Clean VHF/CB radio installs

You won't want to cover the entire part with paint. Tape off the parts where the spring attaches to the stud and antenna so you'll keep continuity. Same for the part of the mount/bracket where the stud will go. Because you'll be attaching it on a mount, on a mount, on a hood, you'll most likely want to run a ground from the mount with the stud to a grounded part of the vehicle. Braided grounds in short distances work best but sometimes that's not practical.

CaliRaised makes ditch/A-pillar light bracket extensions if you wish to go that route. I have just their pod bracket and they are great. If you have a drill, saw, and file and some scrap metal you could make one fairly easily.

https://caliraisedled.com/collections/2016-toyota-tacoma/products/ditch-light-bracket-extensions

 

Finally got a picture of both radios in the truck. The CB is a Uniden 520 and the Ham radio is a Yaesu FTM-100DR. The body of the Yaesu is under the drivers seat with access to the Micro SD slot and the USB cable. I'm using a Rigrunner up under the dash to distribute power to both radio's along with the go-pro that's hard wired in. This keeps only one power cable coming through the firewall and nothing tied into the fuse block under the dash. The Rigrunner has a 40 amp beaker close to the battery. Both antennas are on ditch light brackets from Rago Fabrication. The hole needed to be drilled out some for the CB antenna, but the NMO for the ham needed an larger mounting area. My fabrication skills are mediocre at best, but I proceeded to make a bracket for the antenna anyways with OK results.

 

Oh man, I just realized I never replied.

Box for the CB is under the console. I was able to use a plastic trim removal tool to get the blank out and with the center console removed I was able to snake the wire.

 

This is as clean as I can get for now. Cali raised bracket with antenna cable run along frame into cab and center console. I am going to use a midland 75-823 hand held to save space.

 

Sure would be nice if there was a DIN mount for the useless cubby where the optional cordless charger goes.

 

Yeah I would love to see a write up before I tear mine up I'm curious how much room we have to fit in there back behind the plastic.

 

Looks great! Thanks for choosing us.

 

Do you have pics of your antenna setup?

 

Here is a picture of the CB antenna. I don't have a picture of the NMO antenna, but it's basically the same except with a mettle bracket extended out due to the size of the NMO fitting. I'll see if I can get a picture of the NMO today.

 

On the 2nd gens the airbag controller was behind that cubby. No good for drilling and fitting..

I’ve seen diy brackets made to hold a radio up at the front, or even stuck on the back of that cubby.

I find we use both cup holders too much for that to be a good spot.

 

Ive the the MT so the cup holders are set behind the shifter toward the center console but i would hate to knuckle the CB everytime I shift into 3rd or 5th.

 

I just ordered a set of these............I think they will work just fine to mount my 4' firestik antenna onto

Thanks

 

Still a work in progress but thought that i'd give a little back since so many others have posted helpful things in the past.

Over the weekend I installed a Cobra 75 CB radio (for FJ summit this summer) and a Kenwood D710G ham radio.

For the CB I used:
4' firestick No Ground Plane kit from rightchannelradios. Came with a NGP coax, a 3 way mount, and a 4' antenna.
I made a little backing plate to slide into the bed rails to mount the antenna bracket to and then ran the coax from under the driver's seat, to the back seat, through the grommet that's in the middle under the carpet, and then into the bed. The ring terminal is then soldered on and connected to the spring thing.


