2015 Ford F-150 NMO install questions ?

Fury853 · May 18, 2016

I just received a 2015 Ford F-150 for work and have to install a couple NMO antennas. I'm looking for pics of your 2015 Ford F-150 NMO installs. I'm curious to what the inside of the roof looks like and how you configured the antennas. Generally for a NMO install I use my NMO bit and never actually drop the headliner. I then fish the coax through to the post and down. The issue here is that I can't see past the curtain air bags. I would drop the interior roofing but don't want to is someone else already has. Also, how does the aluminum body affect the install? Pics would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

mmckenna · May 18, 2016

I did my 2011, and I know it's different, but if you take the coax all the way back you'll avoid the airbags. Mine is a crew cab, so the RF decks are behind the rear seat.

Shouldn't be any issues installing in the aluminum. Many fire engine and ambulance bodies have been aluminum for some time now.

SteveC0625 · May 19, 2016

When I did my F-250, I went in through the CHMSL/cargo light opening with a long stick with the NMO taped to the end. Pushed the NMO up through the hole and fastened it down. I routed the coax along the back of the cab from the CHMSL to the corner and then down to the floor and forward under the plastic edge trim of the carpet.

The only air bag issue was the the top of the rear door opening. I pulled the weather stripping and was able to reach in and route the coax between the airbag and the sheet metal of the cab so that it won't interfere if the airbag deploys.

I used NMO's with 3/8" shafts instead of 3/4". They were much easier to manipulate on the end of the long stick and it's a smaller hole.

One other point to mention is the thickness of the roof material. Your standard NMO is designed for installation in a single layer of auto body thickness steel. I don't know what the thickness of the roof is on the aluminum F-150's but it is likely thicker. That "may" be a problem, it may not. You might have to get one of the NMO's designed for thicker material. Ambulance manufacturers use them all the time.

Project25_MASTR · May 19, 2016

SteveC0625 said:
When I did my F-250, I went in through the CHMSL/cargo light opening with a long stick with the NMO taped to the end. Pushed the NMO up through the hole and fastened it down. I routed the coax along the back of the cab from the CHMSL to the corner and then down to the floor and forward under the plastic edge trim of the carpet.

The only air bag issue was the the top of the rear door opening. I pulled the weather stripping and was able to reach in and route the coax between the airbag and the sheet metal of the cab so that it won't interfere if the airbag deploys.

I used NMO's with 3/8" shafts instead of 3/4". They were much easier to manipulate on the end of the long stick and it's a smaller hole.

One other point to mention is the thickness of the roof material. Your standard NMO is designed for installation in a single layer of auto body thickness steel. I don't know what the thickness of the roof is on the aluminum F-150's but it is likely thicker. That "may" be a problem, it may not. You might have to get one of the NMO's designed for thicker material. Ambulance manufacturers use them all the time.

The 2014 Raptor's steel roof was wafer thin. It would start bowing with the weight of 2 4x4x6" wood blocks sitting on top of it. I bet the aluminum is back to regular thickness.

So you went with a 3/8 mont (which mounts from underneath) instead of a traditional NMO mount which mounts from the tie of the roof?

SteveC0625 · May 19, 2016

W5PKY said:
The 2014 Raptor's steel roof was wafer thin. It would start bowing with the weight of 2 4x4x6" wood blocks sitting on top of it. I bet the aluminum is back to regular thickness.

May well be, but since I don't have one to measure, I mention it only as something to consider when planning this. It'd be great if someone who has actually done an install on one of these new Fords would chime in with a clear answer.

W5PKY said:
So you went with a 3/8 mont (which mounts from underneath) instead of a traditional NMO mount which mounts from the tie of the roof?

I used the 3/8' NMO mounts part because I had them left over from another project. I found they were easier (for me) to use in blind installing via the CHMSL opening. If I had it to do over again, I'd probably use the 3/4" versions and do a more traditional install now that I better understand the construction of the Super Duty's roof and headliner.

phask · May 19, 2016

I don't have a link, but Ford always publishes installer documents. Especially for commercial vehicles. Some Googling should locate it.

I know there are some precautions for reducing oxidation on the aluminum.

