To date, I've been using a magnet mounted antenna on the roof. I've since been trying one of those custom mounts that come out from the tailgate. My question is, for you guys who have mounted an antenna in the bed area of the truck, are you making the antenna cable a permanent installation or just pulling the cable thru a door/window when needed?

For those who have made it permanent, how did you route the cable from the bed to the cabin? Are there any existing holes that you used to feed the cable into the cabin? There's really not enough room in that space between the cab and the bed to drill a hole for the cable. I'm thinking my only option will be to come up from the floor.

 

There is a Drainhole in the floor (on both sides of the cab in the rear.. infront of the rear seats). If you take out one of the rear jump seats and the plastic scuffgaurd that runs from the back of the cab to the front (it more or less holds the carpet down). You will see a rubber filler that covers the drain hole. I cut mine in a ''X" shape and ran the coax into the cab that way

 

Thanks. I'll try that. I'll just have to seal-it back up real good, so I don't take on water while wheelin'.

 

you maybe able to get to it without taking out the rear jump seat.. im not too sure since i took out my jumpseats over a year ago lol

 

I have the same idea for when I permanetly mount mine. I am almost positive you do not need to take out the rear jump seat. To seal my X off I figure I will pull enough through to give some slack and then pull out the RTV silicone and seal er up good. I love RTV. Blades

 

i ran mine through one of the grommets, then once it was to the bed, theres a space above the fender you can use, then get to it by taking out the tail light.

i'm assuming you got the brackets ok? make sure you post up pictures when you're all done with it

 

do you guys think i would get decect recepetion if i mounted an antenna underneath the bed rail? im not entirely sure i want an antenna sticking out but might have to deal with it or no cb altogether.

 

Yes Alon, I got the brackets. The 1st thing I had to do was sand the paint from the mounting points to obtain the best ground possible. I have a stepside, so the amount of metal I have to work with is limited to begin with. Rainmaka, a CB antenna is not made to be positioned horizontally. It may work for extremely short distances, but I doubt you'll even come close to getting an acceptable SWR reading.

 

... one last related question. Is the plug along the side of floor, in the middle of the floor, etc? I'm hoping it's not dead-smack in the middle of the rear floor. Then I'll have to deal with the cable running under the carpet from the middle to the sides (where I plan to route it).

 

its halfway between the middle hump and the sides.. there is one on each side of the cab.

 

there is one right under your driver seat as well that isnt nearly as noticeable.......

 

Thanks to both of you. I'm liking the sounds of the that one under the driver's seat, since my CB "mount" vertically, along the front edge of my split-bucket seat.

 

SUCCESS. I was able to re-route the coax under the truck, along the rail on the passenger's side. I used the drain hole on the passenger's side rear. It's so nice now not to have to dissconnect the CB when it's raining and be able to close the rear sliding window again. Thanks for everyone's help.

 

pics please.

 

I'll try to get pictures over the next few days. There's really not much to see that's any different from the ones posted already. It's a bracket mounted to the tailgate top latch bolt, with an antenna mounted. I am not getting the SWR that I'd really like to see. The SWR will be adequite for the mid-range channels that I regullarly use, but it's higher than I'd like to see on the upper range. I'm using the Wilson 4' flex fiberglass antenna. It's getting out fine, but I really want to lower that SWR. Keep in mind, I have a stepside, so there's more fiberglass in the back of the truck than there is metal/steal. I may try a ground strap from the bed-rail up to the tailgate mount.

 

so i'm guessing the mounts worked out ok then? were there any problems with em?

 

Yes, it worked out OK, however I suggest only painting them at the buyer's request. At each mounting point, on both ends, the paint needs to be removed to even have the slightest chance of obtaining a ground. I Dremel'ed the paint from the end that mounted to the truck and in that hole, as well as on the other end where the antenna and coax mount. It was not an issue for me, but for someone that doesn't have the tools to sand/file the paint down, it may be a problem.