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CB Antenna, routing the coax

edman

By edman
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edman Enthusiast

edman

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Hey folks. I'm rather new to the GM truck community as I just bought my 96 Sierra 1500 SLE about a month ago. Whoever owned my truck before me ran a CB rig as he left the mount under the dash. So I decided that I'd try running a CB rig in it again as I've always been interested in radios and it seemed like a fun challenge. Mounting the CB was no problem. Two screws and it was in it's mount. Routing the wires for the CB and getting it connected was a wee bit harder, but still not impossible. Mounting the antenna was a headache, but still within the realm of possibility. I mounted the antenna on top of the bracket for the chrome bed rail which was an adventure because there is a steel box around the underside of the mount on the bed. Why in God's name GM put that there I'll never know. I'm pondering cutting a large hole in it to make it easier to access for future problems.

 

Now I'm left with routing the coax from the antenna and into the cab so I can turn all this from an attractive CB setup, to something that actually functions. I got my truck up on a lift and did some soul searching... or at least some undercarriage searching. I couldn't find any simple way to get the coax from the 'outside' to the 'inside'. I know that there are about a bazillion GM drivers that run CB setups cause I see the telltale whip antennas all over the place so I figure this was the place to ask. So for you CB guys, how the hell do you get your coax in your cab?

-Ed

LarryE Senior Enthusiast

LarryE

Posted
Posted

pull back the carpet and there is drain plugs in the floor.. just route the wire through the frame and cut a hole in the plugs

edman Enthusiast

edman

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Well I pulled back the carpet and unfortunately there were no drain holes. It was all solid metal floorpan. I've heard of some people routing it through the parking brake cable grommet. This must be a difference between older and newer body styles because the grommet and subsequent hole around the PB cable in my cab is tiny. There's no stinkin way I'm getting a coax cable through there, much less the jack on the end. There's also no vent at the back of the cab between the cab and bed. Their is a solid metal panel on the bottom right portion of the cab that looks like it may have been meant to have been a vent but it is still solid metal. I fear that my only option may be to take a drill after the floorpan. At least that way I can route it into the cab exactly where I want it.

-Ed

Mighty HD Senior Enthusiast

Mighty HD

Posted
Posted

Run it through the cab vents between the bed and the rear of the cab, under the back window. That's were I have mine ran at. No holes to cut and no risks of leaks.

 

Hope this helps.

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