CB Radio Wiring Question

Tigerman

Tigerman

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North Hills, CA
Hello All,

I just ordered a Uniden 510 CB radio, a Wilson 4' flexible antenna and a 12' cable to go along. Before I install all of this, would you guys give me some recommendations please?

My plan was was to mount the antenna to the tail light with a DIY bracket, run the cable somehow to the front and mount the radio to the center console sideways, on the the driver side. The power wires I was going to run to the cigarette lighter.

What is the best way to run the antenna wire from the tail light?
Did you guys make your own bracket for the mounting of the radio to the console or bought one?
Is it better to wire the radio directly to the battery (will I get the engine static if I wire to the cigarette lighter)?

Thanks
 
Tigerman said:
Hello All,

I just ordered a Uniden 510 CB radio, a Wilson 4' flexible antenna and a 12' cable to go along. Before I install all of this, would you guys give me some recommendations please?

My plan was was to mount the antenna to the tail light with a DIY bracket, run the cable somehow to the front and mount the radio to the center console sideways, on the the driver side. The power wires I was going to run to the cigarette lighter.

What is the best way to run the antenna wire from the tail light?
Did you guys make your own bracket for the mounting of the radio to the console or bought one?
Is it better to wire the radio directly to the battery (will I get the engine static if I wire to the cigarette lighter)?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Just run the Coax through the hole where the taillight wires are then zip tie to the other wire harnesses running along the frame, up through engine bay and through firewall to the cab.

I wired power to the glove box fuses using a fuse tap.

I use the teraflex bracket by rear driver tailgate. Does require a hole in the https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006D9W2I0/?tag=wranglerorg-20

You’d need to file powder coat from the hole so there’s metal on metal contact.
 
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I'm looking at a similar setup, and I thought the Arizona Rocky Road mount on the center brake light looked good. Then you can just run the cable over the tailgate and up to the dash under the carpet.

Bababooey said:
Tapping into a fuse would work well, however the recommended route is to wire (with a fuse) directly to the battery so as to prevent as much electrical interference as possible.
Click to expand...

Is there a wiring harness that works well for that? How would you route power back through the firewall?
 
The generally accepted "best practice" is to wire a CB or ham radio directly to the battery. You may or may not get RF interference through an accessory power circuit - wiring directly to the battery eliminates that possibility.

As far as routing the coax from a tail light bracket to the radio, just run it into the tub at a convenient spot and then along the driver's side adjacent to the existing wires, and then across the floor to the console, or alternatively under the carpet on the floor to the console. Just don't coil it or make sharp bends.

Jerry Cans.jpg
 
You can either pass the wire through an existing grommet in your firewall, or drill a new hole (there is lots of open space above the passenger footwell) and run the wires through there, but you should definitely use a rubber grommet if you drill your own hole. No harness is needed. Just use the wires on the radio. They may need to be lengthened using similar gauge wire. You can solder and heat shrink the wires, or use crimp connectors if you’re not comfortable soldering.
 
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Bababooey said:
You can either pass the wire through an existing grommet in your firewall, or drill a new hole (there is lots of open space above the passenger footwell) and run the wires through there, but you should definitely use a rubber grommet if you drill your own hole. No harness is needed. Just use the wires on the radio. They may need to be lengthened using similar gauge wire. You can solder and heat shrink the wires, or use crimp connectors if you’re not comfortable soldering.
Click to expand...
Cool. Thanks.

I suppose I could put the harness together, but I was kind of looking something like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004BT7VX0/?tag=wranglerorg-20

It's got the fuse block and a relay to switch on the circuits by tapping into one of the circuits in the factory fuse block. And it has a 30W circuit, which is good since 20W might not be enough for a CB.

It's kind of expensive, for what it is, though. Seems like it might be cheaper to just build it.
 
Be sure and find a VERY solid place to ground- scrape paint, drill a hold for a bolt, whatever you have to do. A vast majority if issues with CBs are due to faulty grounds, in my experience.

FWIW, I gave up on mobile CBs completely, mostly because someone in the group invariably had a radio issue (me included). A HH CB, or better yet a HH 2m, is preferable for me, but requires all in your group to have one. And oh yeah, technically licenses.
 
fuse said:
Cool. Thanks.

I suppose I could put the harness together, but I was kind of looking something like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004BT7VX0/?tag=wranglerorg-20

It's got the fuse block and a relay to switch on the circuits by tapping into one of the circuits in the factory fuse block. And it has a 30W circuit, which is good since 20W might not be enough for a CB.

It's kind of expensive, for what it is, though. Seems like it might be cheaper to just build it.
Click to expand...

Yeah, you really don’t need that. Just wire the cb straight to the battery. Cheaper, easier, and better.
 
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I have waiting in a box in the garage

Blue Sea Systems ST-Blade Battery Terminal Mount Fuse Block Kit
To provide the fuse close to the battery

I am bringing that in to the A post an then mounting in a Anderson Powerpole So that I can use them for Emergencies out of the jeep.

2cf3d86632f121b813fd937fb2bafdff.jpg


https://www.quadratec.com/sites/default/files/styles/product_zoomed/public/product_images/152979.jpg

To mount the CB and the 2m / 70 cm
I have
e2811c61d346fdfe6e0e672395344843.jpg


I am too tall for the windshield center mount.

