turboale

Ok, I'm tired of having a CB with out an antenna (I ripped my last one off on the trail ). I was on the firestik site today and was wondering the difference in the firefly and the firestik2? One is thinner than the other, but other than that what gives? Its cheaper... I did notice that. Do these antennas have any flex at all? I want to get the side mount and mount it on my back bumper. I know its not the best location but I'd rather not stare at it all the time otherwise I'd mount it on my TJM, and plus... everyone else is doing that. So my quesiton is am I going to need to get a spring if I'm going to mount it there so the door can open or am I going to be ok w/o it. I was going to go with the 4ft. I'm not sure if I'm going to leave it in all the time or just put it in for trips. I really don't use it other than trips and 4x4ing. I also like the "no wires" look of the side mount.

Thoughts?

turboale

Ok, just looked at the bumper and everything is good except does anyone remember the last time they took their headlight housing off... is there any room for an extra wire? And does anyone know where those wires come out/meet up with the main harness? I can't remember... If I can run the coax with those then I wouldn't even have to mess with the rubber door seal. With the cb and my driving/aux rear lights. Just a thought.... does anyone know?

Corey

iTrader: (1)

I like having my antenna up front on the ARB as I can keep an eye on it and see how it's flexin'.
To be honest with you, you really don't notice it at all hardly being on the bumper.

You will want the heavy duty spring for it, and a quick disconnect.
This way you won't get tired of looking at it if you put it up front.
I take mine off nightly with the qd, it's a 1 second job.
Close-up pics of the setup is on my website in the CB section.

If you do mount it back aft, you might still want the spring, that's what gives it the flex.

bobsy twins

Tacoma Dude

Ditto on the quick release.
I have that and the spring and it works very nicely

midiwall

The CB antenna may be different, but my 3' AM/FM FireStick has very little flex in it. It's also quite the wind-grabber - it does a great job of twisting my through-the-fender mount back.

Run a _GOOD_ spring mount and you'll be fine.

turboale

Ok, you guys have sold me on the quick release.
And now to hijack my own thread... Corey I noticed you used to have your driving lights mounted on top of your Load worrior and now they are lower and you have taken the farring off. I'm getting ready to mount 4 500s up on mine and was wondering if taking off the farring makes that much of a difference in wind noise? I'm pondering the two options. I definately won't fit in the garage with them mounted on the top bar so I'm thinking they are going to end up on the lower one.

Thanks!

Corey

iTrader: (1)

Not that much of a difference at all in wind noise.
There use to be, but I have so much stuff up there now, it breaks the wind flow.

You won't fit 4 500s up there if you use the Yakima light mounts like I run.
I have two extra mounts, and there is not enough room to put the other two up there, as I toyed with adding two more.

Another way you could do it is to mount the lights with the Yakima Snap Arounds.
I experimented several years back with them and my lights, and that would work great.

The stud on the light tightens up the Snap Around mount to hold it securely to the rack.

turboale

I'm definately going to go that wroute. I have a buddy with an outdoor shop that sells me the wraparounds for like $.25 each so that will definately be the way I mount them. They also work great, I have my aux rear lights up there now with them and I haven't had a problem. I guess I'll take the farring off now and see how bad it is around town. I think the lights will break the wind a fair amount though when I get them up. Either way, I'll let you know how it goes. Why are you running the light mounts? Is there better protection from theft or somehting?

Thanks midi- I'm not sure if i'm going to run a spring though. I don't want the antenna comming back and hitting the truck and I'm going to be running the mount that has two bolts through the rear bumper so I don't think there is any way for that to bend. If I have problems I will go to radioshack or some truck stop on the way home some time and see what I can do. Most of the antenna will be behind the truck anyway. Oh, and I figured out whats different. The Firefly is designed to have less drag so you can run a 4ft on a mount that claims a max of 3ft. So I think i'll be safe.

joshik

i hear firesticks arent great for trail use coz if you repeatedly smack them they will crack...

this is the one im going to get. i already have a cb with ssb, just need to get an antenna.

k40

turboale

That looks like a sweet antenna. The only thing is that the firestik I'm looking at is about half the price of that one. I believe firestiks have a lifetime warrenty and as I said before most of it will be protected by the truck, and if it ever gets in the way, I'll have the quick disconnect.

