To all, I know many of you have been down this road already so I appologize. I did the searches and read the FAq's and could not find what I was looking for. The old antenna was shot certain sections stuck together etc. Motor still works fine. Took it all apart and removed the old cable, no problem. How in the @#$% do you get the new cable down into the winder upper thing. Is the trick to fish something up throught the mast and then tie to the new cable and pull back down? If so what a pain. works pretty good without it but would like to install anyway since I paid for it.
replacing the antenna
- Thread starter fiberboy
- Start date
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I just did this last weekend. You have to take the cover off of the motor. Then there is another cap type device that covers the winding part of the motor. (capstan?). If I remember it is held in place with 4 tiny screws. The cable runs from the antenna through the hole in the motor housing and into this cap. You can remove the old cable and recrimp the new one in there. (mine came with a new cap) It then sits back in place around the capstan, secure and piece it all back together. I searched and found some old threads here that had some pics that helped. Biggest thing is just go slow and make sure everything is in order.
Good luck!
Randy
Good luck!
Randy
Grench
SILVER Star
I'm not trying to be an ass so much as trying to help the next guy avoid what you're going through.
If the metal in the antenna is sticking together, oil it. Motor oil worked fine for me. Frees it up if you just rub it with an oily rag. (Text open for poking fun at.)
If the antenna is bent or broken, do not pull the cable out. The metal mast is replaceable as a sub-component of the antenna. It is a -lot- cheaper too.
If the threaded end is busted off of the nylon cable, all is -not- lost. It is possible to crimp a carefully filed but end connector (blue size) over the thread on the new mast and the bare end of the nylon cable.
If the nylon cable is retracted into the motor, run it back and forth with someone watching wearing safety glasses. About 1 try in 50 it will pop through the opening. Grab it and you're golden. Be sure to wear the safety glasses. It can be a bit surprising how fast that sucker comes out when you're eyeballing it from above.
If the motor no longer works, THEN replace the whole unit. Pull the cable into the engine compartment about 4", then cut it and securely connect/tape inline the new antenna wire and pull it through into the dash so it follows the same routing.
Now, in your case, I would highly recommend buying an antenna extension cable at radio shack. The factory & replacement antenna motor units have very specific cable lengths and if you don't route them perfectly, they won't reach. That said, its near impossible to route them perfectly. So... Feed through the lead any way you can so you get the end behind the glove box over the computer. It won't reach the radio, thats what the extension is for.
IMHO only... YMMV
If the metal in the antenna is sticking together, oil it. Motor oil worked fine for me. Frees it up if you just rub it with an oily rag. (Text open for poking fun at.)
If the antenna is bent or broken, do not pull the cable out. The metal mast is replaceable as a sub-component of the antenna. It is a -lot- cheaper too.
If the threaded end is busted off of the nylon cable, all is -not- lost. It is possible to crimp a carefully filed but end connector (blue size) over the thread on the new mast and the bare end of the nylon cable.
If the nylon cable is retracted into the motor, run it back and forth with someone watching wearing safety glasses. About 1 try in 50 it will pop through the opening. Grab it and you're golden. Be sure to wear the safety glasses. It can be a bit surprising how fast that sucker comes out when you're eyeballing it from above.
If the motor no longer works, THEN replace the whole unit. Pull the cable into the engine compartment about 4", then cut it and securely connect/tape inline the new antenna wire and pull it through into the dash so it follows the same routing.
Now, in your case, I would highly recommend buying an antenna extension cable at radio shack. The factory & replacement antenna motor units have very specific cable lengths and if you don't route them perfectly, they won't reach. That said, its near impossible to route them perfectly. So... Feed through the lead any way you can so you get the end behind the glove box over the computer. It won't reach the radio, thats what the extension is for.
IMHO only... YMMV
- Thread starter
- #4
I think I'm being misunderstood, I don't need to replace the cable to the stereo. I bought a new mast with attached nylon cable from Cruiser parts. The nut that holds the cable to the mast is so far inside the mast you cannot unscrew it. I also recieved a new silver capstan that holds the cable. I have tried to push the cable down through the top of the motor into where the capstan and gears are. I could not get it to feed through. My question is this, Is there a trick to feeding it down or should I try feeding something up and out to tie onto the new cable and then pull down to the capstan, crimp it on and wonder why I ever even bothered with the whole thing
Grench
SILVER Star
Thats odd. When I replaced the mast on mine, I was not only able to get to where the nylon cable connects to the top section of the mast, but I was able to rig up the carefully filed down center from a blue connector to crimp onto the threads. When I got my grey truck the mast was missing, the cable end was gone, and the nylon cable was sucked up inside the assembly. There was still plenty of cable to fully extend the mast once I figured out the solution.
The metal center of the butt end connector had to be filed down around the outside and tapered to make it fit through the top mast section. When the antenna is fully collapsed the screw-on connector should be relatively easy to get to.
Are FJ and FZJ masts/motors different? I had to unbolt the one bolt holding my antenna motor in the fender. I unscrewed the antenna retainer on the outside of the fender and ran the antenna out all the way. Then I fished the motor out of the fender to where I could work on it. If you haven't already, try the search function, it is a great tool.
Randy
Randy
