Roof Rack Grounded Question

[sleepyjim]

I am mounting an antenna (GRMS) on the rack and I got to looking and the rack is attached to fence poles made into crossbars so those two are connected ground wise but the crossbars are clamped to the stock side rails and they are plastic coated, BAM not ground connected.......

So my question is this (or these):

Couldn't I use a self tapping bold and go thru the clamp into the side rail (assuming there is metal inside) and make a connection for ground?

Any other ideas for grounding the rack other than running a wire from rack to the roof (drilling a hole in roof?)?

Jim

 

[tommudd]

I am mounting an antenna (GRMS) on the rack and I got to looking and the rack is attached to fence poles made into crossbars so those two are connected ground wise but the crossbars are clamped to the stock side rails and they are plastic coated, BAM not ground connected.......

So my question is this (or these):

Couldn't I use a self tapping bold and go thru the clamp into the side rail (assuming there is metal inside) and make a connection for ground?

Any other ideas for grounding the rack other than running a wire from rack to the roof (drilling a hole in roof?)?

Jim

Why not go to one of the mounting bolts for the side rails?
Thats where I ground my lights

 

[turblediesel]

No need to ground your antenna to the Jeep body. The metal in the rack is a sufficient ground plane for radiation even if you run the uber-max 50 watts allowed for GMRS. Most FRS/GMRS radios only transmit at .5 watts.

I run my COAX to the pillar between the driver's side doors, wide taped down the pillar.