joshik

cooz!

i kno wat u mean bout the price! ive had the CB for months now and havent gotten around to shelling out $70 for an antenna

imma just install the CB so i can use the PA for now! hehehe

Highland Runner

I am working on mounting my 500's and Firestick on my Load Warrior right now. Here is how I'm doing it. I bought some cheap mountain bike stems similar to this
http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?c...ype=&estoreid=
The diameter of the handle bar clamp (1") fits perfectly on the Yakima. I mounted it upside down and extending forward. The clamps I bought were only about 1.5" long; maybe for a kids or womens mtn. bike. I had some 1" dia aluminum rod that I cut 1" long to put in the other stem end. Holes were then drilled in that aluminum bar to mount the Hellas. The nut is up inside the stem hole and hidden. I will mount the CB antanae the same way. Sorry, no pictures yet

RTdawgs

just bought a hustler QD-2 for the firestik on ebay

Gadget

Hey Corey:

Can you give me the specific part numbers for your antenna setup and where to get them from?

I have a mounting tab on my bumper already and just need the spring mount, mast, and quick disconnect thing. I have been needing to deal with my antenna for a while now and it is moving closer to the top of my list.

Gadget

www.GadgetOnline.com

Mad Chemist

I've got a 4' firestik, mounted on my fender, with a spring, and although I get good reception, hate the antennae.

1)There is no flex in the firestik antennae, so if you offroad down trails with alot of overhanging branches, your firestik will spring back and wack your windshield. The only advantage is that it acts like a guy wire at times to keep branches off the hood. Go with the thinner firefly. Or, buy the firefly for me and I'll send you my firestik.

2) I'd buy a spring over the quick disconnect if its a matter of money. I keep mine hand tightened, and have not had any trouble with it loosening up on me. I too will remove it when not in use. Honestly, so few people use CB's nowadays, I'm not sure if most kids would know what it was, not that it would prevent them from taking it just for fun.

AkitaDog

iTrader: (1)

I use a 2' Wilson on a medium duty spring. It is mounted in the center of my roof in front of the rack.

I too like Mad Chemist keep mine hand tight for quick removal if needed.

Corey

iTrader: (1)

Gadget, here is a page where you can order the same QD I have.
It's the 2nd one down called the Hustler Heavy Duty Quick Disconnect.

I use to unscrew my antenna nightly, but quite often the next morning when I put it back on, it would vibrate and almost fall of going down the highway into work.

With the QD on, no more problems with it becoming loose on me.
I have to take mine off nightly as I live in a hi theft area, very high.

I don't see my spring on their site, but Copper has one on their
site, 2nd one down that looks like mine.

OK, Copper won't let you link to a checkout cart.
Just try www.copper.com and plug in spring in their search engine.

I got the 4' Firestik II at a local CB shop.
I'm sure they can ship one, or you can find them locally.
Nice thing about my model is you can adjust the SWR from the tip of the antenna.

turboale

Chris,
Why didn't you just get a tube mount? I'm sure they make them... Would this not have worked?


David,
I'm not sure if I want a spring as I'm mounting the antenna on my back bumper and it definatly hit the back of my truck on a spring. It also will mostly be protected by the truck.

Gadget,
I would recomend the firefly over the firestik. They are identical other than the diameter. They both even have the adjustable tip. I'm getting my stuff from mike but I was already ordering the lights so I just added the antenna stuff. I don't know of a cb place around savannah... people just care about bump, tint and chrome around here.

turboale

Also, what are you screw-in guys doing about getting dirt in the mount? Are there caps you can get that fill the hole? I think my dad has a whole bunch of plugs at home now that I think about it.... or are you just leaving them open? The mount i'm getting doesn't really let me clean it out.

Flygtenstein

Gadget, I got all my stuff, disco, spring, antenna, coax and the l8ike from Group Buy Mike. Great service as always.

I have a 4 footer on my ARB with a heavy duty Firestik spring and I think the spring is too stiff for the antenna. This summer, the QD toasted the threads after Moab and needed to be JB welded every other trip. It does take a beating though, especially with the spring. I had it pushed all the way to the windshield a couple of times, but it didn't wang around, it just went back.

Forget those long whips, they can hit your spotters. Get the shortest one you can easily use. Stick it on the roof or front bumper and be done.