Best/Easiest way to put in a CB

[renegade2345]

i just got an old Midland CB and I'm wondering where i should mount it, i was thinking of putting it in the ashtray garbage place since it fits but i don't know anything about the wiring so anyone have some suggestions?

[randimal]

There's not much to wiring it. Just needs power, ground, and an antenna. On my XJ, I think I used a spare power connection in the fusebox. On my samurai, I just spliced into the radio power.

 

As for location, its personal preference. I like to buy compact ones and velcro them right onto the dash. Easy access and easy removal. But the older ones might be a little too heavy for velcro.

 

I have some pictures on my other computer. I'll try to find one.

[koooooooz]

what do u drive i mean what kind of mj auto or stick and is it one of those small ones or a big one liek full size

[jbhill]

you could steal power off the battery hot or memory(ignition) wire.

[renegade2345]

what do u drive i mean what kind of mj auto or stick and is it one of those small ones or a big one liek full size

88 automatic 2wd shortbed

[Eagle]

What size RADIO?

 

I like the compact radios. If you remove the ashtray, you can screw the bracket into the panel at the back of the ashtray recess, then mount the radio right there. If you remove the radio in the future, put the ashtray back in and you can't see the mounting holes.

 

For hard wiring, do NOT tap off the vehicle radio. Best is to run a dedicated wire direct to the battery, with an in-line fuse, and a dedicated ground. I often removed the radio between wheeling trips, so I put a cigar lighter adapter on the power cord and just used the lighter as a power socket. My older Radio Shack compact had a mechanical channel selector so this worked fine. When the Radio Shack bought the farm and I replaced it with whatever I could get (Midland, IIRC), the channel selector was electronic and required power to "remember" what channel you had it set for. It defaulted to channel 9 whenever I turned off the ignition. Not a big deal, as long as I remembered to punch it back to channel 4 (or 19 for use on the highway) when I started the engine.

 

I also tried a number of different antennas. For trail use I settled on a short, magnetic-mount "rubber ducky" type on the roof of the cab. I used a longer steel whip on the highway.

[randimal]

Here's where I put mine (velcro). Never had a problem with it. I'm pretty proud of the nifty cup holder as well.

[pingpong]

I mounted mine right the top of the cab in the front where there is double steel using some sheetmetal screwa, and ran the wire in said bouble steel area down to the fuse box

[87manche]

Mines hanging off the front of my center console, right where the handbrake would be in an xj.

[500 MJ]

I mounted mine below the center of the dash in the spot where the ashtray should be. The whole bottom panel of the dash in my truck was missing when I bought it (what the ashtray mounts into). So I have plenty of room to mount the CB up at an angle toward the roof of the truck. It is a really nice location and it stays out of the sun and such down low on the dash. I can grab a pic if you want...

[CWLONGSHOT]

I mounted mine below the center of the dash in the spot where the ashtray should be. The whole bottom panel of the dash in my truck was missing when I bought it (what the ashtray mounts into). So I have plenty of room to mount the CB up at an angle toward the roof of the truck. It is a really nice location and it stays out of the sun and such down low on the dash. I can grab a pic if you want...

To bad you are so far away....I have a couple of those lower dash pieces....

 

I just put in mine today...

 

 

I added some brackets to my roll bar for the antennas...

 

 

CW

 

CW