Using teraflex on Dr and Ps Side

I


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
The way you show with a spade connector and inline fuse will work great. Mine is to unplug. The Unidentifiable 510xl is hard wired.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Hi all again,

Thanks for all the great recommendations. I will wire the radio directly to the battery as most of you suggested. It has an inline fuse, so should be fine. Made the bracket for the tail light out of 0.08" thick steel plate. It came out great. I also ran a separate grounding wire to the chassis from the bracket so it is grounded. I don't want to drill the tub to be honest. Picked up a temporary mag antenna and calibrated it last night (The real one arrives Wednesday... is it Wednesday yet?). The best readings I got out of that small cobra antenna was SWR 1.2 and 1.9 (on 40). I figured I am not going to get anything good out of it, considering it is short and the truck's hard top practically blocks it, but it did manage to pick up some channel 19 conversations on the freeway, some pretty noisy and others pretty clear. I am hoping that the 4' flex antenna by wilson will make all the difference.
I was going to mount the unit next to my leg kinda vertically, but this unit is so compact that I think I will mount it on the passenger side, to the left and bellow the glove compartment with its own bracket. Thanks for the wiring advice. Got it, no coils, no sharp bends and route along the driver side factory wires! I think the 12 ft cable should be OK.

What kind of range do you guys typically get out of a good solid installation? 2-4 miles? Is it very noisy? I have never used a CB radio before.

As I was typing this up I got a reply from Chrysler regarding the question of harmonic balancers. Darn, they did not answer the question! Tell us something we did not know. I want to share it with you guys.

Here is what I wrote:
A Case of a Transfer Case Harmonic Balancer
Comments:
Dear Chrysler, I am searching for an answer to the question of why some Jeep Wrangler (TJ) models have a transfer case harmonic balancer and it seems others, of the same year and model do not? I have searched the web for a definitive answer and no one seems to have it. Could you please help shed so me light on this subject? The Jeep community, really would like to know. Thank You

Their reply
Dear T...:
Thank you for contacting the Chrysler Customer Assistance Center.

According to available information, vehicles built with a 4.0L engine
and a manual transmission used a transfer case damper weight on the transfer case output shaft. It was installed on the vehicle to dampen driveline vibration.

Thanks again for your email

Sincerely,

Jonathan Sanders

Customer Service Representative
FCA US Customer Assistance Center
 
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Do you guys think I should use the spring at the base of the antenna? It was wobbling it all over the place last night when i hit a few bumps. I imagine this action will be tenfold offroading.
 
Mr. Bills said:
A spring will amplify the oscillation. I wouldn't recommend one since you already have a Wilson flexible antenna. Are you sure that your mount isn't flexing?
Click to expand...
Removed the spring :)

I am upset with the Wilson antenna! What is wrong with it?

I could not get it to go function below 2.5 SWR. Attaching the extra wire to the ground (basically shorting it, made it worse). I ended up going with a similar 4' flexible CB antenna by K40. This one give me 1.4 SWR with a 3.5 watt output, according to the meter. I also tested the range on it with a trucker friend who was a truck stop. I basically got on the freeway and drove away from him checking in every 30 seconds and getting a clarity report back. He could still hear me well enough at 4 miles and a little garbled at around 4.5. He could not hear me legibly passed that point even though I could hear him. That said, I think the range is good, but you tell me. One problem that still remains is the engine noise and interference. I can clearly see the RF jump up when I start the engine and start driving. The engine comes through the speaker a bit as well. Should I run a shielded wire to the battery instead of its own power wires? (Maybe a high end subwoofer wire)

Let me go over the setup, so you guys can see what is going on:
  1. The Unit (Uniden 510) is mounted under the dash board, on the passenger side, to the left of the glove box. See the picture below.
    20180925_172116.jpg

  2. The power wires are going directly to the battery terminals. I did not have to lengthen them. They were perfect.
  3. The coax (RG8X - 18ft) runs under the dashboard to the driver side and then along the wires on the bottom to the roll cage. The wire is then routed up, then along the top of the tube and then back down towards the tail light. There are no sharp twists or turns and no coils. It exits through the lift gate's rubber seal all the way in the corner. It is not pinched.
    20180927_113525.jpg
  4. The mount is made from 0.100" thick steel plate and is well grounded to the body (A copper washer and scraped off paint around the tail light bolt on the body). I checked the continuity. It is good.
  5. The stud is securely attached to the mount. The bottom of the mount has continuity with the ground and the top does not.
Here is what the whole thing looks like.
20180927_111848.jpg
 
Jeeps are electrically noisy. It is not unusual to get some interference, which may be coming from the spark plugs, injectors, alternator or any number of sources. Some have reported success in reducing the noise with a braided copper sleeve around the power lead as a shield.

I have a Uniden Pro520XL in my jeep, wired directly to the battery. I get some electrical noise with the engine running which is substantially reduced as to be almost imperceptible by using the ANL switch. What little remains is totally eliminated by turning up the squelch "just a tad."
 
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