102" Whip on 96 Jeep Cherokee

[tvfcsmokeeater]

What's yinz guys opinion on mounting a 102" Whip on the rear bumper of my 96 Jeep Cherokee?What will I need to do so?

['Doc]

Will it work? Sure, bunch of them done that way. One of the things to watch out for is that whip 'whipping' around enough to touch parts of the jeep, which is not good for the radio if you happen to be transmitting at the time. If you're not transmitting at the time, then it's generally not too good for the paint work, scratches, etc. Various ways of preventing that. Simplest is a tennis ball on the whip. Not exactly the best thing in the world but prevents scratches. Looks ugly? Okay, so paint it (I like pink, my self).
If you have a tire carrier on that jeep, mounting it on there is a fairly good idea. Gets it up just a little higher, not as much 'touching' things. Make sure that tire carrier is making good electrical contact with the rest of the jeep though. The metal parts, the body, is the 'other half' of the antenna, really does need to be 'electrically' present all the time, not just when things happen to be making good electrical contact intermittently. You will need to run some feed line from the radio to that antenna, probably make a hole for it to get out of the jeep at some point. Not really all that hard to do, and I'd be surprised if there isn't a 'plugged' hole already there somewhere. Same for a power line (not to the antenna but to the radio, bet you knew that).
Count on things costing more than you figured. To some ridiculous degree, the more sweat you put into it, the less money you have to put into it, sort of. Will you end up with the most bestest installation in the world? Ummm, probably not, but it'll work. One hint, a very generalized hint. It's always cheaper to 'over-do' things to start with, than to have to re-do them later. That can really get out of hand so kind'a watch it, sort of.
And if all this sounds too 'daunting' to mess with, you could always bring your jeep to me to do it. Also bring lots of money! I can be had, but I ain't cheap. (Beer works well as a bribe! So does food!) Leave it with me for a week or two, and your gas credit card. I can guaranty a very nice mediocre installation. ... You ain't 'buying' that, are you? Rats!
- 'Doc

[tvfcsmokeeater]

Will it work? Sure, bunch of them done that way. One of the things to watch out for is that whip 'whipping' around enough to touch parts of the jeep, which is not good for the radio if you happen to be transmitting at the time. If you're not transmitting at the time, then it's generally not too good for the paint work, scratches, etc. Various ways of preventing that. Simplest is a tennis ball on the whip. Not exactly the best thing in the world but prevents scratches. Looks ugly? Okay, so paint it (I like pink, my self).
If you have a tire carrier on that jeep, mounting it on there is a fairly good idea. Gets it up just a little higher, not as much 'touching' things. Make sure that tire carrier is making good electrical contact with the rest of the jeep though. The metal parts, the body, is the 'other half' of the antenna, really does need to be 'electrically' present all the time, not just when things happen to be making good electrical contact intermittently. You will need to run some feed line from the radio to that antenna, probably make a hole for it to get out of the jeep at some point. Not really all that hard to do, and I'd be surprised if there isn't a 'plugged' hole already there somewhere. Same for a power line (not to the antenna but to the radio, bet you knew that).
Count on things costing more than you figured. To some ridiculous degree, the more sweat you put into it, the less money you have to put into it, sort of. Will you end up with the most bestest installation in the world? Ummm, probably not, but it'll work. One hint, a very generalized hint. It's always cheaper to 'over-do' things to start with, than to have to re-do them later. That can really get out of hand so kind'a watch it, sort of.
And if all this sounds too 'daunting' to mess with, you could always bring your jeep to me to do it. Also bring lots of money! I can be had, but I ain't cheap. (Beer works well as a bribe! So does food!) Leave it with me for a week or two, and your gas credit card. I can guaranty a very nice mediocre installation. ... You ain't 'buying' that, are you? Rats!
- 'Doc

So basically make sure it doesn't touch the body..atleast while transmitting.No tired carrier, I wish I did, but money's tight.So here is my list of items I had planned to buy for this install:
Rat-Shack 102" Whip
6" Spring
xx' of Coaxial(nuff to get from Antenna to CB)
Some for stud mount for on the bumper(?)

