ScottEwine

The antenna on my new-to-me 1992 does not go up and down all the way, from what I gather it would be a good candidate for one of the mast repair kits since the motor runs but it just does not extend or retract fully. I see Zip has a little procedure on how it is done, and that the best way to get to it is through the tail lights. Does anybody have any advice on if I should to the repair kit or just bite the bullet and get the entire assembly?

Thanks,

Scott

billschroeder5842

Before you spend any money give your antennae a good 'ole fashion cleaning and lube. Since it partially work, this might be worth the effort.

Grab the antennae and gently (yet firmly) pull it all the way up until extended. Take some good cleaning solvent (your choice) and run a whetted rag up and down a bunch. Pay special attention to the areas where the smaller section an larger meet.

After that, take some WD40 (or something like that) and coat the mast, again with special attention to where the smaller/larger meet.

Raise and lower your mast a couple of times. It should get better each time until it fully extends/retracts. You may have to do this monthly but it take minutes and is easier than installing a new unit.

Give this a shot.

ScottEwine

Thanks, I will give this a try first, and good job describing how to do it without making it sound dirty.

billschroeder5842

No, we leave all the "dirty" to Aklim. He can even make Jenna blush.

92ragtop

Worked for me.

aklim

Oh, I already thought dirty before I read your comment.

aklim

Don't pull your shaft too vigorously or it might break something. The ribbon goes around the gear and you don't want to strip it trying to make it come to you.

gdgeorge

FYI, if lubing it up and pulling on it doesn't work, the replacement masts are worth a try.

I put one on my '93. It was a simple job and it works well. Make sure you pull the old one all the way out, though, or you will become frustrated. If the new one doesn't retract all the way, you've probably left part of the old one inside.

Best,
Jerry

ScottEwine

I went to pull it up to lube it and it came out, does this mean it is no longer a candidate for replacement mast?

Scott

aklim

So the antenna came out with the white "ribbon"? If so, I'd take it apart and see if it broke or whether the gear stripped. I think it was plastic last time I was there but that was more than 10 years ago.

ScottEwine

No, about 80% of the antenna came out, just the last segment is left in the car.

gdgeorge

You actually want it to come out with the ribbon. The replacement mast comes with a socket that allows the removal of the bottom of the antenna from the car. The hardest part is ensuring that all of the ribbon is removed. Usually it's a bit of that that is responsible for the antenna not retracting all the way. If it was retracting before, I'd try the replacement.

Jerry

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ddahlgren

If the old one is missing a lot of teeth they are in the antenna motor assembly. Have to be careful you don't jam the new one in all the plastic trash in there.

bout-time

I got a rebuilt antenna assembly for my 1992 and it worked out great.

vtdave577

Since i have my radio on all the time, I installed a fixed mast antenna. About 30$ as opposed to 300$ !!

gdgeorge

On my "to do at some point in the indeterminate future" list is the removal of the (UGLY! IMHO) antenna and replacement with something internal. I don't care for the look of the stock antenna at all. I think it looks like an afterthought and trashed what are otherwise pretty cool lines on the car.

Jerry

aklim

I'd either get internal or pony up for the retractable if it were me. This is because the car leaks and I can't use a high pressure car wash so I have to use a low pressure brushed wash and I am not sure how much the surrounding support can take of the antenna being beaten back and forth

gdgeorge

The retractable on my car works OK and I'm sure that once I get to it, I will be able to restore it to full operation. It's just that I find it to be butt-ugly when deployed! I'm not in a hurry to switch it out but when I do, I think internal is the way to go.

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aklim

I'd go internal too. How effective are they these days and what would you do with the hole? Patch it up?

gdgeorge

I don't know yet to both.



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