How to swap antenna for shark fin?

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STYSMason

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I am trying to get an idea of how hard its going to be to swap my antenna puck for the shark fin. I also need to figure out with way the wire runs and and where the jumper box in the middle is. Anyone done this mid yet?
 

Lon

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I have not done this but would also like to do this on my truck.
 

butterscotch71

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I actually liked the antenna on my old 2010 better than the shark fin on my 2015
 

3dtremer

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I just installed the sharkfin and it was not too bad. Everything was pretty much a direct swap, pull one plug and put the new one in the same hole.

I took the passenger kick panel off, took the glove box out and the junk holder above the glovebox out.

Cable P/N 68148258AD installed behind the dash to the radio, here is where I started:
oKbejWv.jpg


The second attachment was at the top of the dash almost directly above the first:
l1rBQ3M.jpg


I just followed the old cable and removed it as I went zip tieing the new one in the same spots:
nHl9yvM.jpg


Cable P/N 68148277AD (for Quad cab, Crew is different) and the sharkfin were installed together. I removed the panel at the back of the driverside rear door (My puck was installed in the rear aft driver side position), pulled off the weather stripping and just barely lowered the headliner:
hWY56e5.jpg


For the antenna it's just one bolt, I loosened it and the old one came right off. I cleaned the roof around where the sharkfin went and tightened it down:
FkilFzh.jpg


Again I just remove the old connector and put the new one's in the same spot:
1OQbM9h.jpg

Q3qbU1Z.jpg


I ran the cable down the rear panel and up the drivers side floor next to the wire bundle that is already there. I took the cable directly across the drivers foot well underneath the carpet. I went in front of the center console (It was too tight to go behind it like I wanted to) and across the passenger foot well under the carpet the whole way.

Looking back I wish I would of followed the pdf I found for install and went across the headlinder and down the passenger A pillar. It works though.
 

Solej

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By installing the shark fin, you gained cellular access for uconnect ? Or what was your purpose for installing the fin ? In a previous post I read that if your truck was not built with uconnect that uconnect will not set you up, is this true ?


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Express Man

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Mine shows the 3g now after installing the shark fin but, you are correct when I go to the uconnect store through the radio it doesn't work. At least for mine.
 

R.L.K.

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Installing the shark fin antenna will Benifit you in the future if uselessconnect ever gets their head out of their A$$ and allows us non factory installed RA4 8.4 Upgrade guys to purchase a subscription. .. other than that ( at least for now ) the 911 delete plug will do the trick in lui of the shark fin antenna .
911 Delete plug can be bought from Ram Forums Prefered Vendor

www.harness-connection.us

www.harness-connection.us

0a2e183c5e24734acbba829899e53801.jpg

Hope this helps !
 
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R.L.K.

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Is the harness connection link working for you guys when clicked on from my post above ?

Strange , it's not for me ?
 

Mpgrimm2

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Nope.

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R.L.K.

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RockyAEV

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So if I swap the antenna out to the shark fin and the cable all it will do is take away the 911 error message? I did the upgrade as well (tradesman 2500) ....just trying to make everything work as it would if I bought a premium truck to be gone with.


2018 Ram 2500 Tradesman
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52787f53748a2c058c850f3de40f79f6.jpg
 

Mpgrimm2

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So if I swap the antenna out to the shark fin and the cable all it will do is take away the 911 error message? I did the upgrade as well (tradesman 2500) ....just trying to make everything work as it would if I bought a premium truck to be gone with.


2018 Ram 2500 Tradesman
6.7L, G56

52787f53748a2c058c850f3de40f79f6.jpg

Correct.
Fca won't willingly allow any non factory 8.4 trucks on their uConnect network to use the phone apps, etc which is why most people just go with the bypass plug. Although the WiFi hotspot feature is direct through the cell company/internal modem in the radio and about the only reason for a working cell antenna

M² Mods.
 

RockyAEV

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Correct.
Fca won't willingly allow any non factory 8.4 trucks on their uConnect network to use the phone apps, etc which is why most people just go with the bypass plug. Although the WiFi hotspot feature is direct through the cell company/internal modem in the radio and about the only reason for a working cell antenna

M² Mods.

Well damn, may not be worth spending the extra cash unless there’s a possibility of later gaining access for the full potential.

Unless if I understand you correctly....I won’t be able to get U-Connect to work but I could get the WIFI to work?


2018 Ram 2500 Tradesman
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Mpgrimm2

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Well damn, may not be worth spending the extra cash unless there’s a possibility of later gaining access for the full potential.

Unless if I understand you correctly....I won’t be able to get U-Connect to work but I could get the WIFI to work?


2018 Ram 2500 Tradesman
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Correct.

M² Mods.
 

Lawsuit11

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I upgraded from a RA2 to a UAQ and purchased the cell antenna from eBay(2pieces). I don’t have access to UConnect but I do currently have completely free WIFI in my truck. I get great signal LTE with the antenna combo I purchased. All I did was plug it in to the back of my radio and mounted the antenna behind the radio in the dash. I don’t think anyone has tried to 4g antenna for the RA4 but I could be wrong. Below is what I purchased. Also I on purpose just to see if it worked used the SOS on the mirror it connected and called the SOS call center.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/382924673276

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/173907959230


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RockyAEV

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Oh man that’s pretty cool....I might as well go ahead and get the goods, and hope that U-Connect will pull their head out of their rear and allow us to purchase the rights to use or something....

But to save money at first I might drop $10 on the eBay work around stuff haha that’s legit


2018 Ram 2500 Tradesman
6.7L, G56
 

Lawsuit11

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Oh man that’s pretty cool....I might as well go ahead and get the goods, and hope that U-Connect will pull their head out of their rear and allow us to purchase the rights to use or something....

But to save money at first I might drop $10 on the eBay work around stuff haha that’s legit


2018 Ram 2500 Tradesman
6.7L, G56

Yeah I’ll upgrade to the shark fin if they ever allow u connect access but I’ve tried everything and still can’t get it approved.


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