mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
That's some good advice up above.
If you intend on adding any additional radios, or if you plan on swapping out the CB for an amateur radio, then you might want to use something a bit bigger. In other words, pull one wire now rather than having to repeat all this if you add another.
14 or 16 would be fine for your CB. You'll probably find a small cost difference, but keep in mind your labor is the expensive part.
Soldering your connections is always best, so it might be worth picking up a 30 watt or larger iron and practice on some scrap wire. The soldered connections will provide a strong mechanical connection with lower resistance than the crimps. There are probably some good tutorials on the web, rather than one of us trying to explain it here.
Don't use wire nuts. They are fine for inside a protected environment that isn't moving/vibrating. In an engine compartment, or anywhere in a vehicle, not a good choice. Crimped and soldered with a layer of heat shrink tubing over the top is best, but that's getting to be a bit much for a first timer. Soldering and crimping are good enough, but make sure you have a good crimp tool. I've seen a lot of crimped connections fail.
A layer of electrical tape over everything will help protect it.
Ideally, you want to keep the number of connections to a minimum.
100% agree on the wire loom. Routing your wire carefully and covering it with split loom tubing will make it disappear. Done right, a casual glance under the hood won't show anything out of the ordinary.
Get your wire from an auto parts store, if you can. They usually have the stuff that's rated for use in an engine compartment where heat, gas, oil, etc. are common. Don't use solid house wire, make sure you get the right stranded stuff.
Pay close attention to how you get the wire inside the cab. There is a large rubber boot under the brake master cylinder area that'll work. You'll need to make a small hole through the outer edge to route your wire. Be careful not to damage any existing wires, and stay away from the edge of the hole through the fire wall. Use some RTV sealant after you run your wire to seal the hole back up.
If you intend on adding any additional radios, or if you plan on swapping out the CB for an amateur radio, then you might want to use something a bit bigger. In other words, pull one wire now rather than having to repeat all this if you add another.
14 or 16 would be fine for your CB. You'll probably find a small cost difference, but keep in mind your labor is the expensive part.
Soldering your connections is always best, so it might be worth picking up a 30 watt or larger iron and practice on some scrap wire. The soldered connections will provide a strong mechanical connection with lower resistance than the crimps. There are probably some good tutorials on the web, rather than one of us trying to explain it here.
Don't use wire nuts. They are fine for inside a protected environment that isn't moving/vibrating. In an engine compartment, or anywhere in a vehicle, not a good choice. Crimped and soldered with a layer of heat shrink tubing over the top is best, but that's getting to be a bit much for a first timer. Soldering and crimping are good enough, but make sure you have a good crimp tool. I've seen a lot of crimped connections fail.
A layer of electrical tape over everything will help protect it.
Ideally, you want to keep the number of connections to a minimum.
100% agree on the wire loom. Routing your wire carefully and covering it with split loom tubing will make it disappear. Done right, a casual glance under the hood won't show anything out of the ordinary.
Get your wire from an auto parts store, if you can. They usually have the stuff that's rated for use in an engine compartment where heat, gas, oil, etc. are common. Don't use solid house wire, make sure you get the right stranded stuff.
Pay close attention to how you get the wire inside the cab. There is a large rubber boot under the brake master cylinder area that'll work. You'll need to make a small hole through the outer edge to route your wire. Be careful not to damage any existing wires, and stay away from the edge of the hole through the fire wall. Use some RTV sealant after you run your wire to seal the hole back up.
