I know This is a common problem but Antenna is broken now, NOW what?
- Thread starter 01LXNY
- Start date
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Remove the nut that secures it(wrap a towel around it before putting the wrench on it). Raise the antennae and it will pull right out. Make a note of which way the teeth face(rear i think). Push the new antennae in and lower the antennae. Replace the nut. It may take several times before it goes all the way back in but it eventually will. The instrucions also come with the new antennae.(Used to anyway).
IIRC - The plastic gears attached to the motor are what fail and require replacing the whole part. Some have been happy replacing with a fixed antenna similar to a 4runner.
Clarification - Old 4Runner. The current series do not have an external antenna.
I don't think I've ever owned a Cruiser with a power antenna that hasn't died on me. 
I think on everyone I've replaced them with a rubber fixed type.
Even my 05 when I mounted the snorkel I replaced the perfectly fine new one with a $10.00 rubber one from Discount.
When I buy another Cruiser with a power one, I will do the same.
I think on everyone I've replaced them with a rubber fixed type.Even my 05 when I mounted the snorkel I replaced the perfectly fine new one with a $10.00 rubber one from Discount.
When I buy another Cruiser with a power one, I will do the same.
01LXNY -
Did you ever get your antenna fixed? If not, here's some input. Mine had your same symptons - motor not connected to the antenna mast anymore. What's wrong? Coming out the bottom of the antenna mast is a 2-foot plastic cable that gets wound up by the antenna motor. On mine, the plastic cable broke leaving about 10" attached to the antenna. The remainder was left inside the motor assembly. This remainder piece needs to come out to get the new antenna to work.
Advice to you: fix the antenna. Don't substitute a rubber one or a coat hanger. Remember, you own a luxury vehicle. Plus, it's an easy fix.
Parts needed: replacement antenna mast (call around to dealers or CDAN).
Remove the broken antenna mast by removing the "nut" at the base of the antenna (right above the fender). The nut has 4 notches in it to grab with the proper tool, or use one of those rubber lid grabbers from the kitchen wrapped around the nut and gently use some pliers around it. The antenna mast should pull out. You may need to turn on the radio and push the antenna out a bit with the motor.
The FSM doesn't tell how to get to the motor at all. It's hidden inside the wheel well, between the fender and the engine compartment. Inside the wheel well, there is a black plastic "liner" that is held in place by a bunch of plastic push pins and a couple of screws. Remove the ones in the back half of the wheel well. (Don't worry about breaking them, because you probably will. I think I broke about 4 of the 7 I tried to remove. They are a $1 at the dealer to get replacement ones.) You'll also need to remove the screws that hold the plastic liner to the running board, IIRC.
(I forgot to mention - you don't need to remove the front tire if you don't want to. Just crank the wheels fully to the right when you park it to work on it.)
Now, if you gently pull the wheel well liner away, you should see the motor assembly up inside the fender. There is a bolt or 2 to remove and an electrical plug to disconnect. With a little wiggling, the motor should come out. Make sure you hang on to it because the antenna cable will still be attached to the motor assembly. I never removed the antenna cable the whole time I worked in mine.
At the bottom of the motor assembly, there is a black plastic housing, circular in cross section, maybe 4" in diameter. The motor winds up this white plastic cable in here. You need to open this up and remove the old plastic cable. There are a handful of screws to remove (sorry I didn't take pictures). The 2 parts of this housing are held together by a black RTV-type sealant. I didn't remove any of the sealant. Just take off the cover (whichever side comes apart), and look inside for a greasy length of plastic cable coiled up inside. Remove this and re-assemble and re-install and re-connect.
Before putting the wheel well cover/liner back on, make sure you can get your new antenna mast installed. The teeth need to face to the rear of the vehicle. And, you'll probably have to play with the antenna up/down button a few times to get it to work properly.
Hope this helps. (Sorry about the lengthy reply.)
Did you ever get your antenna fixed? If not, here's some input. Mine had your same symptons - motor not connected to the antenna mast anymore. What's wrong? Coming out the bottom of the antenna mast is a 2-foot plastic cable that gets wound up by the antenna motor. On mine, the plastic cable broke leaving about 10" attached to the antenna. The remainder was left inside the motor assembly. This remainder piece needs to come out to get the new antenna to work.
Advice to you: fix the antenna. Don't substitute a rubber one or a coat hanger. Remember, you own a luxury vehicle. Plus, it's an easy fix.
Parts needed: replacement antenna mast (call around to dealers or CDAN).
Remove the broken antenna mast by removing the "nut" at the base of the antenna (right above the fender). The nut has 4 notches in it to grab with the proper tool, or use one of those rubber lid grabbers from the kitchen wrapped around the nut and gently use some pliers around it. The antenna mast should pull out. You may need to turn on the radio and push the antenna out a bit with the motor.
