Installing a Citizen's Band radio into a Ford pickup truck is a straightforward process that has numerous rewards. Having a CB radio installed in your vehicle will allow you to contact friends and family when other means of communication are not available. For example, in an emergency, a CB radio can be used to call for help. The radio also makes for great entertainment. With a few tools, the average backyard mechanic can complete this task in about an hour.
Choose a location to mount the radio harness. With mobile radios, this is typically the underside of the vehicle's dashboard. Placement of the equipment is important. Position it so it does not block any of the pickup's controls, such as stick-shifters or heater controls.
Run power and antenna wires to the location. The red power wire should be run inconspicuously to the vehicle's fuse panel, and married into a suitable fuse post. Splice this wire into the radio's red power lead. The black power lead can be grounded to a metal surface in the car, usually the firewall just in front of the dashboard.
Connect all wires to the radio unit. Wrap all splices with a good amount of electrical tape. The 18 feet of antenna wire should be screwed into the socket at the rear of the radio, then run to the location of the antenna. The black and red wires should be wrapped and placed out of the way, where they will not be yanked or pulled.
Mount the harness and radio. This involves screwing the underside of the harness to the dashboard with two small screws, then positioning the radio into the harness with the provided finger screws. Adding extra screws to the harness may ensure it's stability.
Install the antenna in a good location, and connect the cable from the radio. Antenna mounts will vary, but the antenna should have a good ground to the vehicle's body to work properly. The length of the antenna wire is also important for signal propagation, and 18 feet is the ideal length for CB radio frequencies.
