Hi,
I was wondering if I need to take the passenger side fender and the hood off to access the antenna cable. My radio works, but every station is static... I moved the antenna around and managed to pick up a signal so I think the antenna cable is either loose or broken. I have a Chilton's repair manual and it says to block the passenger side fender to fit your hand in, but I think it would be easier to just remove the fender. The manual says to remove the hood to remove the fender though so I'm wondering if you need to do that or not. Any help is welcome!

Thanks

 

Nah brother, just get under the fender inside the wheel house, and there is a plastic water shield. Remove the screws and plastic push pins, and snake the water shield out. The antenna is right behind that shield. Unscrew the antenna, and the bezel nut, remove one bolt at the bottom of the mast, pop the grommet around the wire out of the kick panel, and it pulls right out.

 

I would not think so.

I removed a power antennae through the inner wheel well. So a std. antennae should only be easier. The nut on the top of the fender will set the assembly free from the fender, the cable passes through the cowl side panel in it's own grommet. Remove the kick panel on the passenger side, and you'll see it.

You can see some of my steps starting here.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/memb...ml#post5898351

 

You can grab a cheap "antenna tool" at any local auto store for a few bucks. It looks like a plate with some notched circles cut out of it. I've done it both ways and it's a lot easier to remove the antenna nut (outside) with damaging anything. YMMV.

 

Never had the special wrench for the bezel nut. When they're not too terribly crusty, you can just press down with finger pressure to grab the notches, and twist it loose. Snap ring pliers can work. Or needlenose pliers. Or grab a piece of metal thinner than the width of the notches, cut a U shape out of the middle wide and tall enough to clear the antenna mast post, and drop it into two notches on opposite sides and twist it loose. Worst one I messed with, did not want to budge. Ended up just grabbing it with pliers and letting the teeth bite into the soft aluminum, marred up the nut, but I usually have a few laying around in the spare parts junk bin.

 

Eh, they've gone up a bit in price in the last 10 years or so since I worked at Advance. Got mine cheap...
$10 on Amazon, $25 at the parts store. Just searched "GM antenna wrench." Like Drew said, you can improvise with needlenose or snap ring pliers, or a couple of flathead screwdrivers, etc. I've messed up equally as many that route, depends on the condition of the nut. I'm a tool addict, though.

 

OK, thanks everyone for the advice I'll probably just use pliers for the antenna nut.