The FSM doesn't tell how to get to the motor at all. It's hidden inside the wheel well, between the fender and the engine compartment. Inside the wheel well, there is a black plastic "liner" that is held in place by a bunch of plastic push pins and a couple of screws. Remove the ones in the back half of the wheel well. (Don't worry about breaking them, because you probably will. I think I broke about 4 of the 7 I tried to remove. They are a $1 at the dealer to get replacement ones.) You'll also need to remove the screws that hold the plastic liner to the running board, IIRC.
(I forgot to mention - you don't need to remove the front tire if you don't want to. Just crank the wheels fully to the right when you park it to work on it.)
Now, if you gently pull the wheel well liner away, you should see the motor assembly up inside the fender. There is a bolt or 2 to remove and an electrical plug to disconnect. With a little wiggling, the motor should come out. Make sure you hang on to it because the antenna cable will still be attached to the motor assembly. I never removed the antenna cable the whole time I worked in mine.
At the bottom of the motor assembly, there is a black plastic housing, circular in cross section, maybe 4" in diameter. The motor winds up this white plastic cable in here. You need to open this up and remove the old plastic cable. There are a handful of screws to remove (sorry I didn't take pictures). The 2 parts of this housing are held together by a black RTV-type sealant. I didn't remove any of the sealant. Just take off the cover (whichever side comes apart), and look inside for a greasy length of plastic cable coiled up inside. Remove this and re-assemble and re-install and re-connect.
Before putting the wheel well cover/liner back on, make sure you can get your new antenna mast installed. The teeth need to face to the rear of the vehicle. And, you'll probably have to play with the antenna up/down button a few times to get it to work properly.
Hope this helps. (Sorry about the lengthy reply.)
Yeah it took me all of about 10 minutes to replace mine. Don't think I even finished my beer before it was done. I didn't have to get to the motor, just removed to top chrome cover. turned on radio and kept pulling as it reached max height. Stuffed the new one in, teeth toward back if I recall. turned radio off. retightened chrome cover. Search, you'll find better directions. But well worth the $30 I spent on a new antenna.
SUMMIT CRUISERS
SILVER Star
99 470 antenna replacement teeth direction
Thanks for the great write up Swederson, Only one change for my 99.
I've been trying to cram my antenna into the motor with the teeth facing to the rear without any luck. After noticing marks being made on the front smooth side of the plastic, I turned it around with the teeth facing FRONTWARDS and it pulled it right in.
Thanks for the great write up Swederson, Only one change for my 99.
I've been trying to cram my antenna into the motor with the teeth facing to the rear without any luck. After noticing marks being made on the front smooth side of the plastic, I turned it around with the teeth facing FRONTWARDS and it pulled it right in.
rfj62
SILVER Star
Yes very useful write up, I did mine last week with great sucsess. I also found the teeth had to face forward.
Jim_Chow
V8_Fan
One thing I can't figure out is why Toyota can't integrate the antenna into the window glass like honda does? You'd think on a $55-70K car, they could do that.
rusty_tlc
Dain Bramaged Member
After reading this thread I remembered I had a new mast waiting to be installed, $37.50 (no shipping charges) from SinCtiy.
A couple of observations from my install.
I would tape off the area around the antenna to protect the paint. It is possible to make a scratch with whatever tool you use to remove the nut.
My mast didn't come out easy, in fact I broke the nylon tape drive. Lucky for me there was enough above the fitting to grab with a pair of vice grips.
A couple of observations from my install.
I would tape off the area around the antenna to protect the paint. It is possible to make a scratch with whatever tool you use to remove the nut.
My mast didn't come out easy, in fact I broke the nylon tape drive. Lucky for me there was enough above the fitting to grab with a pair of vice grips.
I believe the FM antenna is in the furthest back side window on the passenger side. My deck received FM fine with the mast removed.
I'm pretty sure my 4th Gen Runner has it incorporated into the rear quarter windows.
I too wish Mr. T had brought that to the Cruisers too.
I just did this myself...took all of 30 minutes (enought time for 2 beers), and I even had to go into the wheel well because the mast cable broke way down deep in the motor unit. Got the new OEM one at "antennamastsrus.com" for like $31.00, and they had pretty good instructions with pictures (see "http://antennamastsrus.com/Instructions%20Mast.htm", or just navigate to the Land Cruiser section on thier site). The guy I talked to was very helpful, too.
what could possibly be cooler than an adjustable height antenna?
Nothing. Well, maybe sat radio?
Nothing! How about being able to replace the factory navigation unit with something aftermarket. Oh... and Mark Hawley (metal-Tech) told me today he is looking into long travel suspension for the 100 series!
