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Dash speaker size/ cb radio location

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Ifitaintbroke

Dash speaker size/ cb radio location

Alright y'all, here's another addition to my long list. I "accidentally" acquired several cb radios this week by way of fleabay. I've wanted to put one in the F250 for a while, but mounting has always been the problem. For such a large truck, there's nowhere to put anything! The main problem is the shifter. If this truck had a slushbox it would be much easier. Also, does anyone know what size speaker fits in the top of the dash? I hope it's not some crazy one-off Fordiosity. I'll try to get some pictures in a bit.

Bradley
86 f250 supercab longbed, 4x4, 460 bored to 472 cubes, ported heads, ARP rod bolts, EFI pistons, 5.08/5.41 lift 114° lobe separation flat tappet cam, notched lifters, Smith Brothers pushrods, stock rockers, Eddy Performer intake, Holley 1850 or 3310 depending on mood, custom curved points dizzy, MSD analog 6al triggered by Pertronix module, zf5 swap, 3g alternator, custom instrument cluster, dual tanks with 38 Gal rear for 57 Gal of fuel capacity, far too much more to mention.

98 Ranger standard cab, rwd, 5-speed, 2.5L, glass pack muffler, dual plugs wired to fire at the same time, coming up on 300,000 miles before too long.

Averaging 26-27 mpg.

South Georgia.

Gary Lewis

Re: Dash speaker size/ cb radio location

Administrator

Sounds like a fun project. Speaker sizes are shown on the Speakers tab on the page at Documentation/Electrical/Radios.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

Ifitaintbroke

Re: Dash speaker size/ cb radio location

Thanks! Here it is:

Ifitaintbroke

Re: Dash speaker size/ cb radio location

I could put it on top of the dash, but that seems awkward. The mic cord and controls would be kind of difficult to get to. I could also put it between the sun visors, but that's where I want to put the switch panel. Under the dash might be possible, but the shifter is somewhat in the way. I could also put the switch panel under the dash, and the cb overhead. This cab is getting crowded!

Rusty_S85

Re: Dash speaker size/ cb radio location

In reply to this post by Ifitaintbroke

Ifitaintbroke wrote

Alright y'all, here's another addition to my long list. I "accidentally" acquired several cb radios this week by way of fleabay. I've wanted to put one in the F250 for a while, but mounting has always been the problem. For such a large truck, there's nowhere to put anything! The main problem is the shifter. If this truck had a slushbox it would be much easier. Also, does anyone know what size speaker fits in the top of the dash? I hope it's not some crazy one-off Fordiosity. I'll try to get some pictures in a bit.

I purchased a NOS dash speaker from LMC back in 2017, the OE mono speaker is a 4 Ohm speaker and CB radios require 8 Ohm external speakers, so I threw a 4 Ohm 2 Watt resistor inline the wiring that was a salvaged OEM speaker connector that ends in a Mono headphone jack to plug into the back of my CB. It made it so much easier to hear without cranking the CB volume up as the speaker was higher and facing up vs low and facing the floor.

Size wise I dont know what size it is but I suspect it is probably a 6x9 or close to it speaker. What ever you get make sure its 8 Ohm resistance or plan on adding resistors to achieve 8 Ohm resistance otherwise youll knock out your CB radio.

"Old Blue" - '56 Fairlane Town Sedan - 292-4V, Ford-O-Matic transmission, 3.22:1
'63 Belair 2dr sdn - 283-4V, Powerglide transmission, 4.56:1
'78 Cougar XR7 - 351-2V, FMX transmission, 2.75:1 9inch
"Bruno" - '82 F150 Flareside - 302-2V, C6 transmission, 2.75:1 9inch, 31x10.50-15 BFG KO2

Ifitaintbroke

Re: Dash speaker size/ cb radio location

I'm new to cb stuff. Does "knock out" mean "blow up"?

Rusty_S85

Re: Dash speaker size/ cb radio location

Ifitaintbroke wrote

I'm new to cb stuff. Does "knock out" mean "blow up"?

In a sense, it means it will take the radio out now I dont know if it will only burn up the external speaker circuit or if it would burn up the whole radio where it wont work. I didnt want to take that risk to find out.

grumpin

Re: Dash speaker size/ cb radio location

In reply to this post by Ifitaintbroke

Can't tell in the pictures, do you have bucket seats and a center console?

I put one I had on the right side, front, of the center console. I had an auto, but it was out of my way there.

Interesting CB, don't think I've ever seen that one!

If you're new to CB's, measure your SWR (Standing Wave Ratio) for your antenna.

