joejakegrace
New Member
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2004
I've read the TTA FAQ instructions and the thirdgen.org threads to fix my recently puked out power antenna (stuck up with motor running). I thought I'd share my experience in case those that have been through it have inputs before I finish up and those that haven't can get some insight.
If yours still works, it's a matter of time. My car has 18k on it and has never been in weather. My antenna has always worked. Once each season or so I'd power up the radio to make sure it worked, lightly lube the mast, etc. I didn't use it more than that b/c I didn't want to test fate!
So I go to the turbobuick get together and tell my son to power the radio off when we get together....it dies.
I bought the mast replacement cable and top of antenna as well as some replacement fender liner fasteners and the "bolt kit" to put the power unit back together after drilling out the rivets.
1. I took the lower GFX off since it's almost impossible to get all the places you need to without doing so.
2. Wheel off
3. (of course, remember not to be an idiot and jack the car into the car on the lift above it OR open the door with the car jacked in one corner). This was the point I noticed that the thirdgen thread recommends loosening all the upper and lower fender bolts to block out the fender a few inches (to get the unit out).
4. The lower fender bolt seems to be completely inaccessible. There is no exposed nut or hex head. That lead me to spend about 10 minutes turning and twisting and pushing the old antenna to get it to retract. Once I did that, I unscrewed the antenna connection at the power antenna unit (doing it on the radio would leave me with a huge hunk of cable to maneuver around in the fender and detached the unit's bracket from both the car and the unit (this gives you MUCH MORE room). The unit came out pretty easily. I snipped the three power wires near the unit rather than trying to feed them through the hole in the fender that was nicely sealed.
5. Drilling out the rivets wasn't easy w/o damaging the housing. Two came out fine but the middle one took a little piece of housing with it. I was able to expoxy it and it appears to be fine. Once apart, not only was it apparent my cable / string had broken, it fell apart in two other places in my hands. The inside of the unit was pristine/clean but the cable had just aged.
6. THE HARDEST PART - that took me over an hour, was feeding the new antenna end/string into housing (fineal end). It went all the way to a point about 1/4" from the end and then stopped. Tried gently lots of times so as not to ruin anything. eventually had to buff down the connection between the antenna end and the string which was binding it up.
5. PUtting it all back together tonight - will power it up before the install and see what happens. Planning on butt splicing the power connections back with gold plated / waterproof butt connectors for easier access in the future.
Of course, when it's back together, if it works once - - I may never turn the radio on again!!
If yours still works, it's a matter of time. My car has 18k on it and has never been in weather. My antenna has always worked. Once each season or so I'd power up the radio to make sure it worked, lightly lube the mast, etc. I didn't use it more than that b/c I didn't want to test fate!
So I go to the turbobuick get together and tell my son to power the radio off when we get together....it dies.
I bought the mast replacement cable and top of antenna as well as some replacement fender liner fasteners and the "bolt kit" to put the power unit back together after drilling out the rivets.
1. I took the lower GFX off since it's almost impossible to get all the places you need to without doing so.
2. Wheel off
3. (of course, remember not to be an idiot and jack the car into the car on the lift above it OR open the door with the car jacked in one corner). This was the point I noticed that the thirdgen thread recommends loosening all the upper and lower fender bolts to block out the fender a few inches (to get the unit out).
4. The lower fender bolt seems to be completely inaccessible. There is no exposed nut or hex head. That lead me to spend about 10 minutes turning and twisting and pushing the old antenna to get it to retract. Once I did that, I unscrewed the antenna connection at the power antenna unit (doing it on the radio would leave me with a huge hunk of cable to maneuver around in the fender and detached the unit's bracket from both the car and the unit (this gives you MUCH MORE room). The unit came out pretty easily. I snipped the three power wires near the unit rather than trying to feed them through the hole in the fender that was nicely sealed.
5. Drilling out the rivets wasn't easy w/o damaging the housing. Two came out fine but the middle one took a little piece of housing with it. I was able to expoxy it and it appears to be fine. Once apart, not only was it apparent my cable / string had broken, it fell apart in two other places in my hands. The inside of the unit was pristine/clean but the cable had just aged.
6. THE HARDEST PART - that took me over an hour, was feeding the new antenna end/string into housing (fineal end). It went all the way to a point about 1/4" from the end and then stopped. Tried gently lots of times so as not to ruin anything. eventually had to buff down the connection between the antenna end and the string which was binding it up.
5. PUtting it all back together tonight - will power it up before the install and see what happens. Planning on butt splicing the power connections back with gold plated / waterproof butt connectors for easier access in the future.
Of course, when it's back together, if it works once - - I may never turn the radio on again!!
Not sure what is normally costs. My buddy knew the guy.
