OnBelay

A lot of people secure their antenna bonding/ground straps to the tailgate and tub with zinc-plated self-tapping screws (e.g. following K0BG/Alan Applegate's lead). This works fine, but we wanted something more secure, more weather-resistant, and with a greater contact area between the bonding strap & vehicle ground. Also, we wanted something that could be bolted and unbolted without compromising the connection ... if you've ever tried to remove and re-install something in the same hole created with a self-tapping screw, then you understand. Our solution:

1. Expose bare metal on a flat section close to the tailgate hinge.
2. Drill a 1/2" hole in center of the exposed area.
3. Wet-rivet a 1.5" x 1.5" section of 1/8" steel, and seal the edges with JB Weld.
4. Drill a 3/8" hole in the center of the steel plate, and wet-rivet a 1/4"-20 zinc-plated steel nutsert in place.
5. Shield the nutsert with a bolt & washer, and apply 4 coats of factory paint.
6. Apply conductive compound (NOALOX pictured), and bolt up the bonding strap.

We plan to do this on the doors as well so we can remove and re-install the ground straps without any issues. Yes it is possible to simply nutsert the sheet metal and avoid fabricating & riveting a plate. It just so happens that the sheet metal in this area is two layers, very thick, and difficult to nutsert for various reasons that I won't get into. Besides, a thick plate is more robust over the long term if your bond strap will flex and torque your mounts.


P.S. Bonus picture of why the JK's subwoofer mount bolt is a terrible long-term ground--rust and corrosion! Ours actually corroded to the point that it is no longer conductive with the tub or frame.

Installed and painted:


Noalox applied, and ready for service:


Tailgate open:


Tailgate closed. The EMC Ultrabond II (2080) bends nicely. Note we trimmed the ends and soldered to prevent fraying:


The popular-- but notorious--subwoofer bolt and rusted subwoofer bracket: