By Jose A Cabrera (Jcabrera) on Tuesday, September 04, 2001 - 09:24 am: Edit

I just purchase a Radio Shack CB radio and I want to install it permanently. The speaker is at the bottom of the CB and microphone does not have speaker built in. What is the best place to install it? Do you have any pics?

Thanks!

By Mike B. on Tuesday, September 04, 2001 - 09:43 am: Edit

Jose,

I just installed mine on the left hand side of center console (driver's compartment) this weekend. I guess great minds think alike! I installed the CB as far forward as I could get it. This puts it next to my right leg. The speaker points away from the center console.

Two other alternatives are on the center console on the passenger side or on the back of the center console. If mounting it on the back of the center console, you will need to re-inforce the bracket with a backing of some sort. It's easy to get to by removing the ash tray and then the ash tray holder. You can reach your hand right up in there to attach a backing plate (or large fender washers).

I'll try to take some pictures soon.

Thanks,
Mike B.

P.S. Email me off-board if you have more questions.

By Leslie N. Bright (Leslie) on Tuesday, September 04, 2001 - 09:46 am: Edit

If it's a little one, you can mount it overhead (depending on if you have sunroofs, etc. or not).

There are pics somewhere on site of such, I believe....


-L

By Bill Bettridge (Billb) on Tuesday, September 04, 2001 - 10:28 am: Edit

I've got the Radio Shack special mounted overhead on the console - perfect fit and out of the way. Best thing is that you already have power and ground right there for the interior light and the antenna cable easily feeds in the headliner and down the A pillar.

By Jose A Cabrera (Jcabrera) on Tuesday, September 04, 2001 - 10:35 am: Edit

Bill do you have any pics? Is it mounted where the dome light is? By the sunroof switches (if equipped)?

By Mike J. (Mudd) on Tuesday, September 04, 2001 - 01:34 pm: Edit

Hey Jose,
Last week I installed a Cobra 75. It has a remote mount under my passenger seat and the mic has the channels andeverything built in! It seemed way better than mounting a crappy box in my way or my passengers. I hang it from the little coin place in the dash it's all perfect! Mike J

By Matt Milbrandt (95discovery) on Tuesday, September 04, 2001 - 02:22 pm: Edit

I installed my Cobra 25 on the passenger side of the center console. You mount it right before the spot where the console goes up to meet the dash and still have plenty of room to move the passenger seat. I drilled 3 holes with a Dremel and used 3 small machine screws and fender washers to secure the mounting bracket. The power cable is easy to route through the dash and to the fuse box. The coax isn't hard to put under the carpet out the back door to the spare tire carrier. I installed the antenna onto the spare tire carrier with no spacers and have no clearance problems. I have the stock 235/70 on the stock spare rim. If you want pictures or anything else, just ask me.

Matt

By illini84 on Tuesday, September 04, 2001 - 07:22 pm: Edit

Jose,

We recently installed a Cobra 75 WX ST with K40 magnetic mount antenna. While our last 4WD had a permanent mount, we weren't ready to drill yet. All the controls are in the handheld of the 75 -- works great. We're sure that there will probably be a day real soon when the magnetic mount will need to be more permanent.

By Bill Bettridge (Billb) on Wednesday, September 05, 2001 - 03:26 am: Edit

Jose - mine is mounted in the flat panel to the rear of the dome light - I'll take some pix and post them.

BTW - if you have sunroofs this would be tougher to do.

By Carl E. Cedeholm (Cederholm) on Wednesday, September 05, 2001 - 04:22 am: Edit

All,
I just made a bracket to hold a small CB off the center console, next to the passangers leg. I put a fused cigarret plug on the end to get power from the lighter and an magnetic mount for the antenna. I only want to use it for off road, or long trips and take it out when not in use.
I will test it's off road use this weekend...Anyone have comments on a magnetic antenna off-road. I'm concerned about tree branches?
Thoughts.
Thanks
Carl 99 DII

By Mike J. (Mudd) on Wednesday, September 05, 2001 - 04:38 am: Edit

Kiss your antenna goodbye! XOXO
You gotta mount it!

By Tate on Wednesday, September 05, 2001 - 04:41 am: Edit

Carl,
I have a radioshack special magnetic mount antenna as well. It's amazing how well it holds on. But you will find yourself getting out periodically when a branch scrubs the roof and knocks the mount over. Definitely not good in the long term for offroad use. And there's really no place to put it except the bumpers on the DI (all panels except roof are aluminum). Putting it on the rear bumper might work...but I haven't tried it.

By Jeff Bieler (Mrbieler) on Wednesday, September 05, 2001 - 04:49 am: Edit

You can mount it to the tire rack. Just run a ground line down to the frame. You have to run the antenna cable anyway, so just zip tie it to that.

By Carl E. Cedeholm (Cederholm) on Wednesday, September 05, 2001 - 05:53 am: Edit

That's what I thought! I think a spare tire mount is in the future. I was looking at the Radio Shack, through the glass, antennas...Mabe on the back glass???
Any success with that??
I havn't used the magnet yet (I didn't trust it)so I might exchange it.
I do have a adventure rack and thought about mounting a "mirror mount" to it, have it up when on the road and lie it flat when off road....I know the range on the antenna will suffer but would it work for closely packed trucks??

