Swift 184BH Cable Install

[smacdonald]

Just in case you ever wanted to have cable in your 184 or 154 (I assume they are the same regarding this thread) and haven't taken the coaxial antenna plate off the wall to see what is behind, you are in for a nice surprise. No need to run a second wall plate for a separate cable line. Jayco and Winegard have conveniently included a multi input coaxial wall plate. As it sits from the factory, only the antenna is hooked up. There are two other inputs behind that plate where you can connect a cable line or run a second TV.

My son and i took about an hour to run a cable line from outside our 184 to the wall plate. Here is a brief guide. Hope it helps someone out there since i was getting frustrated thinking how i was going to run cable and keep it neat.

First i determined the route i was going to take (behind the fridge) because my wallplate was located on the wall above it. Removed both exterior panels and removed the heat deflectors from the top access panel. I used a "multibit" to cut a hole slightly larger than a half inch thru the siding. With a screwdriver, i pushed the exposed insulation to the sides so i could use a half inch spade to cut a hole thru the panel backing onto the fridge. I offset the hole to one side so i could run the cable to one side where there were less obstructions. We fished the cable thru the exterior holes and with a straightened coat hanger with a hook on the end, pulled the cable thru to the top access panel. I then drilled a half inch hole thru the upper 2x2 structure to get access to the void behind the interior wall panel. We pushed the straight coat hanger with the previously hooked end straightened up thru the hole towards the opening where the wall plate fits. After locating the wallplate hole, i attached the cable to the coat hanger with electrical tape and pulled it through the hole. After attaching the cable to the proper connector behind the wall plate, we tucked the remaining cable (2 or 3ft) behind the wallboard to hide it and reattached the wallplate. Back to the exterior, attached the cable to the exterior connector and attached it to the siding with self taping screws. Next we removed the slack from behind the fridge and positioned the cable as far to one side as we could and secured it to the bottom 2x2 wood structure with cable fasteners to keep it from moving. I caulked behind the exterior connector and inside the hole where the cable runs thru the wood. Put the fridge covers back on and Bobs your uncle.

Running the cable in the 154, I would drill through the outer siding thru to the inside of the entertainment cabinet, then run it up inside and secure it so as not to see the cable then make a hole in the side panel and thru the wallboard below the cable wallplate and fish the cable line up thru the hole to the wallplate location. This should also be a very neat install when complete.

Best of luck to those who try this install. Really, its a simple install.