Antenna install questions

[geocruiser]

I have a new antenna mast which I tried to install earlier this evening, with little success. I had to remove the motor assembly and take it apart to get out the piece of plastic 'rope' that feeds into the motor housing. Got the motor put back in, wired back up, but can't get the new antenna to feed into the motor. I made sure the teeth of the plastic are facing forward (and I tried it every other direction too). I put a lot of downward pressure on it, and tried to straighten it out first.

I tried all sorts of combinations of having someone turn the radio on/off, pushing the up/ down button while I push it in... No success.

does anyone have any other tricks for getting this mast to get pulled in?

also, I noticed while pulling out the broken piece of mast plastic, that there is some sort of yellow grease in the area where the plastic wire gets spooled up. Should I grease the new mast before I wind it into the housing?

 

[1loudLX]

does it catch at all?

 

[geocruiser]

does it catch at all?

No, it doesn't feel like it is catching at all.

and I was pushing pretty hard.

 

[1loudLX]

key on, FM radio on, push antenna switch to the UP position for several seconds. Then have someone kill the power to the radio/turn the key off while you hold the antenna in. I thought I installed it feet to the rear when I had to replace the one on my 05? Either way I had to pull my antenna motor apart like you to get all the pieces out. Are you sure you rebuilt it properly?

 

[geocruiser]

key on, FM radio on, push antenna switch to the UP position for several seconds. Then have someone kill the power to the radio/turn the key off while you hold the antenna in. I thought I installed it feet to the rear when I had to replace the one on my 05? Either way I had to pull my antenna motor apart like you to get all the pieces out. Are you sure you rebuilt it properly?

I pullled the motor out and opened it up/rebuilt it again just to make sure I had it together right. I'm worried that the part that drives the mast up/down is stripped out. I don't know if that's ever happened before. It seems like they designed it so the plastic mast is the weakest link, so that wouldn't be a concern.

 

[geocruiser]

The more I think about it, the more i think it's stripped out. The motor used to make an aweful grinding noise when I first bent the antenna (tree branch, while wheeling). It stopped the aweful grinding noise about 3 weeks ago. Now the motor sounds normal... But won't pull the new antenna in...

going to bed now... Will look at it again tomorrow.

 

[geocruiser]

OK, got the new antenna in!

there was a 1inch piece of plastic stuck in the bottom of the tube, and did not come out until I pushed a 12GA wire into the housing to get it out.

on another note, now the manual up/down switch does not work... How did I screw that up? It worked before the plastic bit broke a few months ago.

 

[MoJ]

As said above, the FSM is incorrect. The teeth need to face the front of the vehicle when feeding in the new antenna. Don't waste 20 minutes of your time like I did. FSM procedure:

 

[staggrlee]

Just had to replace mine. The toothed drive line had broken off within three inches of the mast.

The motor was grinding each time it engaged, so some of the line was had to still be fed into the motor gear. I didn't want to try to cram that much line into the motor, so I disassembled the motor to remove the old line. Also did it with the motor hanging from the fender well.

I didn't see the FSM post beforehand and just fed the new mast in (teeth forward) in with the Up/Down button, secured the mast top nut and turned the radio off. Sucked it the rest of the way in.

Only thing I would add is to get plenty of the fender liner body fasteners. I used 8 new and salvaged one fastener. All but one of the ones I removed broke.

Also, don't try to remove the lower Torx/hex inserts in the liner, just remove the fasteners and pry the liner out of the way. I tried but they were going to break if I forced it.

 

[fireball]

Can the power antenna be easily swapped with a manual antenna? Something like the "whip style" OEM antenna found on the Tacoma and many other Yotas?

Thanks!

 

[Atlantavillan]

Hey folks, Noobie question on this antenna thing. When I start or turn off my FZJ80 I swear I hear the motor on the antenna run for a few seconds. But when I push the antenna button on the dash..nothing? The up and down feature of the antenna is kind of cool...but probably more trouble than it's worth. IS it possible that the switch on the dash is disconnected and the motor runs automatically on start and shut off? There's no doubt the antenna itself is jacked up.

 

[FlammableFishie]

Hey folks, Noobie question on this antenna thing. When I start or turn off my FZJ80 I swear I hear the motor on the antenna run for a few seconds. But when I push the antenna button on the dash..nothing? The up and down feature of the antenna is kind of cool...but probably more trouble than it's worth. IS it possible that the switch on the dash is disconnected and the motor runs automatically on start and shut off? There's no doubt the antenna itself is jacked up.

You're in the 100 series forum, not the 80 series (FZJ80). My guess is you've got something wrong with your antenna motor, not the electronics.

 

[hoser]

That white plastic part of the antenna mast with teeth on it... broken.

 

[patrickfinley]

I've got a question, my antenna motor works fine. The mast however is bent. Can I swap just swap out the new antenna Mast from the top without going in underneath the tire well? Is it as easy as the picture MoJ put up?

 

[hoser]

Yes.

 

[patrickfinley]

Dealership wants $360 to do it for me. This is however the same dealership that goofed and printed up $469 Timing Belt coupons and is pissed they are doing my T Belt parts and labor for that price. I guess they are trying to make up their loss someplace else.

 

[hoser]

Well, if the plastic, geared cord breaks within the assembly and can't be extracted from above, then the motor has to come out and dismantled. I can see that taking some time. If the motor is dead and the entire assembly is replaced, then it is more expensive... like over $300 just for the parts.

 

[patrickfinley]

If it's going up and down then in theory the cord should be fine. I'll just need to be careful extracting it.

Well, if the plastic, geared cord breaks within the assembly and can't be extracted from above, then the motor has to come out and dismantled. I can see that taking some time. If the motor is dead and the entire assembly is replaced, then it is more expensive... like over $300 just for the parts.

 

[El Cid]

I replaced my antenna with the retracting white cable/cord. Looking back, I wish I had gone to the permanently affixed antenna. It would be less to worry about and more durable antenna could be found.

 

[1loudLX]

You could always pull the motor apart to get the bits out. Had to do that on my 05 when I bought it.

On my 2000 I have a manual antenna from Kuwait. I never use FM so it's never up.