CBI CB Antenna Bracket

[Sig_Fan_55]

Yea I'm running a 2ft firestik right now and I think it's the contrast of the silver spring and the black antenna and mount and just how beefy the firestik's are. I'm gonna try and plastidip the spring to see if it won't bother me as much. Plastidip is the only thing I can think of that should have some elasticity to it for when the spring flexes without cracking.

Here's another shot further back.

 

[Jhalko]

Yea I'm running a 2ft firestik right now and I think it's the contrast of the silver spring and the black antenna and mount and just how beefy the firestik's are. I'm gonna try and plastidip the spring to see if it won't bother me as much. Plastidip is the only thing I can think of that should have some elasticity to it for when the spring flexes without cracking.

Glad you posted that pic, I took one (looks identical) then promptly forgot to post it! I'm running a 3ft firefly antenna, honestly I forget it is there except when I pull in and out of my garage and it bangs on the doorway. No idea what range I have but works for the trail.

 

[e60ral]

Are they all that slanted? I think i'm going to need to find another mount

 

[Jhalko]

Are they all that slanted? I think i'm going to need to find another mount

Haven't seen any that didn't have that bend. Might look a little worse based on angle of his pic. Honestly it's really just a ditch bracket they will sell you for a markup for your antenna. Good for the ditches given adjustability, works for an antenna.

 

[LawnDart]

I think I'll just mount mine on the CBI rear bumper, because these brackets just look...ehhhhhhh...

 

[e60ral]

If anyone wants mine let me know

 

[Sig_Fan_55]

Yea the pic makes it look worse than it is but it is an annoying angle. It's tilted forward towards the front end and leans away from the truck. I tried to bend it while it was mounted and that thing ain't moving.

Not impressed with how it looks. The mount is great quality for a ditch light but antenna mount not so much.

 

[Sig_Fan_55]

If anyone needs better angle pics for reference let me know and I can take a few more.

 

[Jhalko]

I think I'll just mount mine on the CBI rear bumper, because these brackets just look...ehhhhhhh...

Not everyone is cool enough to have a rear CBI (with swing out) to mount an antenna to...

Yea the pic makes it look worse than it is but it is an annoying angle. It's tilted forward towards the front end and leans away from the truck. I tried to bend it while it was mounted and that thing ain't moving.

Probably would need to heat it up, I thought I remember someone adjusting it when they first came out, it's been awhile ago though. I never notice it and honestly had forgotten about the lean until it was pointed out, guess I'm just oblivious to little details like that.

 

[TXota]

FYI for anyone looking to install this, I looked up the torque spec in several online ref manuals and they all say 10ft lbs for the hood hinge. I ended up getting a 9in copper grounding cable and attaching it to the base of the hood support shock. The two screws at the base of the hood support should be torqued to 13ft lbs.

 

[TXota]

Here are a few pictures after the install. The clearance is really tight between the antenna base and the fender. I actually scratched the fender a little with the screw when I installed it. I only plan on using the 5ft antenna when I am in the middle of no where. The white 2ft one is going to stay on the vehicle. In the first picture you can see where I did melt the plastic to get the hood to close and you can also see where I routed the wire cable through the firewall. I attached a 9in ground cable to one of the mount bolts and to the base of the shock that supports the hood.

List of items installed:

Midland 75-822 40-Channel CB Radio : http://amzn.com/B00000K2YR
FireStik K-8R9 9 foot Fire-Flex coax cable with Fire-Ring : http://amzn.com/B000X39TFG
Radio Shack no solder no crimp PL-259 : https://www.radioshack.com/products/no-crimp-solderless-pl-259-plu?variant=5717633349
Firestik K4R HEAVY-DUTY STUD MOUNT with 1.25 in. BOLT : http://amzn.com/B00P9JEUFI
Firestik SS-3H Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Antenna Spring : http://amzn.com/B00042LC9M
2' Firestik(R) II FS Series Tunable Tip CB Antenna - 300 Watts White FS-2WH : http://amzn.com/B000X4PWRY
FireStik 5 feet II TUNABLE TIP BLACK : http://amzn.com/B000X3EP7I
PanaVise ClipCaddy Holder : http://amzn.com/B000I7RI7I
Allstar Performance ALL76330 Copper Ground Strap, 9" : http://amzn.com/B00F0CILM2
FIRESTIK II MODEL PLASTIC TIPS WHITE : http://amzn.com/B00IKM9T20
FIRESTIK II CB RADIO ANTENNA REPLACEMENT TIPS BLACK (FS SERIES) : http://amzn.com/B00IKM786E
ABN Premium Auto Trim Removal Tool Kit - 5 Piece Pry Bar Set , Fastener Remover : http://amzn.com/B00KCXMCTM

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[Jhalko]

Here are a few pictures after the install. The clearance is really tight between the antenna base and the fender. I actually scratched the fender a little with the screw when I installed it. I only plan on using the 5ft antenna when I am in the middle of no where. The white 2ft one is going to stay on the vehicle. In the first picture you can see where I did melt the plastic to get the hood to close and you can also see where I routed the wire cable through the firewall. I attached a 9in ground cable to one of the mount bolts and to the base of the shock that supports the hood.

Interesting how you grounded, I ran my ground strap from the bolt the goes through the bracket stud, basically just below the spring. If that works it would certainly be better as out of the elements and not another wire coming out (not that it's noticeable really),

Um, is your truck happy to see you or what! :faint:

 

[Miguelon]

OR....you could simply drill a hole in the CBI ditch light brackets and get a 2fer

 

[Jhalko]

OR....you could simply drill a hole in the CBI ditch light brackets and get a 2fer

Don't follow you here, doesn't strike me there is enough room for lights and an antenna.

 

[Miguelon]

Don't follow you here, doesn't strike me there is enough room for lights and an antenna.

Plenty of room on the CBI Ditch Light bracket for both.

 

[Jhalko]

Plenty of room on the CBI Ditch Light bracket for both.

Shows how much attention I pay to things bolted to my truck. Doh! :bathbaby:

 

[Sig_Fan_55]

Here are a few pictures after the install. The clearance is really tight between the antenna base and the fender. I actually scratched the fender a little with the screw when I installed it. I only plan on using the 5ft antenna when I am in the middle of no where. The white 2ft one is going to stay on the vehicle. In the first picture you can see where I did melt the plastic to get the hood to close and you can also see where I routed the wire cable through the firewall. I attached a 9in ground cable to one of the mount bolts and to the base of the shock that supports the hood.

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Have you tested to make sure the ground is getting to the antenna? I would think the powder coat would kill conductivity unless you sand it down at both holes (where the ground strap meets and where the fire ring meet).

 

[e60ral]

If anyone wants a passenger side mount let me know, I'm just going to use a standard NMO L bracket and screw it to the inside edge of the fender tab instead of this

 

[TXota]

I have 1.3-1.4 SWR on ch1 and 40 on both antennas. I talked to Firestik and they said if I have that SWR then I don't have any ground issues.

 

[cjacob316]

I wasn't getting any continuity when I tried a ground strap, so I scraped away the paint. The angle of the antenna bugs me, I need to figure out how to heat it enough to bend it.