Radio Antenna Wire

[Brian894X4]

I'm been trying to track down where the OEM radio antenna wire exits the body and enters the fender to get to the power antenna and I can't seem to find it. I lose the wire somewhere up above the heater behind the glovebox. I've checked all body to outside connectors that I could find and no antenna wire.

I'm trying to avoid pulling the fender or the dash out to get to this wire. My goal is to splice into it so I can mount a new antenna and bypass the POS factory power antenna which is now bend. I rather splice into it on the outside, but that's not looking good.

My plan B is to get behind the radio and just plug in a new wire, but I really don't want to yank the whole dash out because I've got equipment bolted and wired in place that makes that job extremely time consuming. And I can't seem to get anywhere near to where I assume the antenna plugs into the back of the radio otherwise.

Anyone got any other ideas?

Plan C is pulling the fender, but man I really don't want to mess with that if I don't have too. But I'd rather pull the fender than the dash.

 

[Brian894X4]

Maybe there's a plan D.

Is it true, I can just pull the antenna motor out the hole in the engine compartment? I'll see if I can answer my own question here in a bit.

 

[arndog123]

Yes, you can pull the motor out that hole but you need to remove the brackets on the motor before pulling it out.

 

[retrofive]

x2 Yes, that part is easy. I never got around to fishing the antenna cable out, so not much help there.

 

[greentruck]

The FSM indicates a complete teardown of that side of the dash is needed. It's almost that bad. I was able to tape a wire to the radio end of the coax and then remove the power antenna assembly through the inside fender hole, leaving me with the end of the wire as a means to fish the new antenna coax back in.

It is very difficult to see the actual location where the coax enters from the fender. It basically makes a 90 degree bend, high up and directly under the base of the A-pillar, at the top corner of the firewall.

If you remove the glovebox and some other stuff, you can shine a light back in there and see it. It's best to follow the old coax on the way out so that you have an idea of where it should go when you bring it back in. I don't think there's a grommet or anything, just a tight bend, up and out of the way.

The scars around my wrists are just now starting to fade from this particular project about six weeks ago. It's a little like the PHH R&R, but not nearly so dirty. Thank goodness for small favors. Good luck.

Personally, I found that it was worth it to R&R to the factory set-up on my truck. When we bought it, the remains of the antenna were flopping around, mostly held in place by some type of putty. It worked, but was ugly and wouldn't have lasted long in the woods.

 

[Count_Fred]

I got rid of my old motor and antenna mount and stuck a CB antenna there. I tied some string to the coax as I pulled it out with the motor, thinking I could use that to feed it back through. Unfortunately, my CB coax connector was too big to make it up and around that 90 bend and into the vehicle up inside the fender there. I ended up routing it through one of the wire harness grommets in the firewall (inside the main engine bay and not in the fender area). Radio coax connectors are usually skinnier, but are often longer, so I could see it being a b**** of a time getting it back through that hole. Access (at least without removing fender body panels) is so very awkward to reach that hole the coax goes through and help guide it. Didn't try feeding it out from the inside as that would have required removing some of the hardware under the dash to get access.

No grommet on my coax hole either by the way.

Once I had it through the grommeted hole, my coax was stiff enough to keep feeding it in until it was visible after removing just the glove box. A little bit of grabbing/wiggling/slipping and I got it to feed through below the air box, and then routed it back up into the radio area. You might be able to try pushing in on the radio coax wire if the end is just lost up there. If you have enough hand maneuverability up inside the fender there.

Cheers,
JFS III

 

[Brian894X4]

Thanks for the info. What a pain. I did get the motor out through the hole, but not without ruining it. I didn't plan on reusing it anyway and I know I could have saved it if I was more careful, but a stripped bolt frustrated me to the point of just yanking everything out. I spliced a new antenna in place, but it was not easy. There is almost no room or cable to work with. I had a lot of LC projects to do tonight, but this one pretty much ate up the whole evening...oh well.

 

[Scalci]

Well this is my issue, I removed it, but did not put a string around it when I pulled it out. I thought it wil lbe easy to get back. I can't even see the hole in the sidewall.....

What will be the best not to put it back?

 

[greentruck]

If you haven't attached something to the old coax as you removed the old, you are in a bit of a spot.

If you reinstall a new Toyota power antenna assembly, you have to enter from the fender side into the space behind the firewall. The spot is high up inside the fender, but a little hard to describe.

Also, it's best to use a wire, instead of a string, as having some stiffness is needed to help get things past the turn as you go through that 90 degree turn. You might want to take some stainless cable, put a kink in it about a foot back (25 cm) then fish it around until you confirm it's through the hole by spotting it inside under the dash. Then attach/tape the coax to the end of it and pull.

Note for all of this to be careful with the new coax to not cut or damage it, or you will hurt the reception after installation.

If you take the fender off to see it, then you're stuck with having the antenna assembly installed in the fender and putting it and the fender both back on at the same time, feeding the coax into the hole as you reinstall the fender. Tricky, but doable with some help, I suppose.

 

[tromz]

per service manual you need to remove the dash to access the cable . Or you could just replace the bent mast for a bout 30 bucks if the motor is still working pretty easily. Search the FAQ for it theres a good writeup somewhere it was very helpful to me and lists the part #

 

[4x4CPOSEADOG]

Brian,

Would you mind taking pictures on the removal of the antenna wire. Mine is broken too and would like to experiment with the 2001-2004 Tacoma whip antenna to replace that power antenna.

 

[Brian894X4]

Sorry, I didn't actually remove the wire. I removed the antenna motor, which allowed me to access the antenna end of the wire. The wire is attached to the mass where the antenna is stored, when it's rolled all the way down. I basically spliced a new cable into the OEM cable and installed an external antenna.

Getting to the cable, even with the motor out was pretty difficult, so it was pretty much hack job, but it works.

I'll post a picture of the new antenna later, when I get a chance.

I didn't want the OEM antenna at all, because I drive through brush a lot and I didn't want spend money on a new antenna only to have it bend on me again, the next time I forget to pull the thing down. Instead I've installed a very flexible antenna that won't get damaged or is easily replaced if it ever does.