so i finally picked up a used IC-2300H and i'm trying to do a clean install in my F-150 and im losing my mind trying to figure out where to route the coax from the mag mount on the roof down into the cab. ive been under the dash before for other stuff and i know there are ways in but every thread i find is about a different vehicle and i cant figure out if the same spots apply.

right now the coax is just coming in through the door seal which i know is terrible and probably killing my signal or at least gonna wear through eventually. the radio itself is mounted under the dash on the passenger side and works fine, hitting the local repeater no problem, but i want to do this right before winter. anyone done a clean route on a newer F-series or just trucks in general — does the firewall grommet trick actually work without making a mess

yeah the door seal thing is gonna chafe through the jacket eventually, seen it happen. on my Ram i ran it through the firewall using an existing grommet — there's usually one on the driver side that has maybe a heater hose or nothing going through it and you can work a small hole through it with a pick tool. takes some patience but the end result is clean and weather tight. i used some self-amalgamating tape around where it exits just to be safe.

on fords specifically i've heard people go through the base of the A-pillar trim, there's often a gap behind the weatherstripping that you can fish through without drilling anything. might be worth pulling that trim back and having a look before you commit to anything permanent. either way get yourself a fish tape or even just a stiff wire to help guide it, trying to do it blind is a nightmare.

i did basically the same install last year, 2019 F-150 with a 2meter mobile. ended up going through the back of the cab where the rear window is — there's a rubber channel there and i just tucked the coax along it and down the B-pillar. not the shortest route but zero drilling and its been solid through a whole summer and winter now. radio still hits the repeater 40 miles out on a good day so no complaints from me about signal loss.