Drill fender 2018 F150 to install antenna
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- Опубликовано: 10 фев 2019
- NMO ham radio antenna installation on 2018 F150
Here's the link to the easiest way to penetrate the firewall in this truck.
• EASIEST F150 power wir...
NMO mount by Larsen amzn.to/2Sz1kwg
Rain cap for NMO amzn.to/32dNFOF
Electrical grease amzn.to/2TDzWN1 
Авто/Мото
Here's the link on how I penetrate the firewall.
ruclips.net/video/pn3jlG8qBTM/видео.html
I cried watching this lol 😢 when you started to drill I was saying to myself definitely no going back now
Yeah, it was a life changing moment. Two nmo mounts in the truck now.
@@dutchofsc nice I just installed an NMO mount but it's a hood lip mount
“Nothing to it but to do it”..I love that play on words! Lol! I can relate about drilling a hole…in ANY vehicle…yikes! Lol! I’m about to go full time in a Promaster cargo van Class B RV, and, I’ll have to drill a hole in the roof for my CB radio I used during my 38 years as an OTR truck driver. Very nice and clean installation! Stay safe! ~Jim~
Thaks!. Best of luck, and enjoy
I am so glad I watched this video! Very well done. I felt your pain as you were drilling. I'm watching the cable through the firewall video next. Again, very well done.
Awesome, thanks.
Glad to see ham not afraid to drill holes on newer vehicles
Lol. I have another hole in the roof now, right above the third break light. Great location, easy to install nmo and to route the wires.
You're a brave brave man. I own an '03 F-150 that I have no problem putting holes in, but watching this hurt a little. Can't say I wouldn't do the same though. Ah, the things we do for radio. . .
73
- KO4RGI
Yeah, for sure. There is another antenna on top of the roof, above the third break light. No guts, no glory.
Oh man. Oof I know that hurt! At least it's done and you got a clean install!
Still holding strong a few years later.
Very nice clean installation
Thanks 👍
Thanks for the info. I have been wanting to install a GMRS radio but wasn't sure where an antenna would work. That seems like the best place. But I'm going to use a Greenlee punch for a cleaner cut.
I would love to see how you managed to fit your radio into the slide-open compartment. That is brilliant.
Love the color of your truck. Mine is a white 2019 XLT Supercrew. My son has a gray 2018 XLT Superduty Supercrew.
You can kind of see it in my power wire video, it hides nicely.
Nice job on the NMO install. I just got a 2018 F150 myself and want to add my VHF/UHF antenna to the roof. Just a bit unsure about the galvanic corrosion issues. I've installed several NMOs in the roof of vehicles in the past, but this gives me hesitation.
I actually just put an nmo mount above the third break light last week. Turns out the roof is quite soft, might as well be a vinyl top in the middle. The area above the third break light is plenty strong and there is already wiring running in there. I really wasn't worried about corrosion, having my P25 radio is a lot of fun.
@@dutchofsc They make a thing to mount up to 4 antennae to the 3rd brake light mount without drilling anything. Larson electronics makes it.
looks super clean, i honestly dont see a problem with drilling holes for a nmo mount you can always throw a cap on and nobody will ever notice its there
Yup, nmo for the win!
You realize there are factory made mounts for that EXACT location which bolt on w/o drilling anything, right?
Great video! Never thought about putting one there, and was getting ready to drill out a roof hole for my 2016 F150. How has the performance been from that part of the truck? Any comments after using it for a while? Thanks!
Sorry for the late reply, I actually addend another radio and mounted the NMO up above the third break light. It was easy enough to run wires up there and that radio gets more use then the fender mound. This location has been working well overall.
Thank you soo much for your 2018 F-150 hole drilling video.
I’ve been radio free mobile going on three years because I couldn’t decide if the very place you mounted your antenna would be strong enough and my laziness to remove the antenna from a roof mount to go through the car wash so I wonder if you would please address these questions for me as I want to drill that hole tomorrow so I can mount a vhf/uhf antenna and again become “radio-active”,,,, a little pun,,,,.
The questions I have are: 1) Are you happy with the rigidity or strength of the fender mount, 2) any regrets of using that location?
Many, many thanks,
Dean N4NLT
I'm happy with the location, it is solid and has great performance, all things considered. I installed another nmo above the third break light, I have a 1/4 wave vhf up there for p25, just as easy to install. I say go for it, just get one of those plastic rain caps for going through the car wash or when you have the antenna removed. Best of luck
Great video! I'm curious about how you mounted the radio behind the dash. I'm looking to do the same. Do you have a video on that? Or would you mind putting one together? Again, really nice work.
Thanks. Check out my power wire to cab video ruclips.net/video/pn3jlG8qBTM/видео.html
The radio is located just above and to the left of the power block. Give that one a look and let me know how your install goes.
Thanks for watching. Enjoy your project.
I felt for you on the drilling! I chickened out and went with a fender mounted antenna. It’s not as clean, but I won’t be able to bring myself to drill for another few years :). I am very interested in how you ran the faceplate and that usb connection into the storage area there. I was looking at mine and didn’t see a way to do it without drilling or cutting a hole in the back of the storage area. How did you do it?
I ended up drilling (once you drill one time, it's much easier after that) through the plastic storage on the far left side, fed the wires through the drilled hole, ran the wires under plastic trim and out where the backup pro knob is. Hope this helps, if not I can record something, let me know. Thanks for watching.
Thank you. I’m ok with drilling in areas that won’t be seen, I just couldn’t see what was behind that area and was afraid of drilling into something expensive.
How well do the Antennas work?
Great, still have good range behind me
I guess you didn’t see the service bulletin from ford about galvanic corrosion? Dissimilar metals touching is a big no no.
Looks good but you might wanna look into it.
Thanks. 4 years later and still no issues. Hope it stays that way.
Does that mount come in the CB radio configuration?
The one I used is specifically an NMO mount usually used in ham radio.
How did the radiation pattern work? Get a bit of backfeed?
Actually works well, no issues.
With all due respect I honestly think it is not a good idea to drill the antenna into the ford truck's body because the newer ford trucks comes with the aluminum body. it can cause serious galvanic corrosion to the body of the truck... i would recommend putting it on an antenna bracket... west crystal has antenna brackets that are custom built for ford tucks to prevent galvanic corrosion
Thanks for the comment. I'll be sure to inspect regularly to see if any corrosion starts. So far it has bee good for a bit over 2 years. When I put this on, the bracket options were not that good unfortunately
God no. Who drills a hole in their fender 🤦♂️. Why not just buy the mount that bolts to the hood hinge and sticks up between hood and fender? I have one and love it.
I do, and I did. Those mounts suck
The factory radio antenna has a hole drilled for it. No biggie.
Ouch.
yup
Bent the antenna.
Yes
Skookum
Sweetest compliment anyone could give! Thanks.