If I missed something let me know!Thanks in advance!

Smokeeater

[231]

I agree, it should work. If you experience some side reflection off the unibody you'll need to lengthen the antenna even more. I'm not 100% sure you'll have an issue, because the tailgate on the XJ is fiberglass. But if you do, don't fret. There are things that can be done to accommodate for side reflection.

FYI: Many OHV areas and offroad clubs have banned 102" SS whips (5' max antenna length in most areas) so if you wheel this rig in those locations or belong to a club, check with them.

I opted for a front fender mount on the wife's XJ back in '95. It's done great for her.

[drdx]

My xj is a 99 and it's tailgate is metal, I just checked it with a magnet. My permanent mount is a puck roof mount right above the rear map lamp, allowing to run the coax down a rear pillar, courtesy of rear map lamp and rear speaker removal to aid in routing it. I know you said whip, but any decent antenna roof mounted on that vehicle will work as well or better than that whip down on the side, radiation pattern and swr included. -drdx

[tvfcsmokeeater]

Well,went into Rat-Shack and bought my Whip(after 5 minutes of fighting with this clerk that they existed ) and looked like an idiot walkin outta the mall.A 8.5' tube beside a grinnin 5'5" 16 year old kid ...i had alot of people's attention.Now to decide where to mount it.I was considering the ball mount of the fender but then it would tilt outward.I considered the bumper mount and putting a tennis ball like in the middle so that it doesn't touch.I also looked at trying to mount it at the top of the tail light.What's ya'lls opinions?

[Grizs50]

Center of the roof, no issues with side reflection that way, will it hit the overpasses, it might if you have a REAL stiff spring, rat shack springs aren't that tough.

Maximum height means better ears.

Also a great conversation starter.

Lest you think me silly, we have several on the tops of 4x4 Suburban assault vehicles locally. And yes they hit the occasional low flying overpass but those are getting few and far between.

No springs on those mounts either they have replaced the springs with a solid piece for maximum vertical stiffness.

[tvfcsmokeeater]

Center of the roof, no issues with side reflection that way, will it hit the overpasses, it might if you have a REAL stiff spring, rat shack springs aren't that tough.

Maximum height means better ears.

Also a great conversation starter.

Lest you think me silly, we have several on the tops of 4x4 Suburban assault vehicles locally. And yes they hit the occasional low flying overpass but those are getting few and far between.

No springs on those mounts either they have replaced the springs with a solid piece for maximum vertical stiffness.

Center roof mount is the last option.Hmm overpasses...really aren't a problem unless I go out of the county.I think my only problem will be some power lines and tree branches .So are Rat-Shack springs alright to use..cause that's all we have as far as CB providers around here (Rat-Hut actually :p).

['Doc]

My personal preference would be for a ball mount on a plate attached to the bumper, if not just to the side/back of the vehicle. I don't much care what the antenna installation looks like as long as it works (that's "within reason" about the looks thingy, there are limits). The typical 102" whip is usually 'whippy'/flexible enough for all practical instances. The only reason I would consider a spring is for the additional 'length' if contributes to the antenna. there are other ways of getting that additional length, just depends on what's the most convenient/practical for you.
Putting the thing in the center of the roof is fine for a uniform omnidirectional radiation pattern. But mounting the thing on a bumper does not make it all that directional at all. Some, sure. But in most cases you'll never know it, so why worry about it?
Can't really think of anything you've forgotten to get. Several 'little' things that you may already have laying around, tape, etc, but no biggies except maybe an SWR meter (borrow one!).
Good luck and have fun.
- 'Doc


Paint! Pink! Spray that whip. Does absolutely nothing electrically, but it'll sure make people wonder why the @#$$ did he do that?