One of my combos is a "they say you can't" setup that I really like. Cobra 148GTL, they say don't get the Chinese made ones, mine is and it's awesome, good transmit and receive.

They say don't use a magnet mount antenna permanently, I have a Wilson 1000 mag mount, best antenna I have had.

They say don't use a cigarette lighter plug, run it directly to the battery, I have ran direct wires and now always use a cig plug, i don't hear a difference, it's a noisy AM radio.

That's a cool looking radio.

Dane
1986 F250HD SC XLT Lariat 4x4 460 C6-Sold
1992 Bronco XLT 4x4 351W E4OD
1998 GMC Sierra SLE K1500 350 4L60E
Arizona

ArdWrknTrk

Re: Dash speaker size/ cb radio location

Administrator

In reply to this post by Ifitaintbroke

Ifitaintbroke wrote

This cab is getting crowded!

🙄

Ah, sweet child,
You're new at this aren't you?

Ask Gary for some pictures of "Mission Control", and his backup camera mirror, and the molded plastic headliner with speakers and CB, and the console with cupholders, and the storage box behind the seat with the charging dock, the 3000/6000W inverter, relays, fire extinguisher, go bag, etc.... ad infinitum. 🤯

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

Ifitaintbroke

Re: Dash speaker size/ cb radio location

In reply to this post by grumpin

Yes, I have the bucket seats and console. I currently have 4 cb's and another for parts on the way. I've never seen one like that either. The brand is Fanfare I think. Yes, I have 4 cb's and don't know how to use them. I'm one of those "jump in head(and wallet) first" kind of people. Currently I don't have an antenna, but I have two on the way. Both are magnetic mount, and I'm planning on installing cb's in 3 vehicles. One would be the Danger Ranger, the other a Honda Pilot.

Ifitaintbroke

Re: Dash speaker size/ cb radio location

In reply to this post by grumpin

Also, could you explain SWR for me? Speak slowly, I learn at about a kindergarten level.

Ifitaintbroke

Re: Dash speaker size/ cb radio location

In reply to this post by ArdWrknTrk

Storage box behind the seat!? I thought Big Blue was a standard cab?

Gary Lewis

Re: Dash speaker size/ cb radio location

Administrator

In reply to this post by ArdWrknTrk

Wow! All of that in a regular cab? How do the passengers get in?

Yes, all of that is in there. Here are some shots of a few of the things you mentioned:

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

ArdWrknTrk

Re: Dash speaker size/ cb radio location

Administrator

In reply to this post by Ifitaintbroke

It is. There's still room for a full width set of shelves (which happen to incorporate a large inverter, some relays for the air compressor in back, a bunch of USB ports, etc.

Standing Wave Ratio is basically a measure of how much radio output makes it through the antenna and into the air.
You want to make sure the hood ground is well connected (by the passenger hinge) as this is part of your ground plane.
Sometimes you need to do some impedance matching using a balun in the antenna cable.

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

Gary Lewis

Re: Dash speaker size/ cb radio location

Administrator

In reply to this post by Ifitaintbroke

Standing Wave Ratio. Basically it is the ratio of the power reflected from the antenna or feed cable to the power coming out of the transmitter.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

ArdWrknTrk

Re: Dash speaker size/ cb radio location

Administrator

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

You still don't show the CB/mic and backup mirror.

That's what this thread's about...

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

Ifitaintbroke

Re: Dash speaker size/ cb radio location

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

That's one heck of an inverter! I also noticed that you have a bricknose steering wheel. I thought of doing that at one point, but I couldn't find one anywhere for a reasonable price.

This is my other cb that does not currently have a home:

And the other two, for the Ranger and Honda:

ArdWrknTrk

Re: Dash speaker size/ cb radio location

Administrator

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

That's BB's old bench seat (finding a new home in Charleston)

With the Bronco chairs can you reach back to the top shelf?

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

Gary Lewis

Re: Dash speaker size/ cb radio location

Administrator

In reply to this post by ArdWrknTrk

I don't have a good picture of that, but maybe these two will do.

And you can also see the rear view mirror, which has been replaced with a 12" wide LCD that shows the front and rear camera outputs. It looks like a mirror, and actually works like one until it is turned on. Then it shows the output of the front camera, both front and rear, or rear only. I have it in both mode until going into reverse, at which point it is all rear. And it also shows speed from the GPS unit as well as time - also from the satellites.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Ifitaintbroke

Re: Dash speaker size/ cb radio location

How do you have your antenna wire routed to the outside of the truck? I've yet to find a good solution for that.

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