NMO Mount Install New Ram 1500

[briansocal]

I've got a 2013 Dodge Ram 1500 that I'd like to install an NMO mount on. In my 2001 Dodge Ram, it was fairly easy to drop the headliner, drill through, and route the cable. In this new truck it's very difficult to drop the headliner due to all the airbag wiring and whatnot. I'm also hearing about a possible double bulkhead above the liner...ugh. Has anyone had any success with an NMO mount in a newer Ram?

Thanks!!

 

[briansocal]

Well, it doesn't look like anyone has put an NMO mount on the roof of a newer Dodge Ram. I've contacted a local commercial radio place to see if they're willing to do the install...we'll see what they say. I guess my other option is something like this, but then I'd lose the benefit of the ground plane and would need to pick up a different antenna.

If I ever get it all installed I'll post some pretty pictures of the setup in an attempt to make this thread at least semi-useful.

 

[DaveInDenver]

I have no idea specifically, but you gotta think there is a way. Too many commercial and public service trucks that do or will be using them.

 

[emt.micah]

We had one installed on a 2012 Quad Cab at work. Local radio guy did it for me. No problem. He had a special drill bit to only go thru the outer roof layer. Then used an antenna to push the coax out to the side.

Sent from my SCH-I800 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Arclight]

The special drill your thinking of is the "Antenex NMO hole saw." You can get it at a few places, such as:

http://www.wpsantennas.com/hs34-antenex34x-actholesaw.aspx

If you're lucky, you can do your coax fishing and such by removing the dome light and doing "orthoscopic surgery." Not sure how the double-bulkhead works - would you punch a smaller hole through that, or can it be accessed from the side once you install the antenna?


Arclight

We had one installed on a 2012 Quad Cab at work. Local radio guy did it for me. No problem. He had a special drill bit to only go thru the outer roof layer. Then used an antenna to push the coax out to the side.

Sent from my SCH-I800 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Borrego60]

Try going in behind the cab light on the back of the truck outside, or open up the dome light remove it and see what type of room you have I did the same thing on my tundra. Shoot me some picture and maybe able to help you.

 

[briansocal]

Thanks for the thoughts, guys. I've done several NMO mounts in various vehicles, but I've never seen a headliner with so much crap winding back and forth through it. Thanks, emt.micah, it's good to know that it can be done.

The dome light is actually all the way to the rear, and there are no "portals" directly overhead or near where I would need to drill the hole. The closest breech of the headliner is two speakers almost directly behind the driver and passenger heads (ie, not centered). I did pull the outside cab light, and while it gave me some access, the sharp up angle of the headliner there makes it impossible to get a hand up there without completely dropping the rear part of the liner, which will require pulling apart all of the previously mentioned airbag systems in the columns.

I'm going to poke around and see if I can find some diagrams about the double roof arrangement...that may make or break the whole thing.

I'll snap a few pictures tomorrow once it's light out again, so you can see what I'm working with. I've got a call in to a commercial install tech, and he's supposed to be calling me back tomorrow. If he has experience with the recent model Ram's, I'll probably just pay him to do it.

 

[briansocal]

Just an update: I found a local guy willing to do it for a reasonable amount. He did confirm that there are multiple layers in the roof of the new Rams, and that they can be a little tricky to deal with. I will try to watch the install and see what he does, and I'll post the results in case anyone else ends up here via google or whatnot.

Again, thanks for the suggestions!