By Mike J. (Mudd) on Wednesday, September 05, 2001 - 06:05 am: Edit

Mount the Firestick on the spare no probs, and It's worth it for me to tell you one more time how cool the Cobra 75 fits and works. If you want to remove it you can unplug it from under the passenger seat and hide it all away. It's the shit! I held all the othe units in my truck and hated the way they looked and clogged up space. Check the Cobra & Firestick websites if you dont have a store near you. and no i'm not a rep just stocked on how it all turned out for me.

By Chris DeJesus (Mudy_Ovl) on Wednesday, September 05, 2001 - 06:21 am: Edit

Jose,
I just intalled an antenna to my Disco using A radio Shack Gutter Mount bracket (about $10.00) I had to modify the clamp to fit the thicker gutter on the Disco. The bracket fits on the chamfered corner section of the right rear gutter. I used a Firestik II 3' antenna, Firestik's Swivel mount base with spring and 18' coax cable ($45.00 for all). Now my antenna sits high above the roof for better reception. When not in use or driving under low structures I can loosen the wing nut and drop the antenna down and the antenna tip sits in the gutter along the side and doesn't come out even in heavy winds or bouncing. I will have pics posted soon. I ran the cables down the door seal to the wire loom and into the cab by the door hinge and grounded my antenna to the lowest door hinge bolt. Coax was long enough to route all the way to the center console up front. I am making a bracket that will fit over the left edge of the center console and have a lip to sit under the rubber pad. I want to be able to remove the radio and not leave a bracket or holes visible. I will have drawings of the bracket soon too.
CD

By Jose A Cabrera (Jcabrera) on Wednesday, September 05, 2001 - 07:19 am: Edit

See the antenna has not been the problem, I have roof rack and it mount right there. Some of the discoweb.org visitors have been of great help by e-mailing pics where the CB mounts. The best I have seen is the one mounted on front of the dome light, if you have sunroof (like I do) it might get in the way but it is not big deal. I just don’t know how to run the antenna & the power wires to it. Any further suggestions?

By Chris DeJesus (Mudy_Ovl) on Wednesday, September 05, 2001 - 08:45 am: Edit

Just an idea: Here is my CB console bracket design. Yes, those are obround countersinks to allow use of flathead screws to secure the CB radio's bracket to the console bracket. Foam will be used to prevent scratching the plastic and provide a better fit. The small lip fits under the console's rubber mat. I am making them so color choice is varied, just ask if it is available.
First view:
Second view (obround countersinks):
Feed back is welcome.
CD

By Jose A Cabrera (Jcabrera) on Wednesday, September 05, 2001 - 08:49 am: Edit

Chris, those are great looking brackets but, I am having a difficult time picturing it where it goes. Do you have any pics of it positioned where it goes?

By Jose A Cabrera (Jcabrera) on Wednesday, September 05, 2001 - 08:52 am: Edit

Never mind Chris I got it now. That is great. Is it secured enough when off-roading?

By Chris Browne on Wednesday, September 05, 2001 - 09:03 am: Edit

I drilled the upright of my Thule bars for the aerial mount and run the wire through an open window.
Works fine and probably gives you a decent ground plane (what that is and why its useful dunno, but people seem to like having a good ground plane....)

By Axel Haakonsen (Axel) on Wednesday, September 05, 2001 - 09:16 am: Edit

The best (and usually cheapest) source for CB's and accessories is your nearest truck stop. (Pilot, Flying J, TA etc). They carry all sorts of radios, antennas, antenna mounts and cables (and other cool stuff, too...)

By Chris DeJesus (Mudy_Ovl) on Wednesday, September 05, 2001 - 09:39 am: Edit

Jose,
I think the combination of foam and the rubber mat sitting on the lip will hold the bracket securely. If not, holes can be added to the little lip to secure the bracket to the console floor under the rubber. This way, no holes are visible with the bracket removed.
CD

By Jose A Cabrera (Jcabrera) on Wednesday, September 05, 2001 - 12:12 pm: Edit

CD,
I like this idea the best. I got your e-mail too. Thanks!

By Dean Brown (Deanbrown3d) on Wednesday, September 05, 2001 - 03:11 pm: Edit

Carl,
I was thinking of putting my mag-mount flexible-whip antenna on the roof, with some kind of clamp on the roof rack to hold it down. The one I have is pretty damn flexible, so I think this may work. We'll see on saturday! Plenty of branches!

Dean

By Bill Bettridge (Billb) on Wednesday, September 05, 2001 - 04:17 pm: Edit

Jose,
just in case you were still interested in overhead mounting...

By Jose A Cabrera (Jcabrera) on Wednesday, September 05, 2001 - 05:29 pm: Edit

Bill that looks great! I might be able to run the wires in the map compartment.... I look into it. Thanks a million!