Need a new power antenna..Suggestions?
#1
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Car: 1986 IROC Z
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: Auto
Need a new power antenna..Suggestions?
Need to replace my broken power antenna before I reinstall my fender.
What's out there and what have you found that worked? I know the direct replacement ones are kind of expensive. Any luck with the universal ones?
Thanks.
What's out there and what have you found that worked? I know the direct replacement ones are kind of expensive. Any luck with the universal ones?
Thanks.
#2
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Re: Need a new power antenna..Suggestions?
If your motor is still good and it's just the nylon cable inside the antenna mast that's snapped, I would try and source just the antenna mast, and reuse everything else. They're not hard to rebuild, as long as you don't disturb the sealed motor. Bought a new mast for my '02 T/A for $35 on eBay, works fine. Much cheaper than spending the $300 on a complete new power antenna assembly.
Edit: couldn't find an entire replacement mast, but they do have just the cable, which you can use if you antenna isn't bent. http://www.antennamastsrus.com/GM/Po...01988-1992.htm
Edit: couldn't find an entire replacement mast, but they do have just the cable, which you can use if you antenna isn't bent. http://www.antennamastsrus.com/GM/Po...01988-1992.htm
Last edited by navy02ws6; 05-22-2017 at 10:53 AM.
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Car: 88GTA
Engine: 5.7TPI
Transmission: Auto
Axle/Gears: 3.27
Re: Need a new power antenna..Suggestions?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Crown-Automo...BZHpn7&vxp=mtr
This is a direct fit like original. I bought 2 last year if you need the whole thing. If not, they sell just the mast and cable like navy02ws6 mentioned
This is a direct fit like original. I bought 2 last year if you need the whole thing. If not, they sell just the mast and cable like navy02ws6 mentioned
#4
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Re: Need a new power antenna..Suggestions?
There's a few of us who have rebuilt the units and replaced the nylon cable with woven steel cable. If you buy a replacement they will all have the nylon cable which will just break and leave you in the same spot.
write up here: (see my comments on the last page)
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/hist...-thread-5.html
write up here: (see my comments on the last page)
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/hist...-thread-5.html
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Car: 88GTA
Engine: 5.7TPI
Transmission: Auto
Axle/Gears: 3.27
Re: Need a new power antenna..Suggestions?
There's a few of us who have rebuilt the units and replaced the nylon cable with woven steel cable. If you buy a replacement they will all have the nylon cable which will just break and leave you in the same spot.
write up here: (see my comments on the last page)
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/hist...-thread-5.html
write up here: (see my comments on the last page)
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/hist...-thread-5.html
I need to work that this weekend. Thanks!
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#8
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Car: 1986 IROC Z
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: Auto
Re: Need a new power antenna..Suggestions?
The exterior metal extension part was broken when I got it. Once the fender was off I noticed a wire to the unit was cut. I will have to hook that back up to see if the motor and all that still works.
#9
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Car: 88 GTA
Engine: 5.7
Re: Need a new power antenna..Suggestions?
is there really a reason to go to such extremes to save the original when there are universal ones for cheap?
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Re: Need a new power antenna..Suggestions?
By replacing the nylon with a steel cable you eliminate this issue. Nothing wrong with buying a new antenna or an autozone unit or something, it's just that it typically hasn't fixed the problem for good in the long term.
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Car: 1988 Trans Am
Engine: L03
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 10 Bolt 2.73 Open
Re: Need a new power antenna..Suggestions?
That was my take, RedLeader289. I wanted an original. I wanted THE original. Every bracket, every bolt hole lines right up. Fender nut, all of the factory wiring and connectors, it's plug and play. And I hope it will last my lifetime. I wasn't as sure a replacement would. I paid to have mine done. I like to rebuild stuff, but had zero desire to horse with that thing.
Nothing "wrong" with going either way. Do what satisfies you.
Nothing "wrong" with going either way. Do what satisfies you.
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Car: 88 GTA
Engine: 5.7
Re: Need a new power antenna..Suggestions?
Ah- I was afraid there was some special voodoo that made a replacement difficult. I'm honestly fine with a non-retracting one and I'll just remove the mask when it goes under the cover. I've got bigger priorities right now- but I'll keep the original one to rebuild later.
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Re: Need a new power antenna..Suggestions?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Crown-Automo...BZHpn7&vxp=mtr
This is a direct fit like original. I bought 2 last year if you need the whole thing. If not, they sell just the mast and cable like navy02ws6 mentioned
This is a direct fit like original. I bought 2 last year if you need the whole thing. If not, they sell just the mast and cable like navy02ws6 mentioned
I used a nylon pusher for a C4 vette. I got a GM one on eBay for $25. Fortunately that's all I needed and I was able to clean up all the other bits and get it working reliably.
Here it is cheaper from Summit:
https://m.summitracing.com/parts/cwa-56003151
GD
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Car: 1986 IROC Z
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: Auto
Re: Need a new power antenna..Suggestions?
Both the Ebay and Summit ads say it's for a Jeep? Same unit as our Third gen units? If so, for $80 I'm in.
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Car: 1987 Z28 Vert.
Engine: LG4: ENGINE, GAS, 8 CYL, 5.0L, 4BBL
Transmission: MD8: 4 SPEED AUTO THM700R4
Axle/Gears: GU2: AXLE, REAR 2.73 RATIO
Re: Need a new power antenna..Suggestions?
want work on a 87 z28 vert
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Car: 1987 Trans am GTA
Engine: 5.7 liter
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 3.27
Re: Need a new power antenna..Suggestions?
I pulled mine apart and replaced the nylon with the steel cable, hooked it all back up and the motor quit. so maybe sometime in the future it will be replaced, but for now a stationary antenna works just fine.