CryptoBoy · May 21, 2016

Bump for hoping someone will answer OPs questions. I recently bailed on the idea of trading in my 2014 screw F150 for a 2016 solely because of the au body on the 2015+ models. My concerns are:
1) strength: I have a 5/8 VHF on a 3/4 NMO dead center in the roof that occasionally strikes low-hanging things like branches, etc. and whereas the torque exerted on the NMO base does no apparent damage to the steel roof, I'm not so sure how an aluminum roof would respond under similar circumstances.
2) corrosion: if I recall my chemistry correctly, aluminum plus brass (copper) equals a battery when you add an electrolyte (e.g. salt water, etc.) and this makes me worry about corrosion, pitting, and weakening of the au roof, as well as possible cracking and peeling of the paint.
3) magnets don't grab aluminum: whereas I have 3 permanently-mounted antennas, I frequently add 1 or 2 more for testing and other temporary applications, and I find mag-mount antennas to be very handy for this, but they certainly will not stick to an aluminum roof.
Sure would love to hear from someone out there who has NMO mounted any sort of antenna to a 2015 or newer F150.

SteveC0625 · May 21, 2016

CryptoBoy said:
Bump for hoping someone will answer OPs questions. I recently bailed on the idea of trading in my 2014 screw F150 for a 2016 solely because of the au body on the 2015+ models. My concerns are:
1) strength: I have a 5/8 VHF on a 3/4 NMO dead center in the roof that occasionally strikes low-hanging things like branches, etc. and whereas the torque exerted on the NMO base does no apparent damage to the steel roof, I'm not so sure how an aluminum roof would respond under similar circumstances.
2) corrosion: if I recall my chemistry correctly, aluminum plus brass (copper) equals a battery when you add an electrolyte (e.g. salt water, etc.) and this makes me worry about corrosion, pitting, and weakening of the au roof, as well as possible cracking and peeling of the paint.
3) magnets don't grab aluminum: whereas I have 3 permanently-mounted antennas, I frequently add 1 or 2 more for testing and other temporary applications, and I find mag-mount antennas to be very handy for this, but they certainly will not stick to an aluminum roof.
Sure would love to hear from someone out there who has NMO mounted any sort of antenna to a 2015 or newer F150.

We've already had the corrosion discussion. It's bunk! For galvanic action to occur, you need sufficient quantities of electrolytic to trigger the reaction. You don't get enough road salt up there to be a problem. Let's remember that we've been installing antennas and other fixtures on aluminum bodied ambulance and fire trucks and commercial vehicles since the mid-1970's. This problem has long been put to bed. It's a non-issue.

Project25_MASTR · May 22, 2016

SteveC0625 said:
We've already had the corrosion discussion. It's bunk! For galvanic action to occur, you need sufficient quantities of electrolytic to trigger the reaction. You don't get enough road salt up there to be a problem. Let's remember that we've been installing antennas and other fixtures on aluminum bodied ambulance and fire trucks and commercial vehicles since the mid-1970's. This problem has long been put to bed. It's a non-issue.

Not to mention some CrownVics have aluminum trunks.

mikewazowski · May 23, 2016

Thread moved to proper forum.

sbk1982 · May 23, 2016

2 antennas mounted on the roof of a 2015 crew cab. No issues. Headliner was easy to pull down and fish the cable behind the airbag and down the rear post. Mounted the radios under the rear seat. Roof thickness is no different then any other passenger vehicle.

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vfn137 · May 23, 2016

Did you mount your antennas in the center on the ribs of the roof or in between them? I'm getting ready to do my 2016.

Thanks

sbk1982 · May 27, 2016

On the center of the ribs.

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mmckenna · May 27, 2016

Agreed, right down the middle.
Not sure what the 2015 roof looks like, but here's my 2011:

That was during my install. I put my VHF 1/4 wave at that location.
The 1/4 wave 800MHz whip went at the rear, in front of the center brake light.

vfn137 · May 27, 2016

Thanks!

mmckenna · May 27, 2016

Shortly after I did that install I posted some photos/tips over on Batlabs.com
You can check it out here:
2011 Ford F150 Crew Cab antenna install - Batboard

Again, this is a 2011, so not sure what's changed on the 2015, but it probably isn't a lot different .

SteveC0625 · May 28, 2016

vfn137 said:
Did you mount your antennas in the center on the ribs of the roof or in between them? I'm getting ready to do my 2016.

Thanks

On the high part. The absolute last thing you would want to do is place an antenna mount in the indented part of the ribs where water could accumulate and stay for a possibly long period of time.

AI7PM · May 28, 2016

SteveC0625 said:
On the high part. The absolute last thing you would want to do is place an antenna mount in the indented part of the ribs where water could accumulate and stay for a possibly long period of time.

After the 2011 models, the ribs were elevated instead of sunken. No water worries.

sbk1982 · May 29, 2016

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2015 Ford F-150 NMO install questions ?

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