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Round antena on roof

Lightn95

Active Member
Joined
December 31, 2017
Messages
67
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Year, Model & Trim Level
2013 PIU
There is this round hockey puck looking antenna on the roof of my '13 PIU. Im pretty sure it is the cause of my water leak in the rear of the Explorer. Does anyone know how to remove it? I want to seal it better to stop the leak. It turns fairly easily and I can get under it. But I can't get it out.

Thanks
 



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Its probably locked from the bottom. I imagine if you remove the headliner you'll see the lock/ be able to confirm the leak.
 






Pics would be helpful.
 






NMO mounts are commonly used for antennas. Go to the 8 minute mark of this video....it may be of some help.

 






What Jason said. They're pretty much all NMO mounts, a small strap-style pipe or oil filter wrench with some purchase will twist it off. Upfitters seem to really crank down on them during installation in hopes they won't leak, and after a few years of the roof getting hot, the o-ring will stick.

Once you get it removed, your best bet would probably be to get a plug and then coat it with RTV silicone, that's what most decommissioning folks do to patch the roof properly.
 






What Jason said. They're pretty much all NMO mounts, a small strap-style pipe or oil filter wrench with some purchase will twist it off. Upfitters seem to really crank down on them during installation in hopes they won't leak, and after a few years of the roof getting hot, the o-ring will stick.

Once you get it removed, your best bet would probably be to get a plug and then coat it with RTV silicone, that's what most decommissioning folks do to patch the roof properly.
....."wrench with some purchase will twist it off." :dunno:
 






....."wrench with some purchase will twist it off." :dunno:

Are you wondering about "purchase"? It's the word to describe a leveraging grip against something, and the puck antennae can be very stubborn. I was trying to remove one from my parts vehicle without damaging it over the weekend. Without the correct tools, which I was lacking, it's pretty challenging...
 






Are you wondering about "purchase"? It's the word to describe a leveraging grip against something, and the puck antennae can be very stubborn. I was trying to remove one from my parts vehicle without damaging it over the weekend. Without the correct tools, which I was lacking, it's pretty challenging...
Thank you. I've never heard it used in that context.

Peter
 






What Jason said. They're pretty much all NMO mounts, a small strap-style pipe or oil filter wrench with some purchase will twist it off. Upfitters seem to really crank down on them during installation in hopes they won't leak, and after a few years of the roof getting hot, the o-ring will stick.

Once you get it removed, your best bet would probably be to get a plug and then coat it with RTV silicone, that's what most decommissioning folks do to patch the roof properly.

That's exactly what I was planning on doing. So they unscrew off the roof?
 






That's exactly what I was planning on doing. So they unscrew off the roof?

Pretty much, yes. The NMO mount clamps into the hole in the roof, then the antenna base screws down on it and seals the hole with its o-ring.
 






There is this round hockey puck looking antenna on the roof of my '13 PIU. Im pretty sure it is the cause of my water leak in the rear of the Explorer. Does anyone know how to remove it? I want to seal it better to stop the leak. It turns fairly easily and I can get under it. But I can't get it out.

Thanks


I'll buy the puck off of you!
 












They are one layer with ribs. The typical NMO mount hole is 3/4".

One thing to be aware of, the NMO mounts generally aren't watertight without the antenna or a weather cap, so make sure you have a 3/4" plug and some silicone RTV or caulk handy. The mount itself can usually be angled back into the hole and left in the headliner if you don't feel like pulling it and the length of cable out.
 












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