Another antenna failure - ZR-1 Net Registry Forums

mlipmd · 12-25-2022

I have a '90 ZR-1, #545. It's been really cold (lows of 20s last few nights), and I went for a ride yesterday with the temp about 36-38, turned on the radio, and when I got out of the car I noticed the antenna didn't retract when the power was shut off. Turning it on and off again on the ride home, it still would not retract with the power off. I can push it down in about 4". then it stops, can push either the top or bottom section in that far. It pulls back up real easy, like the shaft isn't connected to anything. I wonder if the cold made the 32 year old cable brittle and it cracked or broke when it tried to go down.
I have read somewhere that there were 2 types of cables that were used before the design changed during the early Zs. One is a straight nylon cable with a sort of hooked end that goes into the spool, the other a cog-toothed cable that engages teeth on the spool. Can anyone tell me which one I may have for my car so I don't look for and purchase the wrong one to try and repair this?
I first have to get my SO to turn on and off the radio and try and listen if the antenna motor is running, then I know for sure if the problem is with the cable. I'm really hoping I can replace this from above without having to remove the rear wheel, fender liner, disconnect the wiring and antenna cable, and remove the whole mechanism and take it apart to fix this, as all that is a real PIA and time consuming. If it's the cog-toothed cable I should be able to do this, and hopefully pull all of the broken cable out, but if I have the smooth hooked-end cable, I guess I will have to bite the bullet and remove the whole thing. And it's still cold here in the panhandle of Florida.

Addendum - the motor runs when the radio is turned on, it does not run when the radio is turned off.

12-25-2022	#1
mlipmd Join Date: Mar 2021 Location: Crawfordville, FL Posts: 204	Another antenna failure I have a '90 ZR-1, #545. It's been really cold (lows of 20s last few nights), and I went for a ride yesterday with the temp about 36-38, turned on the radio, and when I got out of the car I noticed the antenna didn't retract when the power was shut off. Turning it on and off again on the ride home, it still would not retract with the power off. I can push it down in about 4". then it stops, can push either the top or bottom section in that far. It pulls back up real easy, like the shaft isn't connected to anything. I wonder if the cold made the 32 year old cable brittle and it cracked or broke when it tried to go down. I have read somewhere that there were 2 types of cables that were used before the design changed during the early Zs. One is a straight nylon cable with a sort of hooked end that goes into the spool, the other a cog-toothed cable that engages teeth on the spool. Can anyone tell me which one I may have for my car so I don't look for and purchase the wrong one to try and repair this? I first have to get my SO to turn on and off the radio and try and listen if the antenna motor is running, then I know for sure if the problem is with the cable. I'm really hoping I can replace this from above without having to remove the rear wheel, fender liner, disconnect the wiring and antenna cable, and remove the whole mechanism and take it apart to fix this, as all that is a real PIA and time consuming. If it's the cog-toothed cable I should be able to do this, and hopefully pull all of the broken cable out, but if I have the smooth hooked-end cable, I guess I will have to bite the bullet and remove the whole thing. And it's still cold here in the panhandle of Florida. Addendum - the motor runs when the radio is turned on, it does not run when the radio is turned off. Last edited by mlipmd; 12-25-2022 at 01:30 PM.