stubborn antenna. any removal tips?
stubborn antenna. any removal tips?
I unscrewed the retainer and the rubber grommet, then turned on the radio, heard the motor engage, pulled the broken piece out (previous owner and stuck it in and sealed it on so water wouldn't go down the hole), and then grabbed on the rest of the mast which pulled out about 1 foot and then stopped. The motor was still going but it doesnt' pull out nicely w/ the plastic gear/teeth strip. It doesn't seem like it wants to budge at all. I don't want to pull so hard I snap it off. I'm wondering, is it possible that the rest of the skinny section (it only broke off about 6 inches from the top) is stuck down in there and though I'm getting the wider outer sections out, I need to get that skinney part before the teeth/gears will do the rest of the work. Of course, then the question is, how do I get at the skinny part? My needle nose aren't that long. "Nothing's ever easy." -- Paul Stewart
Re: stubborn antenna. any removal tips? (rhetoric)
Nevermind... sorta.
I got the antenna out. Vice grips adn a twisty pull after a good shot of PB Blaster (financial interest -- I own the company). BUT there was no white gear/teeth thingee attached. Now I suppose it's possible that that was removed by the original owner, but I don't know. How can I tell if it's still down there in the motor? Thanks.
(p.s. I lied about owning PB Blaster, but I wish I did cause that stuff works.)
I got the antenna out. Vice grips adn a twisty pull after a good shot of PB Blaster (financial interest -- I own the company). BUT there was no white gear/teeth thingee attached. Now I suppose it's possible that that was removed by the original owner, but I don't know. How can I tell if it's still down there in the motor? Thanks.
(p.s. I lied about owning PB Blaster, but I wish I did cause that stuff works.)
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loystock
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- Car: 10 Honda Pilot
97 Infiniti Q45
03 Infiniti Q45
97 Infiniti I30
06 Infiniti M35 Sports
04 G35 & 99 I30-RIP - Location: San Jose, CA
Re: stubborn antenna. any removal tips? (rhetoric)
Here's the instruction for Nissan/Infiniti Antenna Mast R&R.
NISSAN ANTENNA MAST INSTRUCTIONS
1. Remove the nut on the outer end of the power unit where the mast comes out of the car. 2. As someone turns the radio on ( with the key in the on position ) and as the mast begins or tries to come up,... YOU grab hold of it and pull out the old mast...taking note which direction the teeth on the plastic cable are facing so you know which way the new mast cable is to face when you put it in.... Make sure that the short outer grounding/retaining sleeve ( as what you see on the outer NEW antenna mast ) has come out with the old mast, this is very important, as this is what holds the antenna mast in when the nut is fastened..... If the old mast and grounding/retaining ring are out then proceed with step 4. If not proceed with step 3. 3. If at this time you can’t pull the mast out and it seems to be stuck, more than likely the grounding/retaining sleeve has annealed itself to the antenna tube. What we do is generally remove the power unit from the car and put what ever is left of the old antenna mast that is sticking out of the power unit and clamp it in a vice and very aggressively pull on the power unit and the mast Will come out. If at this time the old mast comes out proceed with step 4. 4. Compare the Old Mast with the New Mast, not only do they need to look the same physically but the length of the white teethed cable MUST be the same length. ( NEVER CUT THE NEW MAST CABLE ).... If the cable is not the same length, then you probably have a broken piece left in your power unit.... If the cable is shorter proceed with step 5.... If Both masts are physically the same along with the white cable length continue with step 6. 5. There are occasions where the antenna cable breaks off in the power unit and will not allow the replacement mast to be pulled in all the way. In this event you will have to remove the power antenna assembly from the car and place the power unit on the bench. Then remove the main cover. This will expose the drum. Now take note of the washer between the cover and drum. With the washer out of the way, grab the drum. Remove any broken pieces inside it, clean it out and regrease with a white lite grease. Now reassemble the power unit and proceed with step 6. 6. Insert the new mast cable into the top of the power antenna tube with the teeth facing the same direction which the old one came out,.. then have someone turn the radio off ( with the key in the on position ),.. as the power unit begins to pull the new mast in, guide the new antenna into the power unit, as it pulls the mast down into the power unit, it may on the first try not pull the mast all the way down, don’t worry, install the outer nut and turn the radio on and off a few times as this will center the new antenna mast. then, "Voila! The mast is installed." 7. If the power unit still clicks and grinds at this point, when the mast reaches its top and bottom travel, more than likely the guide that holds the cable next to the gear is bad. Contact us and we will show you how to fix this.
