twhman

Hello,

I am to install a Sirius Sportster in my 2004.5 Dodge Ram 3500 with the Cummins. I have the project underway and I found the large bundle of wires that goes through the large rubber grommet behind the dash when I untaped the grommet under the hood it looks like there is a rubber sleeve that is very tight around the wire bundle. This sleave is about 3-4" long and try as I might there is no way to run the wire with the plug on the end up through there that sucker is tight. The access under the dash is about zero and I have to work from the engine compartment back since the antenna is on the other end.

Do I just put a small hole in the grommet and not try to force it up the rubber sleeve? If so how is the best way to make that hole?

Then I could seal that hole with some silicone and retape everything?

Is there some other place to run this through?

Thanks for the assist.

XLR8R

Tape your electrical wire to a tig-welding rod or wire coat hanger (straight of course) and gently SHOVE it through the grommet; we've built wiring harnesses this way, running one at a time like a sewing machine.

Jeff in TD

On stick shift trucks there is an unused hole w/rubber plug in it above the pedals, which I have found handy to poke holes through.

If you have cab lights, I think I might look into cutting a nick in the back of the center light and running the antenna wire through with a bit of silicone. Then it'd be fairly simple to run down inside the a-pillar...

twhman

I do have a stick. I see a round rubber plug right behind the brake pedal. Its black with the a round protruding center piece in it. I think it was about a 1.25-1.5 in diameter. I guess I could run it through there and seal it with silicone caulk. Am I on the right track?

I also have the cab lights. I guess I could remove one and put the wire down through there. But I don't know how I would get it since it would be above the headliner. This is an intersting idea. Any more help with this method?

Jeff in TD

I don't have Sirius in my truck, but I cut a couple of holes in that plug for wiring for Jake brake, for the Brakesmart wire, and for my pyro. I just made a small cut around the side of the protrusion in the middle, and the rubber sealed tight enough around the wire that I didn't see the need for silicone.

Just a thought. It does seem to be a handy place to run wires.

If doing the antenna out the back of the center cab light thing, I would guess you might be able to push a stiff wire over to the top of the A-pillar, and use that to thread a string through. Otherwise, you'd just have to pull the headliner.

It would be extra work to setup, but I think having the antenna just behind the center cab light could make for a super-clean installation...

twhman

I went through the rubber plug behind the brake pedal. There was nothing though it so I just pulled it out and cut an + on each side. I ran the sirius antenna lead through one cut and a cb lead through the other in a couple of weeks then I will seal the thing with a little silicone caulk. Thanks for the ideas and the assistance.

Rob_OBX

I put mine on the back of the roof, ran the wire through the thrid brake light. worked great and no leaks, no wire dangling anywhere.

Not to be a jerk, but with all the awesome new Sirius radios on the market now, why would you buy an outdated, antique, low feature radio like the sportster? S50's are down to $100 on ebay, they are freakin nice!

ptgarcia

I did the same thing. Put the antenna on the center of the roof just in front of the 3rd brake light. Ran the cable throught the light and put a dab of silicone around to make sure there are no leaks. Works greak and totally "stealth".