I will be picking up my new Silverado 1500 on Monday. I have to route
some antenna wire (XMRadio and GPS receiver antennas) out the back of
the cab somehow. What is the lowest profile way to get these antennas
out and on top of the cab? The truck will be a lease so I can't
drill any holes. Is there an access hole somewhere in the back of the
cab? I don't have the back sliding window option.
Thanks,
Dan H
Try routing it through the third brake light. You can very slightly notch
the gasket to route the cable and fill it with silicon (or a new gasket)
when you are done.
Greetings,
I've recently installed XM in my Silverado (a Delphi SkyFi2) and I find that
the antenna works just fine when placed on the dash. You can run the
antenna wire inside the seams of the dash along the windshield then down
along the side into the fuse box on the driver's side where you can coil up
any spare wire and secure it with a zip tie. From there it's easy to run it
under the dash and into the back of your unit's receiver or dock.
I also used the direct FM adapter that plugs in between the stereo's antenna
connectors to improve the sound of my XM unit and eliminate interference
from local FM radio stations. The antenna cable has a connector link just
behind the glove box and is very easy to get to to install the adapter.
As for a GPS unit, I occasionally use a handheld unit inside my truck, and
as long as it sits on the dash it receives very well so I imagine that your
GPS receiver antenna can go on the dash as well.
If all of this doesn't appeal to you, then on my truck (which is a crew cab)
there are air exhaust vents on the back of the cab wall near the bottom on
both sides that you can get a wire through.
Cheers - Jonathan
I also had to route my GPS and XM antenna to the outside. Outside is the
BEST. Sure some people route on the inside, and have it under the window,
but you still get dropout, unless you live in a City with Ground Repeaters
everywhere in which case the Antenna inside works fine until you leave the
area.
It's actually pretty simple to remove the 3rd brake light and run the wires
though there. In fact there are holes behind that light already large
enough to pass the wire plugs though, that go right inside the cab above the
headliner. What I did is get about a 3 foot piece of welding rod and taped
on good the wire ends to it, and then I carefully pushed that stiff welding
rod into the cab and to the passenger side, then you can carefully remove
the hand grips on the headliner by using a small screwdriver to popup the 2
plugs on each end and they come right off, you can then carefully reach up
above the headliner and grab the welding rod and pull the wires though.
This way your pulling the whole headliner down, then you can run both wires
down the passenger side above the headliner and down the windshield side
cover which Pops off, Pull carefully on Top and it'll come off. Run the
wires down, then behind the glove box and then to where ever you need them
at.
It's really easy. It was simpler then I thought it was going to be. In
fact I'm on my 3rd XM antenna because I upgrade to the newest smallest one I
can get. Wish I could find a bit smaller GPS antenna. Depending on the
wire size you may not have to do anything when putting on the 3rd brake
light, it may seal it's self, it should is it was just the XM antenna
because the wire is SMALL. The GPS wire though is a little larger. I did
have a minor leak with that one, but I just tighten the screws a bit more
after a few weeks and it sealed right up. I thought about using silicon,
but if I have to change the light, that will be a hassle, and 3rd brake
lights do like to burn out a lot!
I also ran the antenna wires on the roof to where they were the same width
as the light and not just right next to each other. Works great. It takes
a lot to loose a signal. and if I had to turn the truck in later because of
lease I can have that antenna removed in a couple minutes. (That fast!) I
don't know what kind of XM Radio your going to use, but I have a Skyfi 2,
and I use a Pro-Fit custom mount. Looks good and can be easily enough
Removed. Also using a PAC Direct Connect Interface to get a direct
connection into the Radio from the Skyfi, because Wireless FM Modulation
SUCKS! I did have wired FM Modulation for a while but only because there
was no direct connection at the time. I'm also setup so the Skyfi 2 Turns
on and off with the trucks Radio though the R.A.P. system. Which is nice.
I have 1 Subscription with the Skyfi 2 and can tune in not only in my
truck,(The Radio display SUCKS for Satellite radio and so do the controls),
but I pop it into my Boombox and work and at one of my 2 home cradles. I
like it. AS for the GPS, I'm using a Garmin 2610.
I have a 03 Silverado Extra Cab.
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