GM "G" BODY / OTHER / POWER ANTENNA "PERMANENT FIX" VIDEO ...
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- Опубликовано: 27 июл 2024
- A great fix: (and one I've used often over the years), for your broken nylon-cabled O.E.M. GM broken Antenna Mast. I integrate the use a "metal-braided" mast cable. I've used this method many times, and for ME it works !. I had some garage-door cables laying around: and I thought: Hey: "that my work" ... and I've done it ever since. IF your old mast isn't kinked / bent, just remove the old nylon crimped-in cable, burn the ole nylon out; and simply SOLDER-IN a nice METAL Cable.
This dismisses power-antenna issues PERMANENTLY for me / DONE. Have a look. 
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Thanks So much for the video!!!
I followed everything step by step with all the same parts and everything g worked perfectly!!!
And I put a dab of loctite on the Mast screw on nut at the top!!!!
Whats a good safe way to take a kink out ( its very tiny the antenna still goes up and down) of the antenna on the second to top part of Antenna Mast?
Hi Amrik !! "SUPER" !! ... as for that kink ("in ANY section"), that's NOT good ... all I guess I could say is to "piston" it in & out / and try an turn-it while doing that / while (perhaps) you put a bend at it toward that "flaw" in the hopes of wearing it down ... but anytime I've had that happen (and I'm just being honest), it's curtains. "Please can you do a Video of your car" ? / BEST Sir !
You're like the Bob Ross of power antenna repair!
Love that guy ! 👌👍
No “LOL”, *but I’ve heard there are people who ask; “where’s the steering wheel” on them trains ?! 😂
This is, by far, the best power antenna fix video on RUclips. I’ll use this idea to fix the antenna in my 1984 Corvette. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Frank ... *NOW GO AN FIX YOURS !! ... "You CAN do it". !!
TommyZTrains gotta question. What size is your cable? I went to Lowe’s, and they have a few different sizes. The 1/16” looks too weak, and it kinks easy. The 1/8” seems to thick, but it doesn’t kink easy. Will the 1/8” work for this application?
@@FranksModelAviationWorkshop I ashamed ta say that I honestly don't know Frank !! *I just "eyed things up" (and took the original plastic cable along to make a comparison), then bought that cable (in bulk / off the roll). ;- (
TommyZTrains ok. I did the same thing, but didn’t find the right size. Went on Amazon and found the right size. Thanks for the reply.
John Gregory White www.amazon.com/Loos-Galvanized-Coated-Breaking-Strength/dp/B0013HIDN0?pd_rd_w=zMb2w&pf_rd_p=b730f267-7c8e-4667-8b27-a69aeb2f7d64&pf_rd_r=8V7F9QQ3ZZ06F39XGPVP&pd_rd_r=e3fae33f-ed69-40c6-9085-e33935fb6141&pd_rd_wg=uBb5J&pd_rd_i=B0013HIDN0&ref_=pd_bap_m_rp_1_15_dc
Very well executed ,I will try on my Lesabre 1985 full size GM.
Best of luck !!
Repaired My 81 corvette power antenna thanks to your method....excellent ....thanks so much
Nicely done, Tom. Creative!
Hi ya Joe !!! :- ) ... sorry: I've been away and didn't see that "you were here". Just takin it every day at a time Joe ... I'm having fun with my cars, and haven't looked at a train in ... what SEEMS ta be eon's. I'll get back someday. LOVED hearing from ya, and all my best Sir ! *Be in touch OK ? - Tom
Hey TommyZ! Been thinking of you lately. I will call you this week. Gotta talk about the mid-terms (somewhat important) and Fluid Film (MOST important)! :-)
GREAT MODIFCATION...!
At the end of the day it’s a mechanical device-something will fail at some point. Now the weak link is the joints that were soldered. Creative fix.
Your SPOT-ON ! (but with many multiples of cars [mine and many others] it's; "so far so good" !). :- )
I replaced my antenna on my 78 Cadillac Coupe thru the fender liner. Didnt have to remove the fender at all. Just the wheel well trim and 2 bolts that secures the inner splash shield to the fender and quick easy access.
