Can't get antenna out to replace

[Rodney Wilson]

So the current factory antenna is broke in half. I purchased a new and can't get the old one out. Any idea or tricks on how to get it out? The mast doesn't go up or down. So I don't know how to get it out.

 

[sperold]

It is always best to indicate what year of a SHO you have.

The first thing is to try and get the electric motor running again, either by looking at your dash switch or the signal wire from your head unit (depending on what year you have.)
If you can't get the motor running, the unit has to come out, which is no picnic.
I have found it is difficult to get the correct mast with the correct barrel adaptor, so take a long look at what you bought.

The easy way to change masts is to pull the old mast toothed white plastic strip up and out. then you have to contend with getting the metal end out which usually involves a lot of penetrating oil and lots of luck. Remember which way the teeth are pointing, but I am sure your instruction sheet has that information.

The theory is if you can get the motor running and you have all the old mast out (you have to compare the length of toothed plastic rod you have bought with the 2 pieces of the broken rod), that you can wind the new rod back in using the motor.
I have never got that to work as the first untoothed end of the plastic gets caught at the first bend in the winding drum.

I took the winding drum apart which was full of surprises, so take pictures at every step of disassembly.

I found that most universal replacement mast assemblies were exactly like the SHO original unit, except for the complicated fender attachment which is more or less on the side to the fender. To make it fit well, you have to swap out the metal tube part that goes from the drum to the fender part.

There are lots of write - ups on this forum that show you how easy it is to change masts, problem is, I never got any of the directions to work out.

Good luck.

 

[luigisho]

You can't get the mast out or you can't get the whole unit out?

what is the stereo setup in the car? Factory or aftermarket? It should get a trigger signal from the headunit to activate the antenna motor

 

[Rodney Wilson]

You can't get the mast out or you can't get the whole unit out?

what is the stereo setup in the car? Factory or aftermarket? It should get a trigger signal from the headunit to activate the antenna motor

You can't get the mast out or you can't get the whole unit out?

what is the stereo setup in the car? Factory or aftermarket? It should get a trigger signal from the headunit to activate the antenna motor

You can't get the mast out or you can't get the whole unit out?

I have a 95. And it's the antenna. The extending part that goes up. It's a factory head unit tape deck with the CD player in the lower din area. See, the Antenna was broke off. So I purchased a new one. And when I turn the radio on. I can hear the motor going but the entenna doesn't move. I tried to pull it out while the motor is going, thinking it will help. But I just can't pull it out. And I consider myself pretty strong. I don't want to make it any worse. So I'm stuck. Lol

 

[Rodney Wilson]

It is always best to indicate what year of a SHO you have.

The first thing is to try and get the electric motor running again, either by looking at your dash switch or the signal wire from your head unit (depending on what year you have.)
If you can't get the motor running, the unit has to come out, which is no picnic.
I have found it is difficult to get the correct mast with the correct barrel adaptor, so take a long look at what you bought.

The easy way to change masts is to pull the old mast toothed white plastic strip up and out. then you have to contend with getting the metal end out which usually involves a lot of penetrating oil and lots of luck. Remember which way the teeth are pointing, but I am sure your instruction sheet has that information.

The theory is if you can get the motor running and you have all the old mast out (you have to compare the length of toothed plastic rod you have bought with the 2 pieces of the broken rod), that you can wind the new rod back in using the motor.
I have never got that to work as the first untoothed end of the plastic gets caught at the first bend in the winding drum.

I took the winding drum apart which was full of surprises, so take pictures at every step of disassembly.

I found that most universal replacement mast assemblies were exactly like the SHO original unit, except for the complicated fender attachment which is more or less on the side to the fender. To make it fit well, you have to swap out the metal tube part that goes from the drum to the fender part.

There are lots of write - ups on this forum that show you how easy it is to change masts, problem is, I never got any of the directions to work out.

Good luck.

Thanks for the write-up. I'll see what I can do. BTW. The car is a 95. All stock head unit

 

[luigisho]

Ok so the motor is working. I would get something like a good pair of channel lock pliers to pull the mast out or remove the entire unit and open it up and get everything apart. I have maybe a 40/60 success rate with removing the mast without complications. Much better when the cars were 10-15yrs younger than they are now. I would look for a replacement for the whole unit unless it was a collector car.

 

[Rodney Wilson]

Yeah.. If it's that complicated. I think I will do just that. Buy a whole new unit. Or get a nice used one

 

[zoomlater]

I had a 95 that had a broken plastic strip. I used the procedure below as you had to get to the unit out from inside the fender.


http://web.archive.org/web/20050914...e=article&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0&sid=145

 

[Rodney Wilson]

I had a 95 that had a broken plastic strip. I used the procedure below as you had to get to the unit out from inside the fender.


http://web.archive.org/web/20050914...e=article&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0&sid=145

Great! thanks a million. I will give it a try tomorrow.

 

[luigisho]

watch out for the gasket on the fender where the chrome antenna fitting sits against it. if it's too far gone you may want to fabricate one out of generic gasket material

 

[Rodney Wilson]

watch out for the gasket on the fender where the chrome antenna fitting sits against it. if it's too far gone you may want to fabricate one out of generic gasket material

Will do.. If it becomes too much of a pain. I'll just get another complete assembly. I'm sure they aren't to hard to come by.

 

[luigisho]

No this is the separate piece where the antenna comes through on the fender that has little slots that you can use needle nose pliers in the grooves ( I would wrap some tape around the points to keep from marking it up) you have to push down and turn without the ends of the pliers slipping out and scratching anything. You can see it on this video. the chrome slanted part with a hole in the middle where the antenna comes through the hole. use the full screen to see the notches on the outer ring that you rotate out. Threaded end below

here is the rebuild if you are feeling lucky http://www.taurusowners.com/topic/4848-howto-servicingrefurbishing-your-power-antenna-module/

 

[Rodney Wilson]

No this is the separate piece where the antenna comes through on the fender that has little slots that you can use needle nose pliers in the grooves ( I would wrap some tape around the points to keep from marking it up) you have to push down and turn without the ends of the pliers slipping out and scratching anything. You can see it on this video. the chrome slanted part with a hole in the middle where the antenna comes through the hole. use the full screen to see the notches on the outer ring that you rotate out. Threaded end below

here is the rebuild if you are feeling lucky http://www.taurusowners.com/topic/4848-howto-servicingrefurbishing-your-power-antenna-module/

Oh ok. I see what your saying. I already got that off. that wasn't a problem