[Grizs50]

Center of the roof, no issues with side reflection that way, will it hit the overpasses, it might if you have a REAL stiff spring, rat shack springs aren't that tough.

Maximum height means better ears.

Also a great conversation starter.

Lest you think me silly, we have several on the tops of 4x4 Suburban assault vehicles locally. And yes they hit the occasional low flying overpass but those are getting few and far between.

No springs on those mounts either they have replaced the springs with a solid piece for maximum vertical stiffness.

Center roof mount is the last option.Hmm overpasses...really aren't a problem unless I go out of the county.I think my only problem will be some power lines and tree branches .So are Rat-Shack springs alright to use..cause that's all we have as far as CB providers around here (Rat-Hut actually :p).

I have seen the huge differance in spring quality and mount quality, with Hustler being at the top of the list.

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Look at the ball mount and spring on this site, this is what the serious talker around here use.

It's the same ol' same old, pay me now or pay me later.

We do whack the ocaasional powerline, no big deal, trees are everywhere here in Missouri we are slowly trimming them back, LOL!!!

The biggest issue we see with the side mount/bumper mount is reflective high swr. And that doesn't affect everyone, but when it does it seems the only cure is going higher. We have been working on a van that the owner insisted against our best advice to put it low on the side, he is now using a mag mount on the roof because of persistant high swr.

We have a guy here with a KIA with a Hustler 9footer and this ball mount, a dx33 and 4pill VIPER, looks like a remote control car but it is one awsome talking setup.!!!

[tvfcsmokeeater]

Nahh doubt I'll paint it pink..why paint it at all?Just to make people like me wonder why we painted it?I'd paint it Lime Green if anything ...I seriously considering the roof mount, but we'll see what it looks like .I had a bad experience with a fiberglass 5 ft whip on my roof..lets just say single number temps. and a McDs drive through at 35 isn't good :D

[Cain64]

Personally i say donot get the rat shack spring there wip is great but the spring is bad the braid inside is very thin and the spring will rust with in 3 days of use unless you paint it, for the same price you can get a stainless steel spring, just look at bottom of page at our sponsors.

[tvfcsmokeeater]

Personally i say donot get the rat shack spring there wip is great but the spring is bad the braid inside is very thin and the spring will rust with in 3 days of use unless you paint it, for the same price you can get a stainless steel spring, just look at bottom of page at our sponsors.

I'm gonna use a spring I currently have from an older mirror set-up I had.D*** that thing's tall(compared to what I'm used to)!Probably gonna mount it above the left rear tail light.So Doc..any particular reason you would paint it?

[626]

If you get the Hustler ball mount you will be sorry. However, the Hustler spring is well made. The Firestick ball mount has all of the features the Hustler doesnt. It has pins to keep it from rotating and indexing on the ball to keep it in place.


GUNNY

[tvfcsmokeeater]

If you get the Hustler ball mount you will be sorry. However, the Hustler spring is well made. The Firestick ball mount has all of the features the Hustler doesnt. It has pins to keep it from rotating and indexing on the ball to keep it in place.


GUNNY

Thanks..I pretty much bought all the parts I needed now.Still unsure but pretty much decided on the rear bumper but who knows what'll happen!

['Doc]

tvfcsmokeeater,
Who needs a reason to paint something? In most cases it'll do absolutely no good at all. But, in one or two cases, it makes for a kind'a good conversation starter. Or maybe it makes it look more acceptable? Or maybe you just want to 'twit' people. Don't want to paint it? Then don't. If you do though, pick the most objectionable, ugly, whatever color you can think of! Then just tell anyone who asks that it's a secret, you can't tell them. Might be surprised at how many things change color over night...
- 'Doc

[tvfcsmokeeater]

tvfcsmokeeater,
Who needs a reason to paint something? In most cases it'll do absolutely no good at all. But, in one or two cases, it makes for a kind'a good conversation starter. Or maybe it makes it look more acceptable? Or maybe you just want to 'twit' people. Don't want to paint it? Then don't. If you do though, pick the most objectionable, ugly, whatever color you can think of! Then just tell anyone who asks that it's a secret, you can't tell them. Might be surprised at how many things change color over night...
- 'Doc

ahh i see now..i have a white jeep, so something bright would stand out fairly well ...hell i'm still deciding how to mount it!I'm pretty set on the bumper, but i'm going to look at above the left rear taillight to see if it's solid.

