antenna
- Thread starter steelynorm
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You can replace the mast on all years if the nylon wire isn't messed up and still has the connector on the end. If you can, snap pictures because I want to know what I would be dealing with and whether or not a rubber flex antenna would be a better choice.
A different antenna fix.
Actually, you just need the nylon wire in tact. The connector on the end being in tact is just a bonus.
How?
Saves $100 and about 2 hours of cursing.
The alternative of replacing the whole power unit involves disassembly of the lower passenger side dash & components, back feeding the coax out, then in. I did this one on the wife's old '92. Working inside the fender kind of bites too. Buy an antenna cable extender if you do this. I was never able to make the coax feed back quite right, thus the extension.
Good luck!
Actually, you just need the nylon wire in tact. The connector on the end being in tact is just a bonus.
How?
- If your nylon wire is still close to original length, buy the replacement mast.
- Next, you need a blue butt end wire crimp connector.
- Remove the blue insulation from the outside of the connector.
- You should now have a metal cylinder that is just about the size of the pin on the inside of the top piece of the mast The problem is that it has square shoulders and won't feed very well through the other mast sections.
- Get out a file. You will need to taper the end of the crimp connector core to at least a 45 degree angle. Preferably less. Take your time and do a detailed job all the way around it.
- Place the now tapered end of the butt connector core onto the threaded stub on the bottom of the top section of the mast.
- Now feed the nylon wire into the bottom end of the core... oops, it doesn't fit. Get out a VERY sharp pocket knife and recall back to your whittling class in Boy Scouts. You need to score the nylon wire about 1/4" down from the tip and then very carefully carve it down about 1/64" all the way around.
- Feed this tapered end into the connector core and make sure you have a tight clean fit on both the mast base and the nylon wire.
- Use a pair of pliers and work your way around the core slowly so that it is evenly crimped. Do not use a flattening crimper on this one.
- File off any burs, edges or imperfections from the crimping. You want this to slide smoothly inside the mast.
Saves $100 and about 2 hours of cursing.
The alternative of replacing the whole power unit involves disassembly of the lower passenger side dash & components, back feeding the coax out, then in. I did this one on the wife's old '92. Working inside the fender kind of bites too. Buy an antenna cable extender if you do this. I was never able to make the coax feed back quite right, thus the extension.
Good luck!
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Grench, if only I had known that when I got this rig before the antenna wire went down into the motor and wont come out.
That sucks. Look down the hole with a flashlight. Can you see the end in there?
If not, have someone push the buttons momentarily to see if you can bring it into a position that you can see it.
Now you just need real fine pliers. The kind that hobbiests use to work on ships in a bottle maybe?
Alternatively, from the shape of the unit, it appears that it would just wrap around the core. That and it may have a chance in hell of rethreading on the way up. I haven't tried this, but you don't have much to loose at this point. Send it up for about a second or so. If nothing comes out, send it down for 3 seconds. Repeat. From the shape of the motor unit assembly I'd say you've got about a 1:50 or so chance of it coming back up the hole. I've never had to try this though.
My experience with my antenna... It had broken right at the point where the metal threaded bit sits on the end of the nylon wire. If this is the case for you, your motor still works and you still have enough nylon wire to make it work. You just need to do some fishing.
Good luck on it!
If not, have someone push the buttons momentarily to see if you can bring it into a position that you can see it.
Now you just need real fine pliers. The kind that hobbiests use to work on ships in a bottle maybe?
Alternatively, from the shape of the unit, it appears that it would just wrap around the core. That and it may have a chance in hell of rethreading on the way up. I haven't tried this, but you don't have much to loose at this point. Send it up for about a second or so. If nothing comes out, send it down for 3 seconds. Repeat. From the shape of the motor unit assembly I'd say you've got about a 1:50 or so chance of it coming back up the hole. I've never had to try this though.
My experience with my antenna... It had broken right at the point where the metal threaded bit sits on the end of the nylon wire. If this is the case for you, your motor still works and you still have enough nylon wire to make it work. You just need to do some fishing.
Good luck on it!
I've got around 2 ft if I remember right, if it's not fully extended I really don't care, may help prevent future breaks. I guess I'll go fish this weekend.