98 Runner - auto antenna mast broken

[gtrsnax]

The wifes automatic antenna crapped out, so it needs replacing so she doesnt have to hear the whine sound everytime she turns the truck on and off. I've found some replacement masts on e-bay, but they say just the mast can be replaced and it's very simple. The only way I could find to get to it is to remove the quarter panel.
Has anyone been able to just swap the antenna out withouth getting to the motor?

[Eric_N]

You can just swap the antenna out, but thier is a trick to it. First you have to find out if the mast is broken off inside the motor. If it is, you do have to remove the motor but I belive you can get to it through the fenderwell without removing the fender. To find out if it is broken inside the motor or not, what you need to do is loosen the nut at the bottom of the antenna where it goes into the fender, and have someone inside the vehicle turn the radio on so that the antenna goes up, and you can pull the mast out. It should be a long piece of flat plastic that has teeth on one side that goes into the motor in the fender. If it is broken off at the bottom, you need to pull the motor out of the fender, take it apart, and then pull the broken mast out. If you can get all of the mast out without having to pull the motor, the way to put the new mast in is have the radio on, put the long plastic part of the mast in the hole, the teeth should be facing the rear of the vehicle. have someone turn the radio off so that the motor would retract the antenna while the person on the outside of the car spins the mast trying to get it to catch the teeth in the motor if it doesnt catch. when it catches let it go all of the way down and put the antenna nut back on.

[gtrsnax]

You rock.

[Eric_N]

If you do have to remove the motor from the Runner, you need to pull the radio out and disconnect the antenna cord, and push that though the firewall into the fender, and then you need to remove the antenna nut, and then the inner fender, and thier should only be on bolt and bracket holding the motor in the fender, and you can pull the antenna out the bottom with the motor. The motor is protected by a plastic bag, so you need to open it up without tearing up the bag to much. Then I think its only 3 screws that hold the case of the motor together, you take those out, open it up, and you can get any of the broken antenna out.

[gtrsnax]

"Remove the inner fender" thats sounds like the fun part. I'll take a look at it tomorrow and post back if I end up with the steering wheel on the ground.

[fourwd1]

"Remove the inner fender" thats sounds like the fun part. I'll take a look at it tomorrow and post back if I end up with the steering wheel on the ground.

The "inner fender" is just that plastic liner, just bolted in.
You don't even have to pull the radio to unplug the antenna, you can sit the unit on the tire and replace the mast there.

[gtrsnax]

UPDATE

It's a pain in the ass. I bought an OEM antenna off e-bay for $30. It came in the mail the other day with the toothed plastic string all coiled up.

I had to take the motor apart to get the old strip out, since it detached itself from the mast.
After a few tries to get the new one to load in, I realized there is a basic issue Im running into here.
When the "string" feeds into the motor, it coils up with the teeth facing inward. When I got the new OEM unit, the string comes coiled up, but with the teeth facing outward. Since the plastic is so rigid, it pulls about half of it into the housing, and then the plastic does a little twisty motion in there, and jumps off the teeth. Now its stuck halfway and wont go in or out.

Anyone got any suggestions? I think I might try dipping the plastic in boiling water to soften it, then lay it down to cool off perfectly flat. Then try again.

[Donkey]

How many Horse Power did this add?

[KnuckleHead]

How many Horse Power did this add?

A few more than your buggy is putting out right now. :lol:

[Donkey]

But i could still ramp on your truck with 1 cyl firing.

[KnuckleHead]

Ramping is for posers and heeps. :flipoff2:

[Donkey]

true

[gtrsnax]

I got it working today. I baked the cord in the sun and poured boiling water over it too. It fed in fine the first try and works like a champ.

How many Horse Power did this add?

None. But I cant complain with how the wife thanked me for it. :D

[Donkey]

Right on!