[Ricky]

i have mine a tri mag on my trunk. swrs 1.2 across the band

[tvfcsmokeeater]

i have mine a tri mag on my trunk. swrs 1.2 across the band

ok...i've decided, after the old man prying at me to go magnet mount, to go magnet mount.Tri Mag w/ 6" spring?Is that pretty much what's needed?Where can I get the mag mount?I'm sure I'll get a good ground plane with this seeing how I do w. my 2ft Whip:p...Anyone around Harrisburg or State College PA want to help me tune this sometime?Checked at the local Rat-Hut and those SWR meters are spensy!(that's why I'm askin)

That's all for now!
the Smoke Eater

[Grizs50]

i have mine a tri mag on my trunk. swrs 1.2 across the band

ok...i've decided, after the old man prying at me to go magnet mount, to go magnet mount.Tri Mag w/ 6" spring?Is that pretty much what's needed?Where can I get the mag mount?I'm sure I'll get a good ground plane with this seeing how I do w. my 2ft Whip:p...Anyone around Harrisburg or State College PA want to help me tune this sometime?Checked at the local Rat-Hut and those SWR meters are spensy!(that's why I'm askin)

That's all for now!
the Smoke Eater

A tri-mag mount with a 2 foot whip is like having 1000 dollar wheels with bald tires on your race car, you have everything to get good traction except where the rubber meets the road.

If you are going to spend the money on a tri-mag mount, just buy a Wilson 1000 mag mount that was designed to be a mag mount.

OR put a 9 foot whip on that tri-mag.

[Turbo-T]

I'm going to echo what Grizs50 has to say.

Center of the roof is 110% the best place to mount any CB antenna.

Why is this not an option for you?

If a 102 would be too high then I suggest a Wilson 1000/5000. You can get them as a mag mount or a permanent mount.

Also a Missourian, the 102 whip in the bed of my truck hits low branches when I'm only going 25. Any faster the antenna lays back to clear.

[tvfcsmokeeater]

I'm going to echo what Grizs50 has to say.

Center of the roof is 110% the best place to mount any CB antenna.

Why is this not an option for you?

If a 102 would be too high then I suggest a Wilson 1000/5000. You can get them as a mag mount or a permanent mount.

Also a Missourian, the 102 whip in the bed of my truck hits low branches when I'm only going 25. Any faster the antenna lays back to clear.

I had to make it an option..and I think I'm just gonna tri mag mount it.Any specific mounts ya'll suggest?

[tvfcsmokeeater]

Ok, I've decided to go the cheaper route in mounting and I'm buying a Ball mount and 6" spring and slapping her on the LF fender as close to the top as possible.Should I sand down the paint under the mount for grounding purposes?And where should i put the Tennis ball so it doesn't touch the body?

['Doc]

Sand down the paint? No, use star washers instead. That tennis ball. Where do you put a 'bumper'? Where things get 'bumped'. Which will just depend on where the antenna is mounted, sort of.
- 'Doc

[tvfcsmokeeater]

Sand down the paint? No, use star washers instead. That tennis ball. Where do you put a 'bumper'? Where things get 'bumped'. Which will just depend on where the antenna is mounted, sort of.
- 'Doc

Ok on the star washers..and it's getting mounted on the LF Fender...I was just gonna mount it then put the ball on and flex it to the highest spot on the Jeep it will hit(most likely the roof.