Pre-wired for CB radio

[patrick51]

My 07SMB was ordered pre-wired, and I wonder if anyone knows the type of comm wire and where to find the end termiations.

[jage]

I was told that there are power wires going both sides into the header over the driver and passenger sides. These come from the house battery.

In mine there are think green wires going up the left that power the vanity mirrors, but they aren't on all the time (key on maybe?)

There is also a black and red wire set with a 9v socket in the overhead shelf that the PO jacked the fantastic fan in.

I don't know how true any of that is or what the owner changed, although I was surprised that the green wires didn't have constant power - they're like 10 gauge.

[John Kalmbach]

Hello Patrick,

There are two 10 gauge wires (red "+" ,and white "-") behind the center face of the overhead cab module. The red "+" is protected by the 30 amp driver side fuse on the SMB 12 volt fuse panel. The overhead cab module can be removed by removing the visors (pay close attention to how you remove the screws and unplug the wires to the vanity mirrors). Then there are long black dry-wall type screws on each end that are actually under the snap-stud type screws that have the velour cover which can be pried off. The other snap-stud type screws the curtain's snap onto will also need to be removed. There are also a couple velour covers and snap-stud type screws on the center face that need to be removed.

Once removed, you'll see it is easy to install a CB into this module. SMB uses a Cobra RV style because it has a speaker on the face of the CB and 10 weatherstations. Be careful to not mount it so deep that the rear antenna connector gets damaged.

Good luck!
John K.

[patrick51]

Thanks for the detailed specific's John. Is there no communication (antenna) wire routed to the same location? Thanks

[jage]

My CB antenna is exactly opposite the radio antenna on the driver side front fender. The cable is pretty easy to run from there, up the A-pillar and into the header. All the better if you already have an antenna though.

[John Kalmbach]

Hello Patrick,

There is normally not an antenna cable pre-routed. SMB would primarily use a K-40 CB antenna which is a very nice unit. It will quick release from it's base so that you don't always have to have a 60" whip sticking up. It can be a little tricky installing it since it mounts centered side-to-side and just forward of the penthouse on the van roof. It needs to be mounted on metal to work properly. Installation varies with RB & EB, and whether or not there is a fold-down monitor in the cab ceiling. Stay away from the "through the glass" antenna's as they do not perform very well, at least they didn't in the past.

You will need to drill through the roof with a hole saw and be able to tighten an interior nut, so access can be an issue once the ceiling is already installed. If you have a fold-down monitor that can be removed, the job will be much easier. The dome light is usually mounted so far back on an RB, that removing it to try and reach the nut is a futile effort. This is possible on an EB though.

Good luck!
John K.