Aluminum Skin & Magnet Mounts

[Shutterbug57]

I get the weight savings in the aluminum skin on the Ford trucks. Is there any place on the roof where they have bonded a steel plate under the skin so you can mount a magnetic mount antenna? If not, how are y’all mounting antennas?

 

[TobyU]

I get the weight savings in the aluminum skin on the Ford trucks. Is there any place on the roof where they have bonded a steel plate under the skin so you can mount a magnetic mount antenna? If not, how are y’all mounting antennas?

I hadn't thought about this. My Wilson 5000 would not be happy.

I had a 102" whip on rear of chevy conversion van. It was actually about 116 as i had to extend to get really good SWR due to the reflection of the body where it ran so close on the way up.
You can do short hole mount but who like holes!! or put on rear bumper. Do new trucks stull have rear bumpers? Are they metal?
Could do a frame mount extension standoff coming out under rear tail light.
Could make up a metal plate and bracket to drill two holes and mount an top of bed rail right in middle behind back window.

Be advised if you are not big into SWR if you are using this for 10 or 11 meters that when there is any whip down below the top of vehicle and with 2 feet of metal it reflects or "ground planes" it or something and raises SWR. I found that increasing the whip in 2 inch increments brings it down.

I use an old piece of same size whip and get steel cable crimp connectors and barely squeeze so it will hold the two together so I can test for best SWR. The overlap doesn't make any difference. You can have a 62 inch whip and a 20 inch piece and overlap them 10 inches in the middle and you are raising tip to 72 inches or have shorter piece and overlap less and still get 72 inches and get same SWR.

 

[shane_th_ee]

I got one of these: https://midlandusa.com/product/18-258/ The range would probably be improved if I fiddled with the SWR adjustment, and even the likely wouldn't be amazing. But it does what I need it to...

 

[duneslider]

Best bet would be to just bite the bullet and punch a hole in the roof and install an NMO mount. When you aren't using the antenna take it off and put a cap on it.

You could also use a lip mount on the rear hatch, my neighbor went this route on his escape with an HF antenna and a UHF/VHF. He takes the antennas off when not in use but leaves the mounts in place. Seems to work good.

 

[Shutterbug57]

I hadn't thought about this. My Wilson 5000 would not be happy.

I had a 102" whip on rear of chevy conversion van. It was actually about 116 as i had to extend to get really good SWR due to the reflection of the body where it ran so close on the way up.
You can do short hole mount but who like holes!! or put on rear bumper. Do new trucks stull have rear bumpers? Are they metal?
Could do a frame mount extension standoff coming out under rear tail light.
Could make up a metal plate and bracket to drill two holes and mount an top of bed rail right in middle behind back window.

Be advised if you are not big into SWR if you are using this for 10 or 11 meters that when there is any whip down below the top of vehicle and with 2 feet of metal it reflects or "ground planes" it or something and raises SWR. I found that increasing the whip in 2 inch increments brings it down.

I use an old piece of same size whip and get steel cable crimp connectors and barely squeeze so it will hold the two together so I can test for best SWR. The overlap doesn't make any difference. You can have a 62 inch whip and a 20 inch piece and overlap them 10 inches in the middle and you are raising tip to 72 inches or have shorter piece and overlap less and still get 72 inches and get same SWR.

I am thinking 2 meter & 70cm dual band. Would they have the same SRW issue? I could fashion a bracket from the receiver around the bumper, but it seems like it would need to be up higher than a bumper mount for best performance.

 

[Shutterbug57]

Best bet would be to just bite the bullet and punch a hole in the roof and install an NMO mount. When you aren't using the antenna take it off and put a cap on it.

You could also use a lip mount on the rear hatch, my neighbor went this route on his escape with an HF antenna and a UHF/VHF. He takes the antennas off when not in use but leaves the mounts in place. Seems to work good.

The lip mount seems like the best approach as I am not willing to punch a hole in the roof.

 

[ExplorerTom]

What kind of antenna are you looking to run anyway? CB? Ham?

 

[Shutterbug57]

What kind of antenna are you looking to run anyway? CB? Ham?

I would like to use a mag mount 2 meter & 70cm (ham).

 

[Shutterbug57]

I was thinking, while trying to fall asleep last night. I have not seen any brackets that mount an antenna to the roof rack cross member, but I have a spare set of bolt holes on the roof rack where you can move the rear cross member. I could fashion a steel plate to bolt in that spot that would mimic a roof mount and allow a mag mount. It would be near the edge, so less than ideal, but, I think, better than the other options. Interested in yall’s thoughts.

 

[TobyU]

You could also fabricate hey one by one piece of steel tubing or just a flat piece of Steel stock that goes up between the bed and the cab in the middle or on either side if you want and then put a flat surface across the top either three to six inches apart or even make it wider if you want. I am a ham operator and have used 2 meter and 70cm but I've never used anything but a handheld for this. I think the mobile antennas are fairly short though.

 

[duneslider]

I was thinking, while trying to fall asleep last night. I have not seen any brackets that mount an antenna to the roof rack cross member, but I have a spare set of bolt holes on the roof rack where you can move the rear cross member. I could fashion a steel plate to bolt in that spot that would mimic a roof mount and allow a mag mount. It would be near the edge, so less than ideal, but, I think, better than the other options. Interested in yall’s thoughts.

I have thought about finding a way to attach something to the roof rack also, like you are describing. I have the lip mount on my jeep and really like it but I am not ready to put that on the expedition yet.
I don't have the garage door clearance for it to work well mounted anywhere on the expedition.

I would still recommend you use a more secure mount than the mag mount. You could still use your same theory but get an nmo mount and mount that to the plate. It will require a little more work to take on and off but I think you will be happier with the performance. The comet sbb-5 has a fold over mast that you could easily just fold over and maybe not have to remove.

I haven't used a mag mount in a long time but everyone I used would slide around on the paint at high speeds, or tip over at speed. Your bracket that just attached with 2 bolts would be pretty easy to remove and would give the antenna a much better ground.

 

[Shutterbug57]

You could also fabricate hey one by one piece of steel tubing or just a flat piece of Steel stock that goes up between the bed and the cab in the middle or on either side if you want and then put a flat surface across the top either three to six inches apart or even make it wider if you want. I am a ham operator and have used 2 meter and 70cm but I've never used anything but a handheld for this. I think the mobile antennas are fairly short though.

If I am reading you right, that sounds more like a pick-up solution than an Expedition solution.

 

[rjdelp7]

I thought the body panels are aluminum, but the body structure is still steel. The roof may be steel.

 

[TobyU]

If I am reading you right, that sounds more like a pick-up solution than an Expedition solution.

I thought the body panels are aluminum, but the body structure is still steel. The roof may be steel.

Sorry. I lost my mind there for a minute. With an SUV we're back to doing the same thing I did on my conversion vans. Rear bumper and straight up in the air on the right corner.