Clean VHF/CB radio installs

I guess anything is possible but I don't really play the what if game. The radio being paced there, even with acknowledging the air bag system, isn't a concern for me.

 

You already are playing the “what if” game by assuming the wheel airbag will deploy first. It’s all a guess isn’t it?

But I don’t think it even matters which bag inflates first. Does it matter WHEN the radio hits you? But if you’re good with it I’m certainly good with it!

 

My point was the airbag occupies the space in front of your face. Regardless, the radio weighs next to nothing, and if acceleration x mass becomes a factor with something that light weight, you've got bigger issues.

 

Thank you!
My note 8 heats up and stops charging after 20 mins... and it only charges a few percent. It's a gimmicky pos in my opinion

 

I use the wireless charger every day. It works great for me. I put a little Stryker over it. I can still slip the phone in underneath the radio to use the charger .

 

More details on install? Thanks in advance.

 

The radio being so tiny is what made it possible for me to think that I could do it. That's an iphone X next to it in the photo.

I had to make a hole about the size of a quarter near the back of the cubby. The hole had to be bigger than I'd hoped to fit an inline fuse present on the radio's power wire. There isn't much more than 3/4" behind that panel where my hole needed to be so the fairly long, oddly shaped fuse didn't want to fit through a smaller hole at the weird angle required by the close clearance. The power wire and antenna coax go through that one hole. I used a dremel to cut the hole since I didn't know how much room I had behind it. It's a little uglier than I was hoping, but covered by the radio after the install. The radio hangs on the mount that came with it. Two screws secure it to the same panel. All the holes I made are in that one interior panel that makes the back and top of the cubby.

I was most concerned about being able to fish the coax and power from behind the cubby, but that was actually really easy. I was able to poke the power wires from the radio though the hole to where I could reach them under the dash near the drivers shins with just a straightened coat hanger, and then pull the coax back through. It was a short fish with no unexpected, impassible twists. I ran power from an "add-a-fuse" at the fusebox under the dash to the drivers left. The ground wire is under a nut on a bolt coming through the firewall. My antenna coax comes into the cab through the rubber grommet near the driver's door sill. Antenna is on a Cali-Raised bed accessory mount. Coax is inside the frame rail as it runs front to rear. Tacomaworld pictures and other installs were a huge help figuring out how to run the coax.

 

Well. Considering the airbag deploys at 320 MPH the acceleration part of the equation is right up there.

 

@Freetime I just stumbled onto your pictures of your President McKinley CB Install, looks great, I'm looking at the same radio and same location. I just have two questions for you, 1) Do you loose the cup holders on the front of the console? 2) How did you mount the bracket to the dash, self tappers?
Neither is a big deal, but curious.

 

Man, thank you so much for ALL the details. Really appreciate it!! I might have to hit you up for more later, cause I genuinely might go this route. Which radio is that? Thank you again!!

 

Just a heads up before you go drilling into that cubby, the yellow brains for the airbags are located there. Proceed carefully. Best to take that piece out and work on it at the bench.

 

My pleasure. Stuff I read on here was super helpful to me.

It works pretty well so far. My radio is a Stryker sr-25mc.

 

@Bigrich5.0 if you mount the CB back far enough, you can save the cup holders, but you're gonna have to cut out the back of the cubby to do it. I did just use the self tapping screws to mount the CB. That plastic is tough!

 

Tell me more about this setup. 10m? What do you use it for while driving?

 

Mine has been converted to operate on CB frequencies (11m) in addition to 10m. You will see a lot of 10m radios offered for sale with this conversion.

 

Do you get much traffic on 10m? I can see if it’s in you shack and you spend the morning talking to Morocco but how useful is it really as a mobile?

Most of our club spends the meeting complaining about how lousy the 10m bands are with sunspots.

Oh and good luck finding a radio shop selling illegally modded 10m/11m radios.. some guy on eBay does not mean they are legit- and when you blast everyone’s CB at 40w they are going to love you..

 

If Rick's or the Blue Parrot had a live broadcast, I might tune in, but CB frequencies have more traffic info.

 

lol, I just meant do you heard people talking on 10m bands while in your truck? It's not a very popular band for simplex, more for international or satellite bounce. I find some patches of 2m being dead and can't imagine using a quieter band for emergency comms.

 

One of my favorite movies so I couldn't resist.

I haven't listened to 10m very much at all, but on those quick scans, I didn't hear anyone.

 

Interesting. I would have assumed that its more cost-effective to buy a CB standard radio but what do I know. I am also planning a HF system for my truck though.