2013 Tundra Double Cab - CB Cobra 75 WX ST Installation

1) I mounted the 4' Firestik Antenna behind the driver's side bed rail (there was a plastic cap on the railing).

2) Running the antenna cable all the way to under the driver's seat is where I mounted the radio and external speaker (power amp is off and for emergency only). The power is hooked up directly to the battery, and the lighter behind the dashboard which allows that the radio will turn on/off with ignition key.

3) Mounting the Cobra 75 WX ST Hand Mic was a challenge and the best part. I removed the useless black coin receptacle, dremmelled it out smooth, drilled and bolted a large washer and attached the mic holder... then popped the whole new thing back into the hole in the dashboard. Clean install!

ARIZONATREKKER.COM

 

Looks really good! Better job than any shop could do. Nice write up.

 

Very clean.
How did the coin holder come out from the dash? Can it just be pulled on until it pops out, or does it have to be removed from the back after popping the dash panel off. I've been thinking about doing something with mine.

 

Hi Tundra Fan,

Great question! One day I pulled and pulled on the coin holder to no avail... it is in there pretty good. I went to Walmart and purchased a plastic dash removal tool set for popping off dashes (don't use a screwdriver, it will mess up your dash). I popped out the dash from under as indicated by the yellow arrows on the attached photo. Once the dash was partially off to get my hand in behind, I squeezed and pushed the holder out from the backside. Interesting the 4WD cable is attached to the coin holder on the back side. I plugged it back in when done.

ARIZONATREKKER.COM







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Very Clean! Good Job!
If the antenna whips does it hit the cab? Or potentially hit the cab?

 

Hi DCsleeper408,

Excellent question!
That was one of my first concerns and even considered installing the antenna way in the back of the bed. But it looked better up front (you actually get better reception and output the further back from the cab). But, so far my reception and output has been excellent.

Since installation, I've been all over Arizona (back roads...etc.) with this setup and the antenna has never hit my cab. The base spring is very strong and rigid. I suppose it's possible, but I am not doing extreme rock crawling or slamming my breaks going up and down hills.

I will update this post if the antenna comes in contact with the cab.

ARIZONATREKKER.COM

 

Nice install dude! Ive got that same radio and antenna ready to go in. Ive waited on my camper shell to get here to see where my antenna might go. Ive got this darn 4x4 switch in the same place that you mounted the radio in the way though.

SO, the farther back the antenna the better and I am assuming the higher the better?????

 

Hi JTP.

To have a professional install on your configuration, I would highly recommend placing the antenna on the driver's side hood with a bracket assembly. The metal to metal connection is the best, and usually gives superior results. Make sure the paint is scraped off wherever bracket connections are being mounted. You will obtain the best transmission range. Incoming reception from other radios you receive will be fine regardless if the antenna is mounted on the front or in the rear of the vehicle... slight variations depend on terrain, urban environment, or weather.

Placing the antenna at the rear of the truck with a camper shell is not a good idea. The camper shell will block 50% of your signal transmission and most of your communication will end up with whatever is behind you... not an ideal situation. The caveat is unless you mount a 5 foot antenna soaring 3 feet over the top of your shell. I've spoken personally with the manufacturers of the Firestik antenna, and they frown upon installation behind a shell, camper, or RV. They say it will work but you need a much longer antenna to do it.

Aesthetically, the antenna on the left front hood does not look "way cool" to some, but to get the best overall performance and respect from driving professionals on the road... it just makes sense. A friend of mine has your same setup and but tows a camper. He installed it on the front driver side hood directly across even from the am/fm antenna. He screws the antenna on only when his family heads out on long road trips. He now prefers it there while driving since he can see low lying branches out on the forest trails coming in contact with the antenna when heading to the lake.

Two final alternatives would be to mag mount an antenna to the top of the cab roof. That would give spotty results and the mag antennae are usually not as high quality as a thick firestik. I used to have one on my last Tundra, and it worked okay, but I didn't like the cable coming out of the door jamb... always looked like a cheap fix.

The other way would require drilling a hole through your roof (actually this method is the superior way of communication), but unless your a forest ranger and/or willing to keep your Tundra for years until it's buried in the ground... bore drilling a hole through the roof of your cab on a 2018 Tundra is a tough pill to swallow.

ARIZONATREKKER.COM

 

I have the same CB radio and a mag mount antenna and it works just fine. Saved my bacon the night I got 2 flats. Was able to communicate with camp about 8 miles away with it.
I have since upgraded to a HAM radio since nobody uses CB's anymore and still use a mag mount antenna - with much better range due to higher power radio.

 

Great comment n2deep,

Ham radios are great communicators. A friend of mine is taking his final "Extra" Ham Radio License Exam next week. There are still a lot of truckers using CB radios, so in local traffic I find it a necessity to quickly know the best way to approach or detour a roll over accident ten miles away. Truckers with CB's are all over the place. I used to be one!

ARIZONATREKKER.COM

 

Thanks for all of the great advice.

I bought the hood bracket when I purchased the radio and the antenna and will see if it will work. Just a quick look at it seemed like it wasn't. If not I will go through the top of the fender same location on the left as the radio antenna on the right. Left side, "Trucker Side", its going to be.

I personally think that it will look great on the truck up there on that side. If it aint cool to some I don't care. Being able to remove it when I want to will also be a bonus. If Im bashing brush and limbs on the driver side and in danger of knocking my antenna off it means Ive fallen asleep at the wheel and run into the oncoming ditch, not going to happen.

One other thing that I was going to ask about. Do I need an external speaker? Just wondering if I can get away without one.

 

Can you share more about your antenna mount? How did you get access? Make the cutout? What type of mount did you use to make it look so custom? Great build.

 

Hope your still on here. Curious as if i have pics from routing wires of the antenna from cab to bed.

 

Can you hook up the cb to the stereo so receiving frequency comes out speakers?