Replace Electric Antenna Mast

 

How to Replace an Electric Antenna Mast

Basics Of Antenna Mast:

First understand what exactly is Power Antenna Mast:

The electric antenna on your car is used to receive radio wave transmissions from a transmitter generated by area radio companies.

Types Of Electric Antenna:
There are several styles of antennas from units embedded into the windshield of your car to the ever popular retractable antenna that features a mast that moves up and down automatically with the 'on' and 'off' switch of the radio.

Power Antenna Mast Assembly:
These mast style antenna's utilize a plastic drive that attaches internally at the top of the mast and then down to the drive gear located inside the housing near the electric motor.

This plastic drive can become brittle and fail causing the mast to stop it's telescoping action.

The drive failure is usually down near the base of the drive gear. To replace the drive you must retrieve the broken parts to allow the new drive to be inserted.

Safety Instructions:
Before we start park your car on level ground, in park with the parking brake set. Please use gloves and protective eyewear to prevent injury.

The correct procedure for installing the new power antenna mast is:

The antenna motor must first be removed and disassembled to be sure that no broken pieces of the old "cable" remain in the motor housing.

Then re-install the motor housing unit into the car but do NOT install the exterior trim pieces and lock nut.

One helper is required to complete the task easily. One person get in the car and turns ignition to ACC and then turns on the radio. (Ask helper to listen to the antenna motor to make sure it is spinning to "raise" the antenna.)

Helper now feeds the end of toothed nylon "cable" down into the motor housing opening.

Care must be taken to get the end all the way down as far as it will go (there is a little ledge a few inches down inside the opening, you have to get PAST that little ledge by a inch or so).

Once the end of the nylon "cable" is positioned correctly, turn OFF the radio and the antenna motor will start pulling the rest of the power antenna "cable" (and, eventually, the collapsed mast sections) down into the motor housing.

Remove the new antenna mast from its packaging. Inspect the mast, the replacement mast should look the same as the original mast, especially the drive tape (long plastic piece).

Have your helper turn the ignition key to the on position without starting the engine. Then turn the radio on for 30 seconds and then shut the radio off. As soon as the radio is turned off, insert the replacement mast drive plastic tape into the antenna. Be ready, the mast drive will begin feeding into the antenna housing.

Once the antenna stops feeding insert the top retainer nut and tighten. Once tight turn the radio "on" for 30 seconds and then turn it off. The mast should extend and retract fully.

Ask helper carefully guide the cable and mast down into the housing opening.
Replace the trim pieces and lock nut.


Its not very difficult to replace power Antenna Mast.
Tools Needed to Complete this Job
1. Wrench Set
2. Socket Set
3. Shop Towels
4. Replacement Antenna Mast
5. Screw Driver Set


One Garage Experience Shared:

After removing old antenna mast, the toothed nylon cable had not broken, so thought to remove and disassemble the power antenna unit.Technician at garage followed the directions for installing the new mast, but  was unable to get the new cable to retract more than an inch or so. Upon disassembling the power antenna unit, he discovered the problem: the new antenna cable was too straight -- it was just running into the guide wheel that is supposed to hold the cable against the gear teeth.

Now the solution for this problem came.The trick is to bend the end of the nylon cable into an arc with a radius of 3 inches or so (comparable to the round antenna unit casing) and keep it that way for a minute or so. Do not bend the cable sharply or cause it to kink! The cable will retain this curvature enough to allow it to feed past the guide wheel and engage the main gear, with no need to remove and disassemble the antenna unit. Be sure to curl the cable with the teeth on the inside of the curve, and feed the cable into the unit with the teeth facing the left side of the car.


Helpful Tips To Make Antenna Movement Free And Last Long.

Always remove broken pieces of the old mast.
Use a light oil to lubricate the mast extensions.
Use a light grease to lubricate main drive gear (internal antenna part).

This will help.
Thanks.