Hi there,

My antenna is not going up and down any longer on our 1991. It's in the up position. The fuse is good. The motor is motoring but not making it go back down.

I called Corvette America and they have a mast repair kit. My questions are:

Has anyone out there used these mast repair kits to correct the problem, if so what level of time am I going to be looking at? It looks like the exhaust may have to be lowered a bit to get to the antenna.

Am I in the ball park as to fixing the problem or am I looking at it from the wrong angle and maybe there is an easier solution that I'm overlooking?

Thanks

Danny

 

Nope, you have the right answer for the problem. I have never done one for your year but in my 89 it was pretty easy. You have to take the motor apart to remove the old ribbon or you could screw up the new one..I don't know what others charge for the kit but heres a link to thepartsladi on ebay..I found they had the best price on a Original GM AC Delco antenna kit, plus there real nice people to deal with...WW

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/88-89...Q5fAccessories

 

Thanks, I am in the process of ordering the repair kit from thepartsladi on Ebay.

I am going to try getting it fixed with the kit and if that doesn't do it then I suppose the next step will be a complete new antenna assembly...choke..$240.00 from the local Chevrolet dealer.

There are some very useful tips off the forum regarding getting this fixed and I do appreciate all the help from guys like yourself.

Danny

 

You might want to talk to your local Chevy dealer. I paid $20 and no shipping charges or waiting.

 

I'm on the line with them now and the price is a tad higher-$44.46 plus taxes, shipping and handling.

Thanks for the information,

Danny

 

Hi there,

I just bought the kit from thepartsladie and now I'm waiting for it to show up at my door step.

Thanks to all for the advice and help on this,

Danny

 

How to remove the power antenna motor from 1992-96 Corvettes -- 1 of 1
Date Published: 2001-06-08

Submitter's Name: Julian Shipp
Email Address: julianshipp@journalist.com
Corvetteforum.com Member Alias: onedef92

Due to several e-mail inquiries, here are the instructions for removing the power antenna motor for service BEFORE installing a new antenna mast on 1992-1996 Corvettes.

Many owners (myself included) have tried in vain to simply install a new antenna ribbon without inspecting the motor first for broken sections of the old one.

The usual result is an antenna that won't fully raise or retract, even though the motor works fine. Hopefully, this tech tip will save you from this aggravation.
I'm not familiar with the design for 1984 - 1991 models, but the process should be similar.

I also understand from other Forum members that the antenna motor design apparently changed in 1995 from housings that are screwed together to housings that are glued together.

If this is the case, it may be possible to pry the assembly apart for inspection. Anyway, here goes:

The power antenna motor is visible from underneath the vehicle if you lie on your back and look at it from the driver's side of your car.

Please protect your eyes from dirt and other particles that may fall from your fender well while you are working! Some Forum members opted to place their vehicles on jack stands and remove the driver's side rear wheel first, but I have long arms and did not have to do so.

1. Disconnect the negative battery terminal. Note the way the motor is oriented as installation is the exact order of removal. The motor is held in place on its mounting bracket by two screws. Use either a socket wrench with an extension or a screwdriver with a ratchet to remove the bolts. Note that one of the bolts has a ground/power wire for the antenna.

2. With these two bolts loosened, you will be able to pull the antenna down toward you enough to loosen the antenna gain and positive power wires located at the top of the unit. With all these wires removed, the entire assembly can be pulled down for access while leaving the wire that lead inside the motor housing intact.

3. With the unit now in your hand, roll up the black rubber sleeve that protects the unit from moisture, dirt, etc. There are approximately four Phillips head screws that hold the cover on the motor housing. Remove these screws. Also, remove the center nut that holds the antenna flywheel in place.

With the cover off, you will see the flywheel and the main gear that raises and lowers the nylon antenna ribbon. You will also more than likely find bits or long sections of your OLD ribbon. Remove them.

4. Now is the time to lubricate the main gear and flywheel with either Vaseline or white lithium grease to ensure years of trouble-free operation with your new ribbon.

5. Replace the flywheel (noting its direction) and screw the cover back into place. Re-install the antenna, connect all the wiring and hook your battery back up. Turn on the ignition and radio and listen to see if the motor runs. If it does, you are ready to install your new mast. Just follow the directions that came with it and you should be in great shape.

6. Above all, be patient. It took me about four hours the first time I did this because I thought you had to remove the license plate, tail lamps and back up lamps to get to the motor. You don't! I could now do the whole thing again in 30 to 40 minutes (but hopefully not on MY LT-1 any time soon!) Good luck and keep on waving!

 

If you are lucky it will be a 10 minute repair. As long as the ribbon isn't broken in the motor it is very, very easy.

 

Thanks for the information. My son's Bronco needs a water pump so that will be my weekend project the 26th and then it will probably end up in the garage for the winter.

Danny

 

I'm trying to perform this exact same repair on my '94. Both the instructions that came with the replacement mast and my FSM say you should be able to pull the base of the old antenna out of the motor assembly with a small amount of force, but I haven't been able to get mine to budge. Anyone have any tips on this? Am I suppose to just yank on it? I have been trying not to get to rough as it says I will need to re-use the contact spring and I don't want to damage it.

Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Matt