NISSAN ANTENNA MAST INSTRUCTIONS
1. Remove the nut on the outer end of the power unit where the mast comes out of the car. 2. As someone turns the radio on ( with the key in the on position ) and as the mast begins or tries to come up,... YOU grab hold of it and pull out the old mast...taking note which direction the teeth on the plastic cable are facing so you know which way the new mast cable is to face when you put it in.... Make sure that the short outer grounding/retaining sleeve ( as what you see on the outer NEW antenna mast ) has come out with the old mast, this is very important, as this is what holds the antenna mast in when the nut is fastened..... If the old mast and grounding/retaining ring are out then proceed with step 4. If not proceed with step 3. 3. If at this time you can’t pull the mast out and it seems to be stuck, more than likely the grounding/retaining sleeve has annealed itself to the antenna tube. What we do is generally remove the power unit from the car and put what ever is left of the old antenna mast that is sticking out of the power unit and clamp it in a vice and very aggressively pull on the power unit and the mast Will come out. If at this time the old mast comes out proceed with step 4. 4. Compare the Old Mast with the New Mast, not only do they need to look the same physically but the length of the white teethed cable MUST be the same length. ( NEVER CUT THE NEW MAST CABLE ).... If the cable is not the same length, then you probably have a broken piece left in your power unit.... If the cable is shorter proceed with step 5.... If Both masts are physically the same along with the white cable length continue with step 6. 5. There are occasions where the antenna cable breaks off in the power unit and will not allow the replacement mast to be pulled in all the way. In this event you will have to remove the power antenna assembly from the car and place the power unit on the bench. Then remove the main cover. This will expose the drum. Now take note of the washer between the cover and drum. With the washer out of the way, grab the drum. Remove any broken pieces inside it, clean it out and regrease with a white lite grease. Now reassemble the power unit and proceed with step 6. 6. Insert the new mast cable into the top of the power antenna tube with the teeth facing the same direction which the old one came out,.. then have someone turn the radio off ( with the key in the on position ),.. as the power unit begins to pull the new mast in, guide the new antenna into the power unit, as it pulls the mast down into the power unit, it may on the first try not pull the mast all the way down, don’t worry, install the outer nut and turn the radio on and off a few times as this will center the new antenna mast. then, "Voila! The mast is installed." 7. If the power unit still clicks and grinds at this point, when the mast reaches its top and bottom travel, more than likely the guide that holds the cable next to the gear is bad. Contact us and we will show you how to fix this.
Re: stubborn antenna. any removal tips? (rhetoric)
Yea! 19.99 antenna at Pep Boys w/ a $5 coupon from Advanced Auto and it works.
I'm guessing that the previous owner had pulled the entire antenna out when he snapped it. I went ahead and took the motor out and apart (really easy -- I'm no mechanic) just to find out if the white gear strip was stuck in the motor. It wasn't.
Additional tips from the great ones here already listed? -- The white gears face backwards. Since mine didn't have that strip, I guessed, though based on how the motor was put together and mounted, it seemed intuitive).-- You have to keep that strip facing the same direction -- it wants to twist around.-- You need two people -- really three would be handy! One to turn the radio off and on, one to thread the white strip, one to hold the antenna which wants to flop around and, consequently, for the grounding sleeve to fall off. But we did it w/ two.-- There is a little black pastic grommett and rubber gasket that is on the grounding sleeve. You need that! I couldn't get the little chrome threaded lock thingee to catch the threads on the black plastic coming out of the car and I almost ripped the grommet off (thinking it was only to help w/ the threading). But then I realized the original grommett and gasket were still in the chrome lock thingee and w/ the two of them, would never get it to catch. I elected to push the old one out (w/ a pair of needle nose) and use the newer one. -- Some great 4th generation Maxima videos on youtube that are most helpful. boredmnder has the best online doityourself videos I've seen.-- The antenna is really long! I don't know how long the original is, but I'm guessing I'm going to pick up Nome-radio.
Hope these extras help someone else. Thanks all, for your help.
Next? Knock sensor!
I'm guessing that the previous owner had pulled the entire antenna out when he snapped it. I went ahead and took the motor out and apart (really easy -- I'm no mechanic) just to find out if the white gear strip was stuck in the motor. It wasn't.
Additional tips from the great ones here already listed? -- The white gears face backwards. Since mine didn't have that strip, I guessed, though based on how the motor was put together and mounted, it seemed intuitive).-- You have to keep that strip facing the same direction -- it wants to twist around.-- You need two people -- really three would be handy! One to turn the radio off and on, one to thread the white strip, one to hold the antenna which wants to flop around and, consequently, for the grounding sleeve to fall off. But we did it w/ two.-- There is a little black pastic grommett and rubber gasket that is on the grounding sleeve. You need that! I couldn't get the little chrome threaded lock thingee to catch the threads on the black plastic coming out of the car and I almost ripped the grommet off (thinking it was only to help w/ the threading). But then I realized the original grommett and gasket were still in the chrome lock thingee and w/ the two of them, would never get it to catch. I elected to push the old one out (w/ a pair of needle nose) and use the newer one. -- Some great 4th generation Maxima videos on youtube that are most helpful. boredmnder has the best online doityourself videos I've seen.-- The antenna is really long! I don't know how long the original is, but I'm guessing I'm going to pick up Nome-radio.
Hope these extras help someone else. Thanks all, for your help.
Next? Knock sensor!