tech MOD & removed elbow silencer
Tires: Yokohama 265/75/16 Geolander AT+
Hyper white xenon bulbs
Bedliner and raven shell
6 disc cd changer
Oil & filter used

Gasoline used

My Truck

 

Thanks for the compliments on the install, guys...

Needless to say, that installation was not trivial. It took me about 8-10 hours, from start to finish. I'm sure a pro could have had this whipped out in a mere 4-6 hours. Without the "wallet holder", I didn't think there was anywhere else to put it.

After pulling the old head unit out, I had to cut the existing opening in the black plastic mount (behind the trim panel). In the back, I had to cut out the whole rear brace. Now there's nothing behind the radio except the HVAC ducts. The Alpine is secured to the CB, which rests in the A/C controls on the bottom. There's also two holes from the side (coutesy of a Dremel) that secure the Alpine to the dash opening. Note that this BARELY fits in the opening. In fact, I still have to make a trim ring for the Apline, as the one that came with the receiver is TOO BIG on the top and bottom.

All in all, I'm happy I did it this way. It makes the installation a lot cleaner. However, if I should ever get rid of the truck and want to reinstall the OEM head unit, I would have to put a new radio mount in the dash (removing part of the dash in the process). It's STAYING this way!