Suzuki Steve's '97 4-door Sidekick Build (the real build thread)

[sixstringsteve]

I just picked up my cb gear last night. I'm going to go with a magnet mount cb for now, then once I get my swing-out tire carrier built, I'll probably get a fiberglass antenna. We'll see, I may just fall in love with the magnetic one.

I know I used Rick's magnet mount antenna last year, and it was the clearest signal I'd ever heard.

 

[SAMI]

Magnet mount with a steel whip antenna is a great way to go. I still have the one that was on my '85 4runner; I couldn't part with it. I've used it on my '99 4runner, and '74 FJ55 with great results.

I will NEVER run a fiberglass antenna ever again. 1 tree branch can ruin the whole system by shattering a fiberglass antenna, then frying the CB unit.

 

[sixstringsteve]

good to hear. Is yours a 3 foot, 4 foot, or 6 foot whip? Do you leave it on all the time, or remove it for every trip?

I got a little k30 (3 foot). It was the best option locally. I'm sure it'll be big enough. Do you just shut the cord in the door?

 

[SAMI]

The mag mount that I have is probably a 2-3'. The whip antennas that I run on my Xterra are closer to 5' I'd say; but those have dedicated mounts on the hood. I would actually leave the mag mount on the vehicle 24/7, and just unscrew the antenna and storee that under a seat or where ever worked best. In the '85 4runner the cord went up through the sun roof, and in the '99 and '74 I routed it out of a rear door.

 

[sixstringsteve]

in the '99 and '74 I routed it out of a rear door.

got any pictures? I may just leave it on like you said. I wonder if it gets corroded leaving the antenna socket open.

 

[SAMI]

got any pictures? I may just leave it on like you said. I wonder if it gets corroded leaving the antenna socket open.

Here's the '85.. Mounted right behind the sun roof. Looks like the antenna was off that day. Just unscrewed from the mount itself.

Here on the '99 I slapped it on the rear and routed the cord out the rear hatch.

Then I upgraded to an NMO style mount/antenna and mounted on the frond fender with a permanent L bracket mount. I hate tammarisk...

Mag mount on the FJ55, cord routed through the door.. Plenty of room to play with on that old pig. Could've just as easily routed it through a rust hole or something.

 

[sixstringsteve]

cool, thanks for those pictures down for me SAMI. I may just stick with the mag mount then. It sure beats trying to get a good ground, and find a good place to mount the fiberglass antenna, and worrying about it snapping off.

 

[sixstringsteve]

When you were running it on your 4runner, did you just shut the cord in the rear door? Or did you find one of those rubber grommets to go through?

 

[SAMI]

Shut it in the door. The weather stripping gave way enough that the cord did not get pinched or flattened.

 

[sixstringsteve]

perfect. Thanks.

 

[SAMI]

FWIW, I had it routed cleanly on the '85 since it was mounted 24/7. It came through the sun roof, hidden in the healiner, down the A-pillar under the plastic, under the carpet over to the center console where the CB was mounted.

 

[sixstringsteve]

I'll see what the options are for the tracker. I may have to pull the mag mount every trip, but even then it wouldn't be too bad. I'll just leave it under a seat or something.

 

[OrvisKrawler]

I may just stick with the mag mount then. It sure beats trying to get a good ground, and find a good place to mount the fiberglass antenna, and worrying about it snapping off.

thats what springs are for

 

[sixstringsteve]

I haven't had good luck with springs in the past. I could never get my swr's down for some reason.

plus it would always bounce around and whack my truck when i hit a bump.

I've never broken a fiberglass antenna, but it was always a concern.

 

[OREGON85]

No updates for a few days...

you didn't sell it did you?

 

[iamsparticus]

Yeah your a little behind steve sold this and got a toy truck and his new build is already 4 pages long

 

[airmanwilliams]

Well steve I look forward to seeing the new rig out on the trail and maybe somtime buying one of your builds. That toyota looks aewsome buy the way SUPER CLEAN!

 

[iamsparticus]

Sad to see you not doing a build thread, i always liked seeing your progress, but i understand steve. Let me know if you need anything and i should be down to Little moab a lot in the next few months getting ready for OSRC hopfully we can wheel a little, even if you dont have a rig come ride shotgun

 

[Herzog]

*EDIT - Thread Re-opened. Sorry for the removal of several posts but it was an attempt to keep the build thread on track. *

Closed for cleanup. Please keep the bullshit and drama to yourselves people.

Thread will re-open when the junk is cut out. I don't like seeing good build threads getting ruined... it's not fair to the OP and interested readers.

If in question, please read our Principles and Guidelines.

 

[meach4x4]

For those of you who have enjoyed this thread, I just wanted to say the I bought Steve's 4 door Sidekick a few months ago and I've continued to build on it. It now has 5.71 Gears, ARB lockers, 4.24:1 Rockmonster gears, twin sticks, and a fresh engine. I hate to say it, but in order to begin work on another project, I've decided to put this neat little crawler/daily driver up for sale. Interested? Check it out in the classifieds.

Gil