Power Antenna

[86VickyLX]

Hi guys as some of you guys know, I have a power antenna, it doesn't work, and half of it is gone. Now my question to you mangs is, I can hear the motor itself working, but it's not moving the antenna. So what would that be? Are there gears in the motor that move the antenna up and down sort of like the power windows? And can I get just the antenna itself, like the actual shaft? And lastly, how can I access the antenna, and what has to be disconnected?

[86VickyLX]

:bump:

[gadget73]

the mast is bad. Used to be able to get new ones from Ford, they may still be available. basically you loosen that smaller nut at the base of the antenna mast, and pull the existing mast out. You're supposed to pull the plastic cord thing out with the antenna, but since the top of yours is missing that might be a problem. Run it up a ways and see if a white plastic thing comes up. If it does, grab it and pull it out by hand. It should come out. Install the old nut and washer on the new mast, feed the plastic cord down into the antenna about a foot, put the antenna mast back in the base and run it down with the switch. It should take it. The problem, if your antenna has a chunk of the old plastic drive wire inside still, you're gonna have to remove the antenna and take it apart to get that out. They're not fun to remove either.

oddly the official ford book shows that there is a connection near the antenna itself so you don't have to fish the cable out of the car. None of the three CV/GM power antennas I've seen had any such device. Towncars have one though. The Vic ones require that you fish the antenna cable from behind the radio out through the grommet in the fender so you can remove the whole works. Quite annoying.

[marquisman]

iv had a couple that connect right after the fire wall so like you said no fishing involved.

[gadget73]

maybe its an early model thing. this is an 86 book, the antennas i was messing with were from an 88 or 89.

[86GmLsCoupe]

It's very very annoying to have to fish the antenna cable to the radio and mine is an 86. My friends Mark VI had a broken mast on her Mark VII and I got her $9 Ebay replacement mast (stainless steel) with the instructions. What it said to do was yank out whats left of the old antenna, and feed the new one in like Gadget was saying. Her old one wouldn't come all the way out pulling so I had to remove the motor (in the trunk so easy). There's one screw that you remove to get to the old gears and remove any tangle or broken pieces. The new mast works fine and looks oem.

[86VickyLX]

ok thanks guys. I'll check that out.

[p71towny]

Rip that shit out and toss it in the field like I did. Use the switch to activate flame throwers or something cool.

[86VickyLX]

Ummm.... No.

[86VickyLX]

basically you loosen that smaller nut at the base of the antenna mast.

how do I get at that nut?

[86GmLsCoupe]

That one was a pain for me to figure out but my Dad got it. He had a pair of pliers that were pretty much needle nose with that extra downward bend. I put a little thin rag, like a t-shirt over or around the ring to protect it, opend the pliers, put the tips into two of the lines (throught the rag) on the ring and turned really carefully. Once you get a few turns it should go alright by hand. Hope that makes decent sense.

[86VickyLX]

I used a 3/8'' deep 15mm socket. I got another antenna actually. I went to the junkyard with my dad and his jumper box. and I was lucky enough to find a car with its keys. an '88 Grand Marquis. That's how we got to see if the antenna worked and it did. Although the mast is bent somewhat, it still works. We paid 3 bucks for it. So I tried using my existing antenna base. But it did have part of that white cable in there. so I pulled the motor apart, and this stupid rubberbandlike gasket wouldn't stay. and the brace that bolts to the fender was rusted out. So I dreaded to fish the antenna wire out. but my brain started working and I looked at the motor. there is a screw that holds this little bracket, right at the pole of the antenna assembly. I unscrewed it and I broke that yellow stuff at the base off. and the piece with the antenna came off from the rest, so I didn't have to fish out the wire!! I used my original motor because I didn't have to splice anything, and it was a little stronger than the motor in the junkyard. I got another battery bracket because mine was rusted to hell. We are taking the little rust that is on the new one and we're going to be painting it black.

[86VickyLX]

That one was a pain for me to figure out but my Dad got it. He had a pair of pliers that were pretty much needle nose with that extra downward bend. I put a little thin rag, like a t-shirt over or around the ring to protect it, opend the pliers, put the tips into two of the lines (throught the rag) on the ring and turned really carefully. Once you get a few turns it should go alright by hand. Hope that makes decent sense.

For the nut on the top, we have this door tool. I don't know but it fits on that perfectly and after a couple of turns, it was loose.

[86GmLsCoupe]

Good to hear it all worked out, I really think those slots were put there to help in removal aside from aesthetics. Are you talking about the nylon fastener popper, sorta looks like a forked piece?

[86VickyLX]

Good to hear it all worked out, I really think those slots were put there to help in removal aside from aesthetics. Are you talking about the nylon fastener popper, sorta looks like a forked piece?

Yeah the nylon pieces. Pain in my ass, but it's all done. The battery brace is in and it's come together beautifully Now all I need is tires and I'm set.