Why we tell people to NOT use magmounts

[kayn1n32008]

These 2 photos show why NOT to use magmounts. This is my 2014 TDI Jetta, that I have used a magmount on for 2 years.

The one photo shows the scratches on the edge of the door pillar where the coax goes in the door.

The second photo is my roof. The coax has scratched the roof. The magnet has also scratched the **** out of my roof and also caused permanent colour change to the paint under the mag mount.

I commute on the highway at speeds of 100-120Km/h, 200km/day.

this damage is forever. Only stripping/repainting can fix this damage.

 

[W9WSS]

I strongly disklike magnet-mount antennas for anything other temporary mobile use. I currently have 12 NMO mounts on my CVPI; Mag Mounts are less efficient, not permanent, and cause damage (from your initial posting). I have never had an issue selling, trading, or turning any of my past cars in from a dealer, private party, or leasing company. I'm getting really tired of hearing, "My wife won't let me drill any holes in the car," blah blah blah ad nauseam. I refused to sacrifice performance for vanity. Thanks for posting!

 

[kayn1n32008]

I am of the same mindset. I have just been lazy and too broke to drill.

 

[mmckenna]

I am of the same mindset. I have just been lazy and too broke to drill.

Maybe we need to start a "Go Fund Me" account?
As for being lazy, Git off yer Azz you lazy bugger!

 

[NC1]

Drilling is all well and good, but how do you handle the interior part of that? What to do with the roof lining? This seems to be an issue with a lot of people. The outside is a piece of cake, but nobody ever explains how to handle the interior part which can be tricky - and costly if done wrong.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

Drilling is all well and good, but how do you handle the interior part of that? What to do with the roof lining? This seems to be an issue with a lot of people. The outside is a piece of cake, but nobody ever explains how to handle the interior part which can be tricky - and costly if done wrong.

It takes some minor skills not to screw up the headliner. If you are smart you will buy a hole saw made specifically for NMO that has a stop guard to keep it from plunging through the hole.

 

[mmckenna]

Drilling is all well and good, but how do you handle the interior part of that? What to do with the roof lining? This seems to be an issue with a lot of people. The outside is a piece of cake, but nobody ever explains how to handle the interior part which can be tricky - and costly if done wrong.

Several of us have done tutorials on how to do the interior. Often it can be done by removing the dome light or dropping part of the headliner. In all the vehicles I've installed in, not once have I ever damaged a headliner.

 

[Cognomen]

First mod to my vehicle was three 3/4" holes in the roof. I dropped the headliner, then drilled up. This way I knew exactly where the cross-bars were located, and how far the sliding sunroof glass slid back.

 

[radio259]

3/4 NMO headliner hole saws great! Pull the rubber weather seal around inside door down. Gently and I mean gently, look up in the roof area above the head liner. You should see the air ballons and roof braces. We also sometime poop out the interior light to get a look see. Most dealers dont care about holes if good rubber plugs used. most leasing companies have a guide that says OK on damadge under 2 inches in diameter.

 

[EMTJD]

I am of the same mindset. I have just been lazy and too broke to drill.

I never used a mag mount other than when traveling and in a rental car. For my own car, I used trunk-lid mounts from when I first got my ham license (1985) until about three years ago, when I finally — once my current car was paid off — decided I’m going to DO IT RIGHT and drill some holes! Right now, only two antennas, one for the scanner, one for the FT-7900, but I plan to add a third once I install another scanner in the car. Looks very nice. And no ugly wires and cables hanging all over the car.

 

[Markb]

It takes some minor skills not to screw up the headliner. If you are smart you will buy a hole saw made specifically for NMO that has a stop guard to keep it from plunging through the hole.

Better yet, use a Greenlee knockout punch. No worries about over-drilling.....

 

[03msc]

I never used a mag mount other than when traveling and in a rental car. For my own car, I used trunk-lid mounts from when I first got my ham license (1985) until about three years ago, when I finally — once my current car was paid off — decided I’m going to DO IT RIGHT and drill some holes! Right now, only two antennas, one for the scanner, one for the FT-7900, but I plan to add a third once I install another scanner in the car. Looks very nice. And no ugly wires and cables hanging all over the car.

