It is really much easier than I throught. It took me less than 1 hour to have the entire antenna install done and everything back in place.
First, to remove the cladding around the 3d brake light, you have to remove 6 torx screws on the top and 2 on the bottom. The top is also held by a long piece of double stick tape that runs almost the entire length. I just pried it up gently and carefully and it finally let go. The bottom of the piece is held by about 4 plastic clips, so be careful. Once you get the top loose, pull the bottom upward, not out and it will come off the clips. If you pull out, you will break the clips.
Inside, there are three pieces that make up the interior cladding. On each side there are pieces that go from the floor up and over towards the center. Then there is the center piece that covers the glass handles. Start by getting you fingers under the side panels and pull them out. Pull the overhead sections down. There are plastic tabs with metal clips that hold them and they are pretty easy to get loose. I didn't have to take them off, just get the upper portion loose to access the center piece.
The center piece is held with clips, but also has two plastic buttons, one behind each handle. I just pulled gently and popped them out. By the way, take the glass out before starting, because you need to have the handles released to get this off.
Now you should be able to access the underside of the cab roof through several "portholes". On mine, I could easily see and reach the grommett where the 3rd brake light wires run out.
Feed the wire from the outside and reach in through one of the "portholes" and pull it inside. I then ran mine down the passenger side just by tucking it in behind the plastic panel I had pulled loose.
The plates below the doors just pull out, tabs again. There is a channel along there that already has some wires in it and it was no problem just laying another alongside. At the post between the doors, I just snaked my wire from rear to front along the other wires, rather than attempting to take the plastic off.
At the front of the front door, the plastic on the inside of the floorboard just pulls out. Then fully extent the glove compartment by pushing in (right) on the left side rear of the box. This allows a little tab to clear and the glovebox will fold down towards the floor. You can reach in and fish the wire into the area behind the glovebox and from there it is an easy run to the center of the dash.
I should mention that it took just a little under 18' of wire to get the job done.
Putting it back together was just a matter of lining up the tabs and pushing things firmly back into place. I had only really removed three pieces (the center panel in the back and the two pieces under the doors) and so the rest were just pushed back into place. Remember to put the center panel in the back in before securing the sides since the sides help hold the center up and there are tabs that connect the two. After you get the center in place and lined up with the sides, put the sides back in, then put the two buttons back under the handles, replace the glass and go outside.
On the outside, you need to push in on the bottom to get it to catch the tabs again. On mine, there are little holds at the very edge at each tab and it was pretty easy to get each tab in place. You probably should replace the double stick tape on the top. Mine was ruined by the removal process.
Pretty simple and quick getting the wire from the back to the front. My only piece of advice is, when you are removing a panel, pry it gently out and try to peak under to determine which direction the tabs run. You must be careful to pull them out, not sideways. I broke one on the back by pulling the wrong way. Don't think it will matter in the long run, though, since there are many.
A.J. said:
I've got my Terk antenna temporarily placed on my dashboard, til it gets warmer for the install. ?I've searched top to bottom on this board, and haven't really found a good explanation of getting the antenna wires in through the third brake light.
I know you have to loosen the Torx screws, and pry something up that's stuck with double sided tape. ?Once you get the wires in from the top, where does it go inside the cab? ?Do you have to remove any panels on the inside?
Love the XM!! ?150 is awesome!
I got the Pioneer 900 unit that ties in directly to my Pioneer Head Unit - very clean install!