For the ham radio:
I got a diamond SG7500NMO antenna, Larsen NMOKHFUD coax (no connector on the end), and a mount for the chevy trucks that someone else mentioned here. Part number for the mount is CVANTPF.
The radio itself is velcroed to the carpet under the driver's seat (like the cobra box thing). Surprisingly this was more solid than I was expecting. The antenna mount had to be modified slightly by drilling a new hole for the mounting bolt, and had to be shimmed slightly to get the slope right but otherwise fit okay. There's just barely enough space for it to clear the hood as it opens and closes.
The faceplate or whatever it's called that controls the radio is on a 3D printed ram mount adapter that I made. The ram mounts are mounted to the dash using that aluminum plate from this thread: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...t-ram-compatible.507347/page-25#post-17672385

I installed the NMO mount and ran the coax through the firewall to under the driver's seat. Next weekend I will try to solder on the

$43 PL259 USA Made PL-259 Improved Double Shielded RG-58u for FireStik Antenna K-8A 18-Foot Single CB/Ham Coax Cable

PL259 connector and run power for the 2 radios from my aux fuse box.


Here are a few pics that I took once everything was installed.

 

Okay,

Well, just to keep up-to-date on my build, so as to ask further advice. I have the following parts on order.

- President "Andy" CB
- Firestik FS4-B 4' antenna (black)
- Firestik K-4 Lug style stud mount
- Firestik FSTB replacement tip in black (trying to keep everything blacked out)
- Caliraised LED ditch light bracket extensions

I am hoping to use the Caliraised LED ditch light bracket extensions by attaching one of them to my driver side SDHQ ditch light bracket.

I took the advice and got the Firestik K-4 lug style stud to mount the antenna too.

I am not sure I completely understand what you are saying about the type of cable I should get. I looked up the firestik fire ring, but everything looks like the so called PL-259 connection is already attached to the cable. I do see how it would be much easier to run through the firewall and such without this connection attached, but how do I find one without this attached?

I suppose I could always cut it off and then take it to a radio shop later and have them reconnect it? Unless there is a better alternative to this idea?

So, I need to decide on a cable (suppose I should stick with Firestik?) to connect my antenna to my CB.

Can anyone think of anything else I will need to get this started? I will have to research how to attached the antenna to the bracket and stud once I get the parts in hand. Not sure about grounding out and stuff like that, as this is totally new to me.

Thanks for any further advice!

Here are some pictures of my current ditch light mounts.

 

I can help you with the type of coax. Just cut the end off and put a new one on. Pretty simple process.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InBNyWI1-Ys

 

The k4 lug won't play nice with the FireRing. You'll need to get a cable with lugs on it, or if you are good at soldering you could get most any cable, cut off whatever connector is on it and add your own lugs. Looking at the links below, this cable with lugs has also been discussed here.

The lugs go on the antenna side, the PL-259 is on the radio side. If you don't want to cut/solder your brand new cable it would be easier to get the lugs through the firewall (or however you plan on doing it) by starting inside the cab, that way you don't have to squeeze the huge pl-259 through a tight spot.

Let me know if you have any other questions or this wasn't super clear, I did a similar install using Lug connectors a few months ago. It's in this thread.

 

Okay, I understand. Thanks for responding. I do have a question. One the cable that you posted above that would work for me and the K4 lug. There is two connections on the antenna end. Do both of those attach to the stud? I have looked for an install video or something about the K4 stud, but have not found one yet. I will look back through this thread as well as you suggested. Thanks.

 

The pictures here should help outline how that all works. I found it somewhere in this thread (or the other CB thread)

 

I went back through my order history and this is the cable I bought. The PL-259 connector was not attached, but looking at the picture it is so I'm not sure if they went with just having it attached or if the picture is wrong.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EARXF06/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


If it is attached your going to need a big hole to get it through the fire wall. I saw somewhere on TW, possibly this thread where someone pulled the AC drain out to run their cables and then put it back. That might give you a big enough hole if it's attached. Or you could with foy1der and cut it off, run the coax where you want it and then install another PL-259. To be honest that's probably what I would do.

 

You can fit a

$43 pl259 USA made PL-259 improved double shielded rg-58u for firestik antenna K-8A 18-foot single cb/ham coax cable

pl259 through either of the large grommets on either side of the firewall. I've done it in several installs. The grommet has ample room to cut a slit big enough to push a pl-259 through.