Do I have to pull my antenna motor now?

[WARP TEN]

I broke my antenna the other day, clipped off the offending part and crimped the remainder to keep the nylon ribbon up. Bought a mast replacement and as I was getting ready to fix it, turned the radio on and off and the nylon ribbon slipped out and got sucked into the motor. Turned on the radio again but that does not get it to come out. Am I now doomed to remove the antenna motor and repalce it out of the car? Or is there some way to fish it out from the top? If I have to remove it any simpler way than the proscribed method in the manual? I have looked at the solutions sections but they seem to be mostly mast replacement unless I looked in the wrong place. Thanks, Bob

[VetteMed]

Removing the antenna is not difficult.

It's held on with 2 8mm bolts, undo those from the bottom, then it pops out of the grommet in the rear quarter panel. The bracket, which mounts to the flange where the rear bumper cover meets the rear quarter panel, can stay in place, or if you wish to remove it for better access, it's held on with 2 10mm nuts.

[WARP TEN]

Originally Posted by VetteMed

Removing the antenna is not difficult.

It's held on with 2 8mm bolts, undo those from the bottom, then it pops out of the grommet in the rear quarter panel. The bracket, which mounts to the flange where the rear bumper cover meets the rear quarter panel, can stay in place, or if you wish to remove it for better access, it's held on with 2 10mm nuts.

Thanks, bolt sizes are helpful. It looks like the motor has a rubber cover over it. Does this come off or are bolts visible if I look harder? I will take another look at it soon although I have to get through my daughter's wedding this Friday before I can get back to more meaningful pursuits :-) --Bob

[scottfab]

There are no pictures on this one but might help.
http://www.zr1netregistry.com/antenna.htm

[GOLDCYLON]

You do not need to pull the motor. Re reading your post I see that you may have already bought a remast kit. Chances are the mast remainder was ground to a pulp when it went back inside. Try the remast remove the top nut with the tool. If I was a betting man it will work.

[WARP TEN]

Originally Posted by scottfab

There are no pictures on this one but might help.
http://www.zr1netregistry.com/antenna.htm

Thanks Scott--That looks like a useful article. Hadn't read it before.

[secondchance]

Originally Posted by WARP TEN

I broke my antenna the other day, clipped off the offending part and crimped the remainder to keep the nylon ribbon up. Bought a mast replacement and as I was getting ready to fix it, turned the radio on and off and the nylon ribbon slipped out and got sucked into the motor. Turned on the radio again but that does not get it to come out. Am I now doomed to remove the antenna motor and repalce it out of the car? Or is there some way to fish it out from the top? If I have to remove it any simpler way than the proscribed method in the manual? I have looked at the solutions sections but they seem to be mostly mast replacement unless I looked in the wrong place. Thanks, Bob

I had a similar situation and when I tried to feed the replacement mast ribbon it would not retract completely. So, I removed the antenna, flipped the rubber cover over and the two halves of the housing was joined by long plastic tab slipped through the other half and roulded off.
I disassembled the mast assmble then ground off the plastic tab so the two halves can be separated. Turned out the broken ribbon lodged in the white (translucent? can't remember) drum was not allowing the ribbon to spool completely.
I ground off the plastic tab completely so that I can use sheet metal screws to re-join two halves, reattach the mast housing, reconnected electrical and had my wife turn the radio on then off. As soon as the motor engaged per off signal, I fed the new mast ribbon until the mast retracted completely. Close up the top w/ the nut and cycled on and off to make sure of proper operation.
After that, it's just a matter of reinstalling the antenna.

[WARP TEN]

Originally Posted by secondchance

I had a similar situation and when I tried to feed the replacement mast ribbon it would not retract completely. So, I removed the antenna, flipped the rubber cover over and the two halves of the housing was joined by long plastic tab slipped through the other half and roulded off.
I disassembled the mast assmble then ground off the plastic tab so the two halves can be separated. Turned out the broken ribbon lodged in the white (translucent? can't remember) drum was not allowing the ribbon to spool completely.
I ground off the plastic tab completely so that I can use sheet metal screws to re-join two halves, reattach the mast housing, reconnected electrical and had my wife turn the radio on then off. As soon as the motor engaged per off signal, I fed the new mast ribbon until the mast retracted completely. Close up the top w/ the nut and cycled on and off to make sure of proper operation.
After that, it's just a matter of reinstalling the antenna.

Right now I still have about six inches of mast sticking up without any ribbon inside, and it won't go either down or up but the radio reception is fine. Since I will be bringing my car back to Marc H this winter for a few things, I think I will just leave it for the time being and let him pop in my replacement mast then. In the meantime, I topped it off with a tiny rubber cap painted chrome and it looks like I planned it this way. --Bob