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antenna

ygu

Member
Joined
August 8, 2001
Messages
47
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City, State
New Jersey
Year, Model & Trim Level
98 EB
I had my power antenna die on my and I had gone to a place to have them cut the power to it so it would stay up because I was not ready to pay $100 for them to fix it. Does anyone know where I can find a replacement mast cheap and is it easy to do? I also know that I have to get to the antenna through the wheel well, but does anyone know if I have to remove the fender flares also? thanks for the help. You guys are great.
 



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I'd say, get rid of the fender antena! It looks ugly there anyway! I got rid of mine and it looks much better!

-Willie
 






willy, what did you replace it with? I was thinking about totally replacing it with one of those short antenna's like on the MDX. Not sure if I want to go throught the hassel though. I looked at your web and saw pics of your truck but couldn't really get a good angle on the antenna. Thanks. BTW, nice truck.
 






I relocated the antena to the rear with an antena similar to the ones VW uses.
 






I just got a replacement antenna mast off eBay for about $20. I haven't installed it yet, but apparently these things run on a plastic teeth strip that break off....

These are the instructions I got with mine:

TO REMOVE THE OLD CABLE REMOVE THE NUT ON TOP, TURN RADIO ON AND PULL
OUT
THE OLD CABLE. TO REPLACE THE NEW ONE STICK THE CABLE IN THE HOLE, TURN
THE
RADIO OFF AND THE MOTOR WILL PULL THE CABLE AND ANTENNA IN AND DOWN AND
REPLACE THE NUT.

Seems easy enough! Go to ebay and do a search for "Ford Explorer antenna". The guy I got this from sells them all the time.
 






Those replacement masts will only work if your antenna motor is still in good condition. If your mast got ripped out fast, the gears could be damaged as well as the teeth on the mast itself. That's what the Ford dealer told me (quoted me $180 to fix it, I laughed in his face).
 






Originally posted by drummergirl
I just got a replacement antenna mast off eBay for about $20. I haven't installed it yet, but apparently these things run on a plastic teeth strip that break off....

These are the instructions I got with mine:

TO REMOVE THE OLD CABLE REMOVE THE NUT ON TOP, TURN RADIO ON AND PULL
OUT
THE OLD CABLE. TO REPLACE THE NEW ONE STICK THE CABLE IN THE HOLE, TURN
THE
RADIO OFF AND THE MOTOR WILL PULL THE CABLE AND ANTENNA IN AND DOWN AND
REPLACE THE NUT.

Seems easy enough! Go to ebay and do a search for "Ford Explorer antenna". The guy I got this from sells them all the time.





Let me know how this goes...I've been thinking about doing the same thing.
Thanks
 






shave the antenna and run a new antenna wire through the roof of the EX, or under the dashboard.

thats one less thing to break off if it isnt there.

if you want to keep the antenna, then i saw one at Pep-boys for like 25 bucks. i dont know if it included the motor or not.

if you stripped the gears, take them to a hobby shop that sells Gas Powered R/C cars. more than likely they will have the gears you need only in metal, designed as worm gears and spur's for R/C Cars.
 






Sound good, let me know how it works, I also had another question? I had a place cut the power to the antenna so it would stay up, I need to reconnect the power but I am not sure where he would have cut it, Does anyone know where he would have cut it? Thanks
 






Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention, I called ford and the replacemnt mast from them was around $25. Could be easier for you guys to call your local dealer to price it.
 






I finally got around to replacing my power antenna mast. Worked like a charm! I followed the instructions that came with my replacement mast ($20) and it went right in. Took about 5 minutes!
 






Oh - ygu ,

I'm not sure exactly where your power was cut to the antenna, but I know that if you open the passenger door the whole way and look though the gap into the front fender, there is a connection plug there in front of the antenna motor. If that is where the power was unplugged you can probably reach it, although it might be a bit tricky. Also check your fuses. Sometimes they just pull the fuse that runs the motor.

The replacement mast I got worked great - I popped off the black plastic cover and unscrewed the nut, turned on the radio and pulled the mast out as the motor was turning. Then I inserted the new mast as far as it would go, turned off the radio and it pulled it down. The hardest part was removing the piece with the nut from the old mast (I ended up breaking the old mast apart because the rubber had expanded and it wouldn't come off). But that was it. Took 5 minutes.

Good luck!
 






thx drummergirl, I will let you know as soon as I try it.
 






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