Options with a snapped aerial

[NightFlight]

Hi,

As mentioned in another thread I'm dealing with the afteraffects of some punk snapping the aerial on my recently bought 1991 Rolla Seca liftback.

The aerial was fully extended when snapped from the normal back facing direction to the front. It snapped completely at the junction with the plastic housing, the internal wiring looks intact but it now only gets one strong FM and no AM stations.

The night before the incident I actually tried to push the aerial down into the retracted position, but it seemed stuck at fully extended. For once WD40 didn’t immediately do the trick and rather than risk snapping the aerial myself while very tired I left it till the next day (grmp##%$!).

So at present there is the remnant lower section inside the plastic housing and the other broken end. I attempted to gently get both ends back to a round state and push the main part of the aerial back into the housing, but it’s as stuck as ever.

As can be seen in the attached pic the end of the long section could do with some more rounding and straightening, but the section inside the plastic cowling won't budge in any case.

So is there hope of an expert fixing this or should I be looking for a new antenna?

If so any idea which model antennas are compatible & prices & availability of them?

[Guni]

Might just be me but it seems a whole lot of trouble just for an antenna but if radio is your life than who am I to say? ;)

I do listen to AM talk backs once in a while.

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

And h@ck no! I'm not over 30!

P.S. Just get the whole unit replaced. Might be able to fit a motorise one so that it auto retracts when u shut the radio off. Just another plus to prevent those itchy hands from ...................... you get the drift ....

[Rolla Boy]

I've got one still working as normal from a 92 Seca...

Hows $20 sound???

I'm in Sydney...

[AE102]

had the same happen on me ae102 - same style aerial. disconnect the aerial connector next to the footwell - tape some string onto the aerial so when you pull it out you can attach the string to the new aerial your gonna pull through. i bought a aerial from a breakers for £5.

[NightFlight]

I've got one still working as normal from a 92 Seca...

Hows $20 sound???

I'm in Sydney...

Sounds good to me Rolla Boy. I'll be in touch!

And thanks for the installation tips AE102.

[NightFlight]

had the same happen on me ae102 - same style aerial. disconnect the aerial connector next to the footwell - tape some string onto the aerial so when you pull it out you can attach the string to the new aerial your gonna pull through. i bought a aerial from a breakers for £5.

Actually is that string inside the antenna just to hold the whole thing together then? I assumed it was a wire and I'd broken it trying to waggle the thing back in.

[Rolla Boy]

Let me know asap...

It'll be going to scrap along with the car on Sat if you don't want it...

[NightFlight]

Let me know asap...

It'll be going to scrap along with the car on Sat if you don't want it...

Oh yes I definitely want it!

Edited December 30, 2008 by NightFlight

[AE102]

had the same happen on me ae102 - same style aerial. disconnect the aerial connector next to the footwell - tape some string onto the aerial so when you pull it out you can attach the string to the new aerial your gonna pull through. i bought a aerial from a breakers for £5.

Actually is that string inside the antenna just to hold the whole thing together then? I assumed it was a wire and I'd broken it trying to waggle the thing back in.

attach the string to the connector of the old aerial - when you pull the aerial out attach the string to the connector of the replacement aerial so you can feed it back in.

i always put the aerial down when leaving the car - out of sight out of mind.

[NightFlight]

had the same happen on me ae102 - same style aerial. disconnect the aerial connector next to the footwell - tape some string onto the aerial so when you pull it out you can attach the string to the new aerial your gonna pull through. i bought a aerial from a breakers for £5.

I've had a look at the footwell area and can't see anything like the antenna string. Do you mean the area behind the fuses on the driver's side, or above them?

It's getting very late here in Sydney now, I'll have another go at this tomorrow.

Thanks to all who have been helping with this.

[AE102]

pull the trim off next to the accelerator on a rhd, . your looking for the aerial connector. disconnect the aerial from the connector. tie some string to the connecor on the old aerial - the string is to help you thread the replacement back to the connector.

Edited December 29, 2008 by AE102

[Rolla Boy]

Don't need string, these use a hard plastic guide to align them down to the kick panel...

[AE102]

Don't need string, these use a hard plastic guide to align them down to the kick panel...

the string makes it easy to install the replacement so you do need it. if you want to thread it without be my guest - but why make things more difficult.

[Rolla Boy]

Like I said, they come with a hard plastic guide taped to the aerial wire for easy installation... Thats how I do them anyway...

But each to their own ;) ...

Edited December 31, 2008 by Rolla Boy

[AE102]

we know this - its called making a job as easy as possible. no fiddling around trying to get the connector. why are you so bothered that someone has given him a useful tip.

hope you get sorted.

[NightFlight]

pull the trim off next to the accelerator on a rhd, . your looking for the aerial connector. disconnect the aerial from the connector. tie some string to the connecor on the old aerial - the string is to help you thread the replacement back to the connector.

Aghh after a pretty awful New Year I'm finally getting to fixing this aerial.

Many thanks to Rolla Boy for the replacement antenna.

Am I reading you right AE102 that with your model there's a plug behind the driver's kick panel to connect & disconnect the antenna coax?

There isn't a co-ax connector behind the RH kick board in the AE92s more the pity (see image - the circular cable running vertically through the screen is the coax that goes from the antenna all the way to the back of the radio in this model).

As well there's the anti theft feature that you need to take the whole dashboard off above the steering wheel to take out the old sound system.

This is not one of my fave jobs, may that vandal go to @#%%#!!! land!

Happy New Year to everyone else ;) !