Hi.

Okay. I'm mounting my Firestik2's to my toolbox and I have plastic bedrail caps and foam padding between the toolbox and the bed. I need to ground the antenna. I use J hooks to mount the box. Are the J hooks "a-okay" to use it as a ground to the body?? Get what I'm saying?? I havn't checked to see if the hooks are "hookin" to the plastic, if they are I could always notch the rail caps so the jooks are directly on the steel.

How'd you guys ground your antennas that are mounted to the tool box??

Thanks!!

Shane

 

If the hooks are not making a metal to metal contact with the truck bed and box, then they are not grounding anything. If that is the case, you can just add your own ground wire with some screws and an piece of wire.

 

x2...

you can always use the body to frame ground point that is on the passenger side of your truck...just run 12-16 gauge wire from the frame up to your antenna's...that would be my suggestion going off of how you're setting up your installation

 

Can current pass/flow through aluminum?? I'm using aluminum antenna mounts and have an aluminum box. I know.....stupid question....but I just don't know the answer. I might just run a ground strap from the back of the box to the front of the bed.

 

yes, current can pass through aluminum, but therein lies the problems..

aluminum is much less dense than steel....therefor the current will pass through aluminum with more resistance which will require more current...not a good thing..

also, for that to work the aluminum will have to be grounded to something on your truck, which presents another problem...Dissimilar metals are prone to corrosion (especially aluminum) when used in electrical circuits...

your best bet is to run the antenna ground to the frame as i mentioned earlier..that will help your signal reception greatly

 

Perfect rob....thanks!! Yup...I'll grab myself stainless studs, and have a ground for each antenna....might just utilize those front hooks that I can't reach to attach that ground to. Thanks for your help.

 

no problem buddy! that's what the forum is here for

 

And that's why I love it oh so much. Yea....And the cb shop is closed on my days off!