So I need to replace my antenna. Question on replacement

[shogun2fire]

My antenna was only able to move up around 7 inches and then it I can hear the motor cranking but the antenna wouldn't move up.

So I yanked the antenna out and everything came off. After I took the antenna out, I compressed the antenna all the way down and found that the plastic gear extended out only about 3 inches from the bottom post. I thought the gear strip is supposed to extend to nearly the length of the antenna when the antenna is retracted like in this picture:

I guess a majority of the gear strip snapped somehow and fell somewhere....

Anyways I was curious where the rest of the gear strip went so I pressed the button to turn the antenna up and down, and I also powered on and off the FM radio a couple of times. I did not hear any cracking or grinding noises. I only heard the motor spinning and it sounded like nothing was left inside. Where could the other gear strip have went... I really hope I do not have to open the antenna motor box.

 

[SmoothLC]

When the antenna broke on the LC, part of the plastic strip was still inside the motor. I had to remove the clips to the wheel well to get access to the motor, pulled it out, and then removed the remainder of the plastic strip and installed the new antenna.

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