Force13B

iTrader: (19)

Well my antaina doesn't go all the way up so i was going to take it out and see if i can fix it. I got to it i just can't get this top piece off anyone know how?

quicksilver_rx7

Snap-ring pliers. You'll probably have to pull the motor and clean out the broken pieces of the cable, though

Force13B

iTrader: (19)

Thats what i though, well thanks i'm just going to put it all back and buy a new on and do it that way.

quicksilver_rx7

Buy a new what? all you need is the mast, which is relatively inexpensive. The whole assembly (a.k.a. motor+mast) is expensive.

The motor is easy to clean. Just remove the gromet that you need the snap-ring pliers for, the mounting bolts (requires removing the inside trim to access), pull the motor, take the screws out that hold the side casing to the motor on, and pick out the pieces of the broken cable. assemble in reverse order, mount, install gromet, (the following requires two people) turn radio on, put cable in hole as far as it will go, turn radio off, and watch it pull the mast down. You're done.

DamonB

I had to replace my mast somewhat recently. I had to pull the entire motor because the cable assembly broke inside and parts of it didn't come out. Even then it was not too hard, you just have to reach back in there to get the antenna motor loose. Once out it's obvious how the motor comes apart and you can remove the broken bits before installing the new mast.

Force13B

iTrader: (19)

The mast slides up and down fine, i WD-40ed it dosen't have any stoping points. I just can't get that little top piece out evan with snapring pliers? There has to be something in the motor thats messed up i just couldn't get it out. Got all the bolts off it and that was about it, couldn't get that top piece off.

scratchjunkie

if you dont have snap ring pliers, you could use needle nose ones.

afterburn27

iTrader: (5)

The top piece just screws off, if you don't have snap ring pliers that fit it I'm sure you could find something similar around the garage. Some people have been able to unscrew them with their fingers by wearing rubber gloves for more friction.

Force13B

iTrader: (19)

I'll try this tonight thanks guys, i'll keep you up dated. I was quite gental on it, i really don't want to break anything.

afterburn27

iTrader: (5)

I doubt you'd break anything by giving it some force, but be very careful because it is easy to have the pliers slip out of the holes and make a nice scratch in your paint.

quicksilver_rx7

:

you can't get the motor out until you get the gromet off though, as the gromet screws onto the motor assembly. Also, using pliers other than the snap-ring type can also cause you to scratch the gromet.

FDNewbie

iTrader: (10)

Ok I got one for you guys. My motor and antenna (the whole assembly) fell into the quarter panel when I was at the track (real bad wheel hop). Good thing it's disconnected lol. So, what panels from the trunk to I need to remove to get in there and pull out the motor? Do you have to lift the trunk floor, or just the trunk side plastics?

Thanks
~Ramy

quicksilver_rx7

Ramy, I recently went through this when I was stripping my car to have it painted. Basically, there are two ways. Correct and half-assed. The "half-assed method works, you just have to be careful. It's easier to fold the rear carpet over the strut tower brace and remove the plastic side panel, but you can just losen the plastic panel enough to just pull it back (this is where you have to be careful) It shouldn't be that hard to get the motor out. There is an "endless pit" between the inside of the quarter panel and the body side. I dropped a 10mm wrench in there and it was a pain in the *** to fish out. The aggravation you run into if you want to remove the whole panel is that it is connected to the B-pillar trim where the touring pockets/base model speakers are.

Joe

vellj001

Remove the side indicator it will help you get a bit more of control when getting to remove the motor. I did it and could handle it better. The side indicator/reflactor is just besides the motor.

FDNewbie

iTrader: (10)

Ok I'm struggling. I don't wanna take the panel off cuz I have custom sound system stuff that would take hours to remove to get the panel off blah blah. So I opened the tool compartment, and reached in from there. One handed, I got everything free, and got the motor into the tool compartment. I can see it. I've unscrewed the one screw holding the motor in, etc, but the ONLY thing holding me back from just pulling it out free and clear is this one thick wire coming off the base (very bottom) of the motor, and it goes straight down, practically to the underside of the car. I'm doing this blind, and one-handed, so I can't tell ya what I see, but I don't feel a connection I can undo/disconnect on either end. The wire seems like it goes into the bottom of the motor (vs a harness you can snap off), and the other end seems to go right through the floor of the car (or somewhere real low). Any suggesstions as to how I can get this wire free/unhooked so I can pull out the motor?

Thanks!
~Ramy

PS: Man...my arm is ALL scratched up from the edges of the tool box area! lol

KaiFD3S

iTrader: (37)

Ramy, that wire on the bottom is not a wire, it is a plastic tube not sure what it is for but that is the one that gave me a hard time when I took mine off.....just try different ways os taking it out and dont worry about to pulling to hard it is just a plastic tube...

FDNewbie

iTrader: (10)

Kai, thanks for the info The thing is, I'm 100% blind here...have no idea how to disconnect it from the motor, short of cutting it or just pulling hard until something snaps LOL. Dunno what exaclty it's hooked onto at the bottom, so I don't want to pull hard and leave a hole on the underside of the car I'm hoping someone knows exactly what it is, and how to get it off...

maxcooper

The tube is for draining water.

-Max

KaiFD3S

iTrader: (37)

here is a pic of the tube under, I believe there is only one wire on the side that you have to unplug

quicksilver_rx7

Exactly. Also, you shouldn't have to disconnect it from anything. Only the power wire and antenna cable.

FDNewbie

iTrader: (10)

Yea got all the wires. So am I supposed to just keep tugging on the tube until it snaps out? Don't want to break whatever it's holding onto from underneath... Is there a clip or anything fastening the tube to the underside of the car?

Thanks
~Ramy

quicksilver_rx7

I'm reluctant to say yes to that Ramy. There's really no way to know for sure because you can't see anything. Sorry man.

Joe

FDNewbie

iTrader: (10)

Umm...so what about the rest of you guys who have removed the antenna motor? I'm kinda missing something here. You had to remove this tube too, right? Kai, it's in the pic you showed...how'd you get it off?! lol. Man...it's like everyone's pointing to it, but the HOW is a mystery!

~Ramy

KaiFD3S

iTrader: (37)

It is hard to get off, it took me about 10 min of moving the whole thing in different directions until it finally started moving up and I just pulled on it a little bit harder than normal and it cam off....just be patient Ramy and try different directions taking it out...I know it is hard since you cannot see anything but it will come out...goodluck....

FDNewbie

iTrader: (10)

I'll report back shortly on whether or not I have a gaping hole in the floor of my car or not

~Ramy