This forum is dedicated to helping people with questions about installing radio equipment in vehicles. This can include antenna installs, electrical wiring questions/problems, and mounting systems. Pictures of installs are welcome.
Note: Discussions regarding lighting, sirens, and other equipment now has its own forum in the 'off-topic' section below.
I just bought a 2001 silverado Ext. cab I don't want to drill through the body so I installed a Glass mount antenna, Well ther tint on the window is making my SWR way too High.
So I guess the next option is to mount it on the Front fender.. There is a rubber strip that goes along the edge I will have to cut or remove anyone done this I don't think it will hurt anything ????
Or does someone else have a Better Idea on mounting location??? Will out drilling the body or roof??
I have a 02 Sierra ext cab and use a Mag Mount UHF on the roof with the cable exiting the 3rd brake light. Just filed the lens to clear the cable and used connector sealant to waterproof the opening. Works great.
Just remember to take it off and clean the surface everytime you wash the car or have any moisture, or eles u gonna see rust mark, we all learn the hard way lol
Since you have a Truck with a Tow hitch I presume, why not have your antenna on one of those kinda Tow mounts. They are being sold for use on mobile HF, and depending on what you want to do, it might work well for you. Check it out. Best part is that it can be removed without much problem.
A glass mount antenna will work depending on the freq you are using it for. First, buy a quality antenna. Second, use a razor and cut the tint 1/8" smaller than the inside part of the antenna (if it is aftermarket tint, if it is factory tint it will not affect performance). The way to tell aftermarket from factory, in a not so noticeable place use a razor and see if you can scratch it, if you can it is aftermarket, if you can't it's factory. Also, don't try to mount the antenna on the dark "sun visor" tint on the front windshield, you know the dark tint on the top. Third, make sure your ground straps are good. Don't just shoot a small screw through them and think you have a good ground. You need to remove all the paint from where the ground strap makes contact with the metal. I use a small wire wheel on a drill to remove the paint. I can normally get a 110 watt Spectra down to almost 0 reflected that way.
On a silverado on the driver's side under the hood look all the way to the corner where the door and fender meet. On the firewall itself there is a large group of wires loomed together use a pull wire (a antenna rod sharpened at both ends works great) push through the grommet on the side closest to the fender visualize the loomed wires coming out the other side and try to curve your pull wire towards the kick panel. It should come out inside the cab between the junction box behind the emergency brake and the kick panel. Tape the coax to the end sticking out underneath the hood about 6" worth and rub some liquid soap on it. Will pull through pretty easily. You can use the same method going the other way for power. I have put 4 strobe cables, coax, and 2 8-gauge wires through it with no problems.
fire-medic8104 wrote:On a silverado on the driver's side under the hood look all the way to the corner where the door and fender meet. On the firewall itself there is a large group of wires loomed together use a pull wire (a antenna rod sharpened at both ends works great) push through the grommet on the side closest to the fender visualize the loomed wires coming out the other side and try to curve your pull wire towards the kick panel. It should come out inside the cab between the junction box behind the emergency brake and the kick panel. Tape the coax to the end sticking out underneath the hood about 6" worth and rub some liquid soap on it. Will pull through pretty easily. You can use the same method going the other way for power. I have put 4 strobe cables, coax, and 2 8-gauge wires through it with no problems.
Do you know if this is the same way on an 01 Tahoe? Do you or anyone else know of a good spot to run coax, power, and siren speaker wires through an 01 Tahoe firewall?
I believe the Tahoe will do the same thing. I think they are built the same as far as the front half. Take a look underneath the hood and see if you see the same things as I described to AB8JD. If so it will work. It was kind of a Chevy truck and suv thing. 1/2 ton and up normally have this entry. Let me know if you need more descriptions.
If you have an automatic, you could always knock out the opening where the clutch would have been. Plenty of room there, there is an actual cutout in the soundproofing/heatshield on the inside of the truck. Just drill a hole thru the firewall where the knockout was. Works nicely
I just bought a 2001 silverado Ext. cab I don't want to drill through the body so I installed a Glass mount antenna, Well ther tint on the window is making my SWR way too High.
