[Campervan Man]

I've heard the that hardened steal used in the Transit is hard to drill through. I bought a regular "bi metal" hole bit but the antenna instructions look like they're using a diamond "tile" drill bit. Do you guys have any suggestions?

I could try the metal bit and if it doesn't work go buy a diamond bit. It probably won't hurt anything….on the other hand I should ask first.

Thanks, Jon

 

[Inkog]

Your speaking of Boron Steel. Its mainly just in the A & B pillars You'll need Tungsten Carbide to chew through it.

 

[lolwisper4321]

Here is what I would use.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Klein-Tools-7-8-in-Carbide-Hole-Cutter-31875/202868661

 

[lolwisper4321]

Here is a Tungsten carbide version set.

https://www.zoro.com/greenlee-hole-cutter-kit-6-pc-tungsten-carbide-655/i/G1904436/

 

[bicyclist]

As Inkog says, the hardened boron steel is in only part of the structure. If you're just mounting an antenna, it's likely that you won't be drilling through any of it. Standard high speed steel drills work fine on most of the van.

When drilling, you will get better results starting with a small drill and working your way up through increasing sizes. If you're drilling hardened steel, you want to drill at slow speed, around 250 rpm and cool the cut with cutting oil or water.

 

[Campervan Man]

Thanks. I ordered a Tungsten Carbide Teeth Hole Cutter from Amazon. I had to order from my neighbor since they have one day free shipping.

 

[alarmist]

If you're cutting thin sheet metal you want a step drill. Hole saws are fine in thicker stuff but can catch out an amateur in thin stock. Much can go wrong.

 

[Michael Ophus]

I've heard the that hardened steal used in the Transit is hard to drill through. I bought a regular "bi metal" hole bit but the antenna instructions look like they're using a diamond "tile" drill bit. Do you guys have any suggestions?

I could try the metal bit and if it doesn't work go buy a diamond bit. It probably won't hurt anything….on the other hand I should ask first.

Thanks, Jon

Are you mounting a transmitting antenna? (Ham or business band.) According to the Bemm there are only 2 places you can mount a transmitting antenna where it will not effect the vehicle electronics.

 

[Campervan Man]

I am planning to mount an antenna. Just a small cellular mimo antenna so I can use a jet pack hotspot.

Now that I think about it my solar panel is installed almost over the small puck like antenna (nav/XM antenna?). My XM radio has a lot of dead spots so I probably should replace that antenna with a all in one tall one that's higher than my panel.

Suggestions?

Sent from my MI MAX 3 using Tapatalk

 

[Michael Ophus]

There was a thread awhile back about swapping out the XM antenna, I do not remember the details other then the guy was having a hard time finding a adapter for the antenna plug.

 

[Hein]

Could it be mounted on a plate that is bonded to the frame of your solar panel with VHB tape? If you used our towers and 8020 crossbars then that plate could be attached to the bottom of the crossbar and extend out like a shelf and the antenna could sit on that.

You can use this gland for the cable entry.

All the best,
Hein
DIYvan

 

[Campervan Man]

If you're cutting thin sheet metal you want a step drill. Hole saws are fine in thicker stuff but can catch out an amateur in thin stock. Much can go wrong.

cancelled the order....No wonder the instructions showed the hole being cut with a diamond (tile) type bit.

 

[as3ffd]

Try a "unibit" for drilling your hole.

 

[GapRunr]

There was a thread awhile back about swapping out the XM antenna, I do not remember the details other then the guy was having a hard time finding a adapter for the antenna plug.

Crutchfield.com has the correct antenna adapters for the XM radio.

 

[brownbear]

Unibit as said above is good on sheet metal. Also called a step bit.

I actually found I did not have to drill holes in the roof. I used a threaded hole for my roof racks that wasn't being used and fit my siriusxm antenna through it. A coaxial cable would also fit well thru one.

 

[surly Bill]

I have a step bit set from...Harbor Freight. They work great on sheet metal, I wish I knew about them sooner.

 

[alarmist]

I used one on the boron steel around the top rear of the slider and it worked great.

 

[J_of_Today]

I am having to drill through the Boron UHSS in a few spots on my build. It's crazy difficult. I have to graduate the hole up to 9.6 MM for rivnuts. I have been doing this by starting very small and using the next drill bit size until I get to 25/64" (9.6 MM).
It takes forever to drill one hole.
I just ordered an 8 MM spot weld bit to see if it will make getting started easier.

Any additional advice is appreciated.

 

[surly Bill]

Cobalt bits for the Boron. You won't be sorry you spent the money.

 

[Tijoe]

I am having to drill through the Boron UHSS in a few spots on my build. It's crazy difficult. I have to graduate the hole up to 9.6 MM for rivnuts. I have been doing this by starting very small and using the next drill bit size until I get to 25/64" (9.6 MM).
It takes forever to drill one hole.
I just ordered an 8 MM spot weld bit to see if it will make getting started easier.

Any additional advice is appreciated.

If the hole doesn't have to be precisely located, +-.05" estimate, I would locate the position of the hole, then use a center punch to put a small indentation in the hole-to-be's center.
Next, take a Dremel tool, or high speed pneumatic grinder and put on a 1/4" high speed ball-end carbide steel bit. (Not the crappy ones that come in a Dremel took kit.) Grind the bit carefully into center punch indentation and grind a small hole through, or even 1/2 way into the boron UHSS. The heat that is generated by the bit helps to soften the metal enough to create a starter hole. (Don't everheat the grinding bit by pushing too hard, if you change its color, you have destroyed it.)
Then I use a carbide step drill to gradually enlarge the hole to the size you need. (I recently purchased a high quality 12 step drill bit for about $100.00 ) (Anything that is not carbide will dull down very quickly.)

The other approach if you can't budget or don't want to spend the money on high quality bits, purchase less expensive high speed steel cutting drill bits (Not Hobo Freight Ti Nitride coated crap.) knowing they will go dull and plan on throwing them away or sharpening them and only using them on wood or aluminum in the future.