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2008 CB Install

7K views 13 replies 7 participants last post by  Excoastie 
G
#1 ·
I'm brand spankin' new to the world of electrical work in Dodge trucks. I've owned Fords prior. I know, I'm sorry--I was young and stupid. I'm now the proud owner of a 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 quad cab.
I'm trying to figure out how to hook up a CB radio to the fuse box. I know where the fuse box is, and can't find a secondary fuse box in any of the "regular" places. I can't find a route through the firewall.
So, is there an easy way to hook up to a 12 volt fuse from inside the chassis? I've seen several cable input boxes, but they're not colors I'm used to. Alternately, has anyone installed a CB radio, and if so would you be willing to walk a newbie through it?
Thanks in advance.
-Alex.
 
#2 ·
Re: CB install

Hello. New to this forum, but not new to Dodges or CB's, but the only way I have found that will work is to go through your cigarette lighter, that allows access for the wiring into the cab. My problem, now that I want to put my radio in my truck, is what to mount it to that keeps it in reach, but not in the way???
As for wiring it, in the old days, you could just hot wire it to the battery and call it a day (so long as you remember to shut it off when you are done!), but now that you have to be an electrician to work on today's vehicles, not so easy. There has to be an accessory fuse somewhere that would work for this purpose. I am just now getting around to looking into this for myself. I will have to do some checking in my fuse box (I have an '08 Ram, also), and get back to you on that. Just funny I saw this post and also had similar questions along the very same lines.
If you figure it out before I do, let me know, but a fuse/fusible link would be advisable, if nothing else, to protect your equipment.
 
#3 ·
People, the best thing to do is get a DC Buss with fuses and attach it under the steering column. This will allow for your CB and future accessories. Remember to size it according to what you have planned + a little extra. Run a Red and Black wire into the engine bay through either a existing grommet or a completely new 1/2 inch hole that you get to drill yourself :SHOCKED:.... Make this neat in appearance and out of the way of other wiring. This will keep the interference of other electrical components away. You now have a terminal station / fuse block to run your CB Radio and all other goodies you may want to put in the cab............Then again why not just use the extra 12v plug in the dash??????
 
#4 ·
Congrats on the 08... ok first if you Hack into any wires,fuse set up and you have an electrical issue dodge will most likely no cover the issues. If you need
a 12 volt source look at the trailer brake connection the factory supplied on your truck. Go to Say Napa and buy a Dodge trailer brake provision plug.
You will have a ground and a 12 volt supply with a clean hook up. If there is ever an electrical issue just unplug the provision plug and there is no indication of owner alternations of the electrical system. The provison plug is located on the driver side by the parking brake, you will see a plug on top of the main wire harness connection block. My plug is blue in color (07 ram 1500)
The 12 volt is hot all the time. :smiley_thumbs_up:
 
#6 ·
Thanks, MRRMX, and you know, I still haven't installed that darned radio, but your thought gives me an idea, appreciate the info! :)
 
#8 ·
Cajundoge,

If you decide to go with the mount from Geno's Garage, I have one that I'd like to sell. I bought it to mount my ham radios and after they assured me that it would fit my '09 QC, it won't. The bolt holes are in all the wrong spots for the new interior style.
 
#9 ·
Yeah, that looks like what I am looking for, just hard to tell from the picture, that would be a fixed mount, correct and it bolts to the floor? PM me with price and details, please. :)
 
#10 ·
any reason that you can't go down to radio shack and get a plug for the cig lighter? They're fused, they're easy to connect to your radio, and it's almost hassle free.

True you might have to get a bit creative running the wires, but I'm sure you'll figure something out....

good luck

Exco
 
#11 ·
Yeah, I will definitely have to get creative with the wiring, but my problem is, the bracket that came with the radio was easily bolted into the floor console on my Jeep, where I could actually mount the radio itself, but in my truck, I have nothing to really mount the radio to as the bracket/hardware don't really work in that application.

When I wired it in my Jeep, I just ran the wires through the firewall and to the battery (couldn't use the cigarette lighter, that was the toggle switch for my auxillary fan). The wiring coming off the radio has a fusible link, so I am not too concerned about running it off of a constant "hot," it's just how to mount the radio itself in the cab where it is in reach, but not sliding all over the place.

The other fun part will be running the coax through the cab and out the back for the antenna to mount to the bedrail.

- Cajun :pepper:
 
#13 ·
I have to agree on powering the CB, a separate power wire would be best coming from the fuse box under the hood. Either that or a relay with power from the battery, and then triggered by an accessory that only comes on with the key.

And I always install a PA speaker!
 
#14 ·
You learn something new every day. I wasn't aware that the radios were that sensitive to voltage drop. That being said it sounds like the only option you've got is to "create" a hole through the fire wall and either put some sort of terminal block inside the cab, or tap directly into the battery.

When I ran the wires for the lights, I was able to get through the fire wall pretty easily by piggy backing through one of the grommets that were there. I was only using 10 gage wire though....

As for getting the coax through (I haven't checked this out yet) there might be a grommet that you can slip through in the back of the cab. I had an '02 GMC that I was able to do this no problem. I then slipped under the bed, and popped up through a hole (that fortunately was already there) in the bed to mount my antenna to my tool box.

just my not so informed opinion

Exco
 
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