2020 Tacoma 2-Way Radio Install Advice

Might be shopping for a new Tacoma this year and am wondering about drilling 2 holes on the roof for NMO antennas and installing 2 radios. Prolly a ham rig and a scanner. Any tips or advice? Anyone done installs on 3rd generation Tacomas and can share experiences? Some problems I can foresee:

Pulling down the headliner
Wires, airbags, sensors, microphones, etc... getting in the way
Cleaning up the metal shavings after drilling
Where are the grommets
Wiring the radios directly to the battery
Mounting the radio control heads & bodies somewhere

 

Pulling the headliner is a med PITA. A lot of peeps in stall the antennas on the tail gates.

My tailgate CB mount.



Headliner down, sound deading install.

 

Years ago, like around 1992 or so, I installed a Kenwood 630 transceiver in my 1987 SR5. I used window-mount antennas, one for 144 and the other for 220 MHz. I put the 144 MHz antenna on the driver's side. Those were thru-the-window mounts, BTW. I did that so I could easily grab and bend the longer antenna (about 2 feet) down when I drove into my garage. The 220 MHz antenna was only about 18 inches tall and so I didn't worry about that one. The installation never let me down and I had absolutely no problems transmitting or receiving.

When I bought my 1998 TRD (in 1998) I transferred the radio and antennas to that truck. Again, I had no problems sending or receiving. (Problem was, on the Western Slope there isn't anybody on those airwaves to talk with.)

I recommend that you consider that option. It worked for me and it will work for you.