High five for finally drilling and doing it right. But, for others' benefit, no need to wait until a vehicle or paid off or anything - for many it's one of the first things they do when they get a new (or new to them) vehicle.

 

[KK4JUG]

Well, the mess left from the magnet tells you where you need to drill the hole for the NMO mount.

 

[kayn1n32008]

Well, the mess left from the magnet tells you where you need to drill the hole for the NMO mount.

Unfortunately time got away from me. I have a 3yo and a 18mo, time and money are in short supply. My intent was to drill, and I will eventually drill, but likely not until spring(April/May). It will be a 1/4 wave spike I install.

I am also planning on replacing my V71A with an XPR5550 with either a remote head or HHCH. I don’t particularly need VHF where I live, and when I travel, I have a NX700 I can dump a codeplug saved codeplug for the area I am headed to(I have a large archive of codeplugs of the areas that I regularly travel to)

 

[prcguy]

Yes yes yes on this post. I've probably done over 1,000 installs and have never dropped a headliner. Pull the upper rubber weather seal loose around the door closest to where the radio will install, carefully probe and look at the targeted area between the headliner and roof. If there is an inch or more space between the roof and headliner most anyone without training can drill the hole with a Home Depot hole saw and not snag anything. Popping the dome light can be useful in some cases to see whats near the the target area and to sometimes fish the coax using an old whip antenna and some tape.

When you drill you have the drill in one hand pushing down and the other arm has the elbow on the roof and you cup the drill like a two handed handgun hold. As soon as the hole saw penetrates the roof the arm pushing up catches the drill and you can control it so the hole saw teeth barely goes past the opening you just made.

If the headliner is very close to the roof I simply slide a long thin sheet of hard plastic or sheet metal between the headliner and roof to protect the headliner and drill away. That also allows easy removal of debris from the hole saw. Run the coax down the inside of a door pillar and under the carpet, etc. For all this you only pull the least amount of rubber weather seal loose at the top of the door and maybe the plastic strip across the bottom of the door opening to run coax under the carpet if needed.

I have installed NMO mounts in some roofs including tear down, drilling the hole, running the coax and installing the connector and putting it all back together in 10min flat.

3/4 NMO headliner hole saws great! Pull the rubber weather seal around inside door down. Gently and I mean gently, look up in the roof area above the head liner. You should see the air ballons and roof braces. We also sometime poop out the interior light to get a look see. Most dealers dont care about holes if good rubber plugs used. most leasing companies have a guide that says OK on damadge under 2 inches in diameter.

 

[Giddyuptd]

Problem is most don't have radio shops or the hardware to do a install locally.

So they find the first mag mount in a local store.

I agree drill a hole have a permanent install and be done with it for several reasons.

Trunk lip mounts that use low profile mounting are pushing it into the mag mount world. Seen a few highway patrol guys using them.

 

[Project25_MASTR]

These 2 photos show why NOT to use magmounts. This is my 2014 TDI Jetta, that I have used a magmount on for 2 years.

The one photo shows the scratches on the edge of the door pillar where the coax goes in the door.

The second photo is my roof. The coax has scratched the roof. The magnet has also scratched the **** out of my roof and also caused permanent colour change to the paint under the mag mount.

I commute on the highway at speeds of 100-120Km/h, 200km/day.

this damage is forever. Only stripping/repainting can fix this damage.

The first thing I did to my 12 Jetta Wagon (also a TDI) was install a NMO mount. Took forever to track one down without the panoramic sunroof. 7 months, 20,000 miles later, I still haven't actually finished putting a radio in it but the mount and antenna are on.

 

[Giddyuptd]

Yes yes yes on this post. I've probably done over 1,000 installs and have never dropped a headliner. Pull the upper rubber weather seal loose around the door closest to where the radio will install, carefully probe and look at the targeted area between the headliner and roof. If there is an inch or more space between the roof and headliner most anyone without training can drill the hole with a Home Depot hole saw and not snag anything. Popping the dome light can be useful in some cases to see whats near the the target area and to sometimes fish the coax using an old whip antenna and some tape.

