Fixing power antenna, has anyone done it? Options

[Xander_X]

As I have yet to find a working power antenna, in the interim, I thought I may try to fix mine.

When I first got the car, the motor ran but the antenna would not move up and down. A very common issue with power antenna after years of use. Now, upon taking it apart, I basically just put it back together, but had to figure out how to put the ribbed plastic tether back in the motor. I had someone turn the radio off for me as I essentially "shoved" the end of the tether in it's respective whole in the motor assembly until I found the position it was supposed to go in. Once I did, the motor sucked it up and I tightened the antenna tube back into the motor assembly. It then would go up and down ... sort of. When it went down, it worked great, low motor noise, and motor stopped as soon as the antenna was all the way down. But on the way up, the motor was quiet until the antenna was all the way up, then it continued to make a louder almost grinding motor noise. So now, basically the main problem is, I'm trying to figure out why it's not recognizing that it's all the way up and stop the motor?

[njccmd2002]

the teeth in your antenna mast are basically gone. I bought a new mast, and inserted it and had no problem ever since. you may need to buy a new mast.

[Special_Edy]

Where are yall buying the masts? The autozone ones are only lasting me a month each before they fail

[Xander_X]

Where are yall buying the masts? The autozone ones are only lasting me a month each before they fail

I know you can get them from Toyota ... I think they were around $50 or $60. I can't remember, I just remember being shocked when he said the motor was like $400 something!

This post has been edited by Xander_X: May 2, 2012 - 12:34 PM

[Xander_X]

If the teeth are that worn (granted I haven't seen the teeth on a new one to compare) why does it go up and down fine, but only to a certain point?

[njccmd2002]

If the teeth are that worn (granted I haven't seen the teeth on a new one to compare) why does it go up and down fine, but only to a certain point?

then it most be broke. that ws happening with mine, the pasltic must be a certaing leghtn

[Galcobar]

The plastic cable breaking can lead to two possible results. The first, and less common, is that the antenna only partly extends. This is less likely to occur than the antenna will no longer retracting, because the gear can push the cable far enough that the teeth no longer engage on the gear and the gear then cannot pull the cable back down. It's akin to being able to push a box up onto a high shelf, but then not be able to grasp it firmly enough to pull it down.

You can also end up with a jammed antenna mast. I had to replace my mast last week for just this cause; the cable was fine but for some reason which lubrication did not fix the bottom two sections of the mast were almost immovable.

Worn-out or damaged teeth could be the cause of your partially-extended mast. I would speculate that as the mast reaches the point where it stops extending, the gear slips on the worn-out teeth -- probably only one or two. This in turn creates the grinding noise you hear. When the motor reverses direction, the gear is now engaging with the opposite side of the teeth. If those halves are in good condition, the mast is neatly pulled back down.

Given the age of our cars, I prefer to fully disassemble the antenna and motor assembly to clean it and re-lubricate. It also makes it a little easier to re-install the mast, since you can remove the gear, insert the collapsed mast, align the cable, and then put the gear back into place. Just make sure you don't forget to re-attach the drain line at the bottom of the motor, or you'll end up with a water-filled quarter-panel.

[Xander_X]

Given the age of our cars, I prefer to fully disassemble the antenna and motor assembly to clean it and re-lubricate. It also makes it a little easier to re-install the mast, since you can remove the gear, insert the collapsed mast, align the cable, and then put the gear back into place. Just make sure you don't forget to re-attach the drain line at the bottom of the motor, or you'll end up with a water-filled quarter-panel.

I did all this. I actually have 2 of them. My original that's acting funky and one that I bought that "supposedly worked" (no names, it's ok buddy, I forgive you lol) but had a broken plastic tether. I tried for 2 hours swapping out the best parts of both into one ... back and forth ... but the best I got was it going down fine and going up fine, until the last couple teeth ... so your right, it's probably the last couple teeth.

Anyone know where I can get a new one? I mean besides Toyota? I called them up today and my buddy said it's like $75 just for the mast! I mean I'd buy a used one if I knew it worked, but if the one off my 99 with only 80,000 miles on it was bad, I can't imagine there are a lot of good used ones left. I know in my old Integra I just left it down and unplugged it. But I listen to the radio a lot more now than I did then.

