roof access thru dome light | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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roof access thru dome light

JStrider

Well-Known Member
Joined
December 18, 2005
Messages
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City, State
North Houston, TX
Year, Model & Trim Level
*RIP* 1993 XLT 4dr 4x4
I'm wanting to install a permanently mounted cb antenna and figured I would mount it above the dome light, so I wouldnt have to pull the headliner down to do it.

I unscrewed the dome light and found, not the roof but another peice of metal somehow suspended below the roof. I've felt around the metal for screws, but havent been able to find them. Is there any way to access the roof this way without taking down the headliner?

also can the roof in that area support a cb antenna?

a thread about the antenna I'm planning to get is here http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50838

thanks in advance :thumbsup:
 



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The metal bracket was the bulb holder and ground plate for the dome light you can kinda see it in the pic below.. Anyway the roof will easily support an antenna.
18205104_0422_web.jpg
 






I see it there in thepicture... cant tell how its attached tho, maybe you could describe how?

I was thinking I might cut some of it away with a dremel tool, see if I could get enough roof access to install the antenna there
 






anyone?

I'd really like to do this without taking down my headliner...
 






you need to drill a hole. Also the roof can suppot the antenna fine. To aim the lights on my roof i stood on it with no issue.
 






Why not run the cable through the plastic mouldings to the rear and run it out under the hatch.
 






that would help if I was using a magnetic mount and had it toward the back of the truck...

but I want to put a permanently mounted antenna center of the vehicle, approximately above the dome light... the cable would attach below the roof...

heres a diagram
te-swivel.gif

having the cable go out the hatch wouldnt be much help...
 






Thats where mine was mounted. If you plan to be around low tree braches or anything of the like I would not put it there. If your are highway or road all the time then no problem. Then there is the parking garage. What are you planning to do with your CB? Is it just for talking while on the highway or do you need something realy that good? A 48" glass firestik is only 15 bucks insted of 50 and my SWR is under 2. I believe the hole for mine was just in front of the dome light and I had to remove the dome light assembly but not the headliner.
 






I'm almost always on the road... only done a little bit of offroading... and the magnet mount I have wouldnt stay stuck on

it has a joint so you can loosen and lay it down on its side for going in parking garages and whatnot... and its got a spring and its a whip so it will flex some if it hits a tree... and I could prolly have the joint tightened so it would stay up until it got hit and the hit would knock it down at the joint instead of breaking it.

and arent the glass firestiks more rigid then a whip? which would cause worse problems hitting things?

how did you get thru the metal plate thats below the roof that the dome light connects to?

and how did you route the wire? I was thinking I could prolly partially pull down one of the A pillars and use a wire snake to pull the coax thru.
 






There is no spring on the rome antenna. It is a hollow piece at the base of the whip. Yes if you hit something it will lay down, but only because the teeth in the joint strip. I had that exact antenna. It worked great until a tree branch hit it and broke the solid piece at the base of the antenna just above the joint. Yes the fiber glass ones are rigid but they will take some abuse. I would not mount a fiberglass one on the roof. mine is mounted on the side of my truck in the rear. If you are careful you should be fine. Just dont count on that joint to take a hit. I was able to talk to a guy that was around 6 or so miles away with no problems with the rome antenna.

As far as the plate goes, I think there are 2 screws that hold it on. They also double to hold down the 2 wires that hold on the electrical contacts, but can't remember for sure.
 






here is a little breakdown of the antenna. Also, I was wrong I think. The antenna did not break per say. The hollow tube is plastic and given the right amount of force, it will separate from the ends. The only thing that may be wrong is at the top. I don't know if the long wire at the top of the coil was soldered in or just inserts. This piece is between the whip and the joint.
 






hmmmm I thought that was a spring, not a plastic piece...

maybe i'll look around for something else before I decide for sure...


do you remember how you were able to get to those screws without messing up the headliner?
I was thinking I could cut away some of the headliner that is normally hidden by the dome light, see if I could access the screws.
 






bump... anyone?
 






If you take out the 2 screws that hold the dome light assembly in place, it should drop right out. I have removed my dome light a few times and have never had an issue with the headliner. Of coarse I have the older on light dome light not the dual light setup if that is what you have then I don't know.
 






removing the dome light in my car doesnt give me roof access... it gives me a metal plate that hangs below the roof, the dome light screws into the plate and I think the plate acts as the ground for the dome light...
 






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