Where should I wire my CB radio to? Should I wire it to a positive and negative behind the glovebox?
The best place to wire a CB radio is directly to the battery (with an inline fuse of course). Wiring it elsewhere can often times result in static and reception that isn't as good.
I will also point out that there's nowhere on the passenger side to run the wires through the firewall into the engine bay. You'll want to run them through the driver's side firewall. There's a small plug down by the gas pedal that goes through to the firewall and already has some wires running through it. This makes it an easy job!
I will also point out that there's nowhere on the passenger side to run the wires through the firewall into the engine bay. You'll want to run them through the driver's side firewall. There's a small plug down by the gas pedal that goes through to the firewall and already has some wires running through it. This makes it an easy job!
X2 to Chris's recommendation to only power a CB or ham radio directly from the battery.
There's an easier way to connect it so it gets power directly from the battery but it's not actually on the battery itself... there's a +12v stud under a small snap-off cover at the rear of the Power Distribution Center, right in front of the battery. Crimp a ring connector onto your CB's +12v wire and after removing the stud's nut, place the connector on the stud and reinstall the nut. You now have clean +12v, you just now have to connect the CB's negative lead to a good ground point, of which there are several locations inside the engine compartment that make it easy.
There's an easier way to connect it so it gets power directly from the battery but it's not actually on the battery itself... there's a +12v stud under a small snap-off cover at the rear of the Power Distribution Center, right in front of the battery. Crimp a ring connector onto your CB's +12v wire and after removing the stud's nut, place the connector on the stud and reinstall the nut. You now have clean +12v, you just now have to connect the CB's negative lead to a good ground point, of which there are several locations inside the engine compartment that make it easy.
Now if only there was a hole in the firewall on the passenger side to run the wires through. That would make things a bit simpler!
If you have a manual transmission, there's an available rubber plug/grommet plugging an unused hole in the firewall just above and to the right of the accelerator pedal. You can drill a small hole through it and pass wiring through.
Automatic transmissions however pass their shift cables through that opening making it unusable for wiring. There is however a hole meant for the clutch pedal rod left unused with an automatic, top/driver's side of the firewall. I moved my wiring to that hole when I converted my previous TJ from a manual to an automatic transmission.
Automatic transmissions however pass their shift cables through that opening making it unusable for wiring. There is however a hole meant for the clutch pedal rod left unused with an automatic, top/driver's side of the firewall. I moved my wiring to that hole when I converted my previous TJ from a manual to an automatic transmission.
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badlieutenant
TJ Addict
I saw something in a catalog that really interested me.
This looks like something I'd really prefer as I am into integration and factory-seeming modifications.
This looks like something I'd really prefer as I am into integration and factory-seeming modifications.