CB Radio Instal...where to go? UPDATE: Did it myself (pics)

[Antlershed]

I have installed the CB in my last two trucks and installed numerous others including tuning them. My new truck is a 2011 Silverado 1/2 ton with the bucket seats in the front. I don't see a painfully obvious spot to mount the radio inside the cab, so I am looking for a place that can do the Instal so that it looks clean. Closer to the Olympia area the better. Thanks!

[grundy53]

Tagging

[Stump]

You may try a floor bracket up under the dash on the hump if you have one the wires go under the carpet one small hole and very clean look.

[Antlershed]

I have the center console that goes all the way forward to the dash

[Buck_Nasty11]

CB city up in tacoma does a good job

[MacAttack]

Do you use that front compartment? In my 02 I have a cassette player that I was thinking of putting a cb in there....I suppose they did away with those cassette players in the new rigs....

[KFhunter]

slide your seat all the way forward and mark that point on your center console

then put the seat back in your favored position

sit in the seat with your foot on the gas



is there room to put the CB under your knee on the center console so the seat doesn't make contact when you slide it forward and your knee won't rest against it when you're driving and it won't catch/lock your heel when you go from the brake to the gas and back?

I  think I'd put it down low on the center console,  if it doesn't fit on your side make the passenger deal with it 

[RIVERRAT]

2nd for CB city!!  They did great work tuning my equipment as well. 

[Antlershed]

Thanks guys. I'll give CB City a call and see what they say. I'd rather not have it mounted on the side of the console.

[Antlershed]

Well, I didn't really have the time to get my truck to Tacoma for the Instal, and I couldn't get myself to pay for what I know I can do myself.

So, after some looking, I decided to mount the radio in the forward bin of my center console, which meant I needed a smaller cb (no problem). I ended up going with the Uniden Pro 510XL, which is the same unit I had in my previous truck. Paired it with a 4' Wilson antenna and some Firestick coax. Got it all mounted last night. I had to cut a hole in the console, and I wasn't able to set it in the console as deep as I hoped, but it will work. If I decide to remove it, I would just have to replace the console insert to return it to stock. Was able to route the wires along the door and come thru the boot that houses all the wiring going to the door so I didn't have to drill thru the firewall. Now I just need to find my SWR meter and tune it.

[JimmyHoffa]

you can get the field strength and swr meters online for around $10.  older ones.

[Heredoggydoggy]

I got an SWR meter online when I put my CB radio into my Bronco II.  It came from Amazon.... They say you can damage your radio if you transmit without balancing the radio to the antenna.  Is this true? 

[Rick]

I would have went with a Cobra C75 WX ST.

There is a perfect little cubby right above the throttle pedal and behind the plastic trim to install it.

Its hidden from view on my 2011 2500HD

[Jingles]

I got an SWR meter online when I put my CB radio into my Bronco II.  It came from Amazon.... They say you can damage your radio if you transmit without balancing the radio to the antenna.  Is this true? 

Yes it is true you can damage the radio if it isn't tuned to the antenna and vehicle, especially if you are running any kind of additional transmit power Linear Amp, Foot warmer, Big mouth, kicker

[Heredoggydoggy]

Thanks!  I don't do much transmitting anyway.  Put it in mainly to monitor the log trucks on FS roads that are being logged.