Headliner Removal??

[steved]

Since I decided to "hard mount" both my CB and Cell antennas, I now need to figure out how the headliner comes out...



I assume the A-pillars or B-pillars (or both) need removed, but are they clipped in or screwed in??



Any guidance??



Thansk,

steved

 

[bighammer]

I thought I was going to remove mine for a CB install, but found that if you remove the dome light, you can mount just behind it working thru the hole. You might want to check out the fender mounts for the CB and put the cell antena on the roof. (I can't get into garages w/o removing CB whip)

 

[steved]

I'm not mounting the CB up there, I need it down to install the through-the-roof antennas... one is a Wilson 5000 CB Antenna (getting it off the magnet mount), the other is a Wilson Cellphone Antenna



steved

 

[JHardwick]

I popped the dome out and drilled the hole for my Wilson 1000 right behind the cross support. Then I fished the coax down the driver side "B" pillar. Quick and easy.

You won't believe the ears going from a magnet mount to a roof mount.

How much did you pay for your W5000? I've been using my 4x1446 Palomar through my W1000 at about 425w. But I just bought a 6x2879 Davemade today. Driving it with my Palomar should get me in the 1,500w range and I need a W5000.

 

[steved]

I bought my W5000 when they first come out... paid almost $100 for it at that time... I'm just going to remount it (I've had it for about 10 years now)...

I'm not expecting any improvements... my setup works really well (Connex 4600 and the W5000) as is... but any improvement will be well received!

I've ran a lil wil, W1000, and this W5000... you could tell a difference swapping from one to the other... each step up meant an improvement in TX/RX. I've pushed over 600 watts through it without issue.

I'm hoping I'm able to get both antenna mounts in there somehow...

steved

 

[JCrockett]

Steved

I mounted a low profile cell phone antenna 12" forward of the rear brake light on the cab. I had to drill a 3/4" hole into the top of the cab, but it turned out fine. A little secret to that is put down a layer of masking tape on the paint, mark the center of you hole in the tape and use a hole saw of the correct size. The tape will help the paint from flaking as the saw starts the cut. Once you punch the hole through you can get a wire coat hanger or "fish tape" if you have some and run it to one side of the cab or the other. If you pull the weather stripping back your wire will pop out where ever you want it too. Then tuck the coax behind weather stripping and run it down the A-pillar, there is a point near the top of the dash I believe that I crossed the weatherstrip threshold and got the cable to the inside of the cab, from there you tuck it behind the weather stripping then under the dash, carpet or whereever you need it to go. You cannot even tell there is anything behind the weather stripping on my install and has never leaked for over 2 years.

No need to remove the headliner or anything like that. I can take some photos and e-mail to you if you like, I don't hink I have anything in my RR. My truck is at the dealer getting the leaky cab lights fixed and a new seat, should have it back by the weekend.

This was very nerve racking for me as I did this install about a week after I got the truck hom from the dealer



Hope that helps you out. Since you are mounting 2 I would run one cable on each side of the cab so you don't double up the cable under the weather strip.



Good luck

Crockett

 

[steved]

So it sounds like its best to keep the headliner in-place?



Well, guess that's what I'll do then!



steved

 

[bighammer]

I pulled out the headliner in a reg cab and that's big enough. A quad cab would be HUGE! I'd leave it in.

Any idea of the effects of having the 2 antenae close to each other?

 

[steved]

I pulled out the headliner in a reg cab and that's big enough. A quad cab would be HUGE! I'd leave it in.



Any idea of the effects of having the 2 antenae close to each other?

Mine is a regular cab... just a regular old ST with nothing extra holding it in there...



I ran a scanner, cellphone, and 600 watt cb on my 99... other than you could bleed onto the scanner, it never caused any problems (you can only listen to the one at a time anyway)...



steved

 

[jmadden]

1. Remove pillar trim [a, upper b & upper c], coat hooks, visors & their supports

2. Disconnect electrical connector [left a-pillar]

3. Remove overhead console & dome light

4. Lower headliner... stop light may need to be disconnected

5. report back to the rest of us on how it goes... .



Doesn't sound like my kind of fun... but feel free to have at it.