When you drill you have the drill in one hand pushing down and the other arm has the elbow on the roof and you cup the drill like a two handed handgun hold. As soon as the hole saw penetrates the roof the arm pushing up catches the drill and you can control it so the hole saw teeth barely goes past the opening you just made.

If the headliner is very close to the roof I simply slide a long thin sheet of hard plastic or sheet metal between the headliner and roof to protect the headliner and drill away. That also allows easy removal of debris from the hole saw. Run the coax down the inside of a door pillar and under the carpet, etc. For all this you only pull the least amount of rubber weather seal loose at the top of the door and maybe the plastic strip across the bottom of the door opening to run coax under the carpet if needed.

I have installed NMO mounts in some roofs including tear down, drilling the hole, running the coax and installing the connector and putting it all back together in 10min flat.

You won't believe the messes I've ran into where they'd drill into the roof and down road I had to install something and the wonderful mess from the ceiling comes down.

I recommend for those that are getting into it and you aren't sure wear clear safety glasses cause you never know what surprise some clown left before you when you drop the ceiling out to do work.

 

[kayn1n32008]

The first thing I did to my 12 Jetta Wagon (also a TDI) was install a NMO mount. Took forever to track one down without the panoramic sunroof. 7 months, 20,000 miles later, I still haven't actually finished putting a radio in it but the mount and antenna are on.

My Jetta has a sunroof. Limits my options for roof mounting. It sucks, but I love my sunroof.

 

[Project25_MASTR]

Yes yes yes on this post. I've probably done over 1,000 installs and have never dropped a headliner. Pull the upper rubber weather seal loose around the door closest to where the radio will install, carefully probe and look at the targeted area between the headliner and roof. If there is an inch or more space between the roof and headliner most anyone without training can drill the hole with a Home Depot hole saw and not snag anything. Popping the dome light can be useful in some cases to see whats near the the target area and to sometimes fish the coax using an old whip antenna and some tape.

When you drill you have the drill in one hand pushing down and the other arm has the elbow on the roof and you cup the drill like a two handed handgun hold. As soon as the hole saw penetrates the roof the arm pushing up catches the drill and you can control it so the hole saw teeth barely goes past the opening you just made.

If the headliner is very close to the roof I simply slide a long thin sheet of hard plastic or sheet metal between the headliner and roof to protect the headliner and drill away. That also allows easy removal of debris from the hole saw. Run the coax down the inside of a door pillar and under the carpet, etc. For all this you only pull the least amount of rubber weather seal loose at the top of the door and maybe the plastic strip across the bottom of the door opening to run coax under the carpet if needed.

I have installed NMO mounts in some roofs including tear down, drilling the hole, running the coax and installing the connector and putting it all back together in 10min flat.

You get pretty good at thing after awhile. I got pretty good with Mack SD series (10-15 minuets for the antenna install) and PI Sedans. Also got pretty good with the GMT900 and K2 platforms. Never have been effective at F series or Rams. You also get to see some of the dumb things upfitters do (they aren't radio guys).

For what it is worth, my 2012 Jetta Wagon was one of the more challenging installs I've done. Everything was a pain. To get access to the firewall grommet (which has accessory nipples on it and is only a single layer grommet unlike most domestics) you have to pull the battery. Can't speak for the other engines but on the TDI you also have to pull the air box and part of the intake hose to get to the battery clamps.

The pain doesn't end there unfortunately. Most of the headliner is glued in with a mild adhesive. After pulling the grab handle, you have to carefully peel the headliner off. It's a tighter fit but you likely will have to probe for cross bracing by feel from the topside. I put my radio under the driver's seat and running coax/power/control from the bulkhead around the seat mount under the carpet was nothing short of a miracle. Other than that, it fairly straight forward.

@kayn1n32008 is yours a wagon or sedan? You can work around a sedan's sunroof...you can't work around the Wagon's (it's a full length model similar to Ford/Lincoln's pano's).