From 31 Inches to 6 3/4 Inches: A Simple Ford F-150 Antenna Upgrade
Sometimes the smallest change makes a surprisingly big difference in how a truck looks.
A customer recently sent us these before-and-after photos of his 2009 Ford F-150 after replacing the original 31-inch steel antenna with our Votex 6 3/4-inch short rubber antenna.
The factory antenna does its job, but there is no getting around the fact that it sticks way up over the truck. After looking at the same F-150 with the much shorter Votex antenna installed, the difference is pretty dramatic.
There are no major modifications involved either. The stock antenna simply unscrews from the factory antenna base, and the Votex antenna installs in its place. The entire job can be completed in just a few minutes.
Short Doesn't Have to Mean Poor Reception
One of the biggest concerns people have when replacing a factory antenna with a short antenna is radio reception.
And it is a legitimate concern.
Cutting an antenna down from approximately 31 inches to less than 7 inches changes the antenna considerably. That's one of the reasons we didn't want our antenna to simply be a short piece of rubber with a threaded end.
Inside the Votex 6 3/4-inch antenna is a tuned internal copper coil designed for radio reception. That internal coil is an important part of what separates our antenna from many basic short replacement antennas.
Customer feedback over the years has reinforced that decision.
The Votex antenna currently carries a 4.6-star Amazon rating from more than 7,700 global ratings, and reception is one of the most frequently mentioned features in customer feedback.
“The easiest upgrade install on my new truck to date. Just unscrew the old antenna and screw the new one on... I seem to be getting great reception too.”
Another F-150 customer reported that the antenna performed the same as the larger factory antenna for the local FM stations they normally listen to.
We don't claim that a 6 3/4-inch antenna will outperform a 31-inch antenna in every reception environment. Distance from radio towers, terrain, vehicle electronics and other factors can affect AM/FM reception.
But after tens of thousands of these antennas sold, we're extremely happy with the real-world reception customers report from such a short antenna.
Built to Survive the Car Wash
The other issue with long truck antennas is something many owners have dealt with at some point: the automatic car wash.
It's one of the reasons we originally developed this antenna.
In 2019, we became the first to market with a car wash guarantee.
2-Year Car Wash Guarantee
If your Votex antenna breaks in an automatic car wash within two years of purchase, we'll replace it.
There is a reason we're comfortable offering that guarantee.
At one of the most important stress points — the threaded connection to the truck — we use USA-made stainless steel threading. It provides a strong connection to the factory antenna base while the rubber antenna itself remains short and flexible.
That construction has now been tested in the real world across tens of thousands of antennas.
One F-150 owner explained that the large factory antenna had to be removed every time the truck went through a car wash. After installing the Votex antenna, that was no longer something they had to worry about.
That's exactly the type of problem this antenna was designed to solve.
Made for 2009–2026 Ford F-150 Trucks
The truck pictured here happens to be a 2009 Ford F-150, but this version of our Votex 6 3/4-inch antenna fits Ford F-150 models from 2009 through 2026.
Installation takes only minutes:
Unscrew the factory antenna, install the Votex antenna in its place, make sure it is properly seated, and you're done.
No wiring. No cutting. No removing interior panels.
For most owners, it is a several-minute project that makes a noticeable change to the exterior of the truck.
A Small Upgrade We've Been Improving for Years
We've sold tens of thousands of these antennas, but we still enjoy seeing customer photos like these.
They show exactly why we made the 6 3/4-inch antenna in the first place.
The goal wasn't simply to make an antenna shorter. We wanted something that looked better on the truck while still addressing the things that actually matter: reception, strength, simple installation and surviving automatic car washes.
Going from the original 31-inch steel antenna to a 6 3/4-inch antenna may be a small modification, but looking at this customer's before-and-after photos, it makes a significant difference in the appearance of the F-150.
And it takes only a few minutes to do.
Upgrade Your Ford F-150 Antenna
The Votex 6 3/4-inch short rubber antenna fits 2009–2026 Ford F-150 trucks and is backed by our 2-year car wash guarantee.
View the Votex 6 3/4" Antenna