[Special_Edy]

Autozone, $20. The nylon center will last about a month before it strips or breaks

[Galcobar]

1sttoyotaparts.com has it for sale at US$50. That said, Toyota seemed to use the same mast design for a lot of cars, so you should be able to find used ones for very cheap via the junkyard. They'll probably last about as long as the Autozone ones, and if you disassemble the antenna at the yard it's fairly easy to check the condition of the cable and telescoping sections.

[Xander_X]

Autozone, $20. The nylon center will last about a month before it strips or breaks

Doesn't seem worth it to me. Would rather pay for a Toyota one. You know, I guess it wouldn't kill me to pay the price of Toyota if I had a 100% guarantee that's what my problem is and that it would work.

1sttoyotaparts.com has it for sale at US$50. That said, Toyota seemed to use the same mast design for a lot of cars, so you should be able to find used ones for very cheap via the junkyard. They'll probably last about as long as the Autozone ones, and if you disassemble the antenna at the yard it's fairly easy to check the condition of the cable and telescoping sections.

Problem is, at a junk yark, no power. It's difficult to get the mast out, without breaking the tether, if you just try to pull it out without using the motor to do it. But I guess I don't have to pay for it if it breaks inside the motor do I ... so I could give it a try.

[Special_Edy]

Autozone, $20. The nylon center will last about a month before it strips or breaks

Doesn't seem worth it to me. Would rather pay for a Toyota one. You know, I guess it wouldn't kill me to pay the price of Toyota if I had a 100% guarantee that's what my problem is and that it would work.

1sttoyotaparts.com has it for sale at US$50. That said, Toyota seemed to use the same mast design for a lot of cars, so you should be able to find used ones for very cheap via the junkyard. They'll probably last about as long as the Autozone ones, and if you disassemble the antenna at the yard it's fairly easy to check the condition of the cable and telescoping sections.

Problem is, at a junk yark, no power. It's difficult to get the mast out, without breaking the tether, if you just try to pull it out without using the motor to do it. But I guess I don't have to pay for it if it breaks inside the motor do I ... so I could give it a try.

Bring a cordless drill battery and two pieces of wire with you to the junkyard. Remove the interior panel off the drivers side of the trunk. Disconnect the two wire plug on the power antenna that plugs into the motor( black wire with yellow stripe and blue wire). Now use the two wires you brought to run power from the cordless battery to the motor.
18V - 4.4V battery it doesnt matter, the motor will operate fine off this power source

[Xander_X]

^ Thank you MacGyver! lol

I mean I guess it can't hurt to look but none of the "do it yourself" junkyards around here have any of our cars. They usually don't buy anything foreign like Toyota, Honda, Subaru, past a certain date (meaning newer than a certain year) because even wrecked, they're worth more than they want to pay for them to have on their lot.

[Galcobar]

Take a look through car-part.com, see if they have any useful listings nearby.

Disassembling the motor will let you free the antenna mast. Four screws and a bolt opens up the motor cover, then pop out the gears with a flathead screwdriver and nothing's holding onto the cable/tether.

This post has been edited by Galcobar: May 6, 2012 - 3:52 AM

[SonnyWood]

I've been looking for a source for ST205 parts in Canada or the USA but in the mean time I get all my parts from TCB Parts in UK. The prices seem reasonable and they have a surprising amount of parts available. With the exchange I don't think its any cheaper but it should be available. Check shipping prices first though.

TCB Parts

Aerial Antenna & Nylon Cord Genuine Toyota

Celica ST 205 GT4 & ST 202 (1993 -1999)

Part number: 86337-2B200

Special Offer Price £38.25+ vat while stock last

[Xander_X]

I mean I can get them at junkyards ... I use Car-Part.com often. I just like to buy parts off of forums first. They usually are better quality and I'm supporting the community at the same time.

[Galcobar]

I've been looking for a source for ST205 parts in Canada or the USA but in the mean time I get all my parts from TCB Parts in UK. The prices seem reasonable and they have a surprising amount of parts available. With the exchange I don't think its any cheaper but it should be available. Check shipping prices first though.

Since the ST205 was never imported to North America our part supplies tend to be pretty limited. However, you might try Aaron or Tracy at Lithia Toyota. If you cannot find the part via their website, contacting them through Lithia's sub-forum on Celicatech will get you personal service: http://www.celicatech.com/forums/forumdisp...7-Lithia-Toyota. They regularly fill parts requests for ST205 owners. They ship to Canada, and happily use USPS so you don't have to deal with the courier companies trying to gouge you for brokerage fees.

This post has been edited by Galcobar: May 10, 2012 - 12:17 AM