EXACTLY !, People tend to raise a literal fuss amid something that (in most examples) is very basic and rather easy ta do. I used to do plenty of those nice ole' Caddy's. 😉
Excellent advice. Thank you. Nylon cords are junk. I will try your method.
Thanks Domenic, and remember two points: you can BUY these mast cords already "done-up" now (I'm told), and IF you make your own, be sure it's not over-soldered / as it should slide effortlessly once it's done / *INSIDE the other tubes.
Best :- )
Awesome video! Thank you for a very good instructional video! A car audio guy lifted up on my antenna, and he must have broken that cable. You'd think he'd know better!
Just as well ? ... "It'd of failed anyway" !! : - )
@@TommyZTrains I actually had just bought this antenna several years ago from a guy on eBay, after he restored it. I took my car to the Audio place to get some speakers installed in the dash. After he was done, I didn't notice the switch on the dash was pointing down, and the antenna only came up a few inches. I told him that, and he pulled up on it. He should have known better. Now, I'll have to take it apart and see if I can fix it with your method. Thanks!
@@sportiessc Hope ya find resolve !! :- )
Brilliant fix! Thanks for posting this...huge help.
Sure appr. that Sir !!
MESSAGE TO Paul Cummings: Hey Paul, all I can say is when you go to just about any hardware store, they have reel upon reel of this “cable”. As I recall I just grabbed the closest size to mine / bared it / and then just soldered it in place (flux is crucial) and that was that. (As this clip depicts). So far as a size: “I don’t know”. 😊
Good video....... I have been doing these Delco antennas for many years.When the new factory replacement parts (plastic) started being bad out of the box I started looking for a substitute..... I first used weed-eater line and it works pretty good except it is not the correct size. Went to the plastic coated steel cable and that is the proper fix. However there seems to be little quality control on the max diameter of the plastic coating and it sometimes is too large. Keep an eye on that, .120 is the ideal diameter. As for length of the cord....that is somewhat critical....too short and it can lock in the UP position or kink....too long and it will kink in the spool. I cut each cable to length as I rebuild them. BNE
Hi Byron, "you & I both" ... *the designed obsolescent "tie-strap cord thing" gets old mighty fast !. In the Dealership setting / these were VERY VERY VERY commonplace and they failed so often, it was pathetic ... I never had a "wire" fail tho ... ("well I had one I didn't tighten the mast adapter back down / it loosened up"), but that was it.
I see their "commercially sold now" ?. :- )
I am going to do this once I find the correct cable. For the ones that did this, exactly what size cable did you use and where did you get it from? I can find .125" od on the vinyl and .9375" on the steel cable dia (3/32 x 1/8) airplane cable. Will the 3/32" cable solder well into the two steel pieces that measure .120"? Thanks for posting this. Paul
I have a 1996 base model Buick Park Avenue that the 28-year-old power antenna finally went out and it is also continuously running which tells me from the info I gathered in your video The metal line that is wrapped around the motor gear assembly has also snapped and there’s no longer connected causing that switch to remain constantly on allowing that motor to spin continuously
Think you mean the 'plastic cord' / but yeah, that's likely the problem. .... "GM Made millions of them".
Excellent
Glad it "helped". :- )
great fix I am working on an 86 Camaro my antenna mast bent and broke will other GM power antenna masts fit into an 86 Camaro antenna housing found 5 Caddalac power antennas?
I'd say YES, as long as the mounts are right, but more the mast "TUBE" length. "F" Bodies were very common-place, and hopefully the upper mounts a thread-on ? / But IF it's a bracket type, grind-off / and remove the original, and mimic that same thing (on our new-one / like the original one was), and I think will be fine. SHIT ! ... I'm sorry it's broken ;- (
I know this is an old video but i have to wonder . . . . doesn't the metal cable affect the performance of the antenna ? You are almost doubling the length of the antenna. My electronics background tells me that almost has to affect the radio performance. Any thoughts on that ??
VERY Interesting thought !! :- ) ... *what I do is use the AM Band, THEN Tune-in WJR in Detroit (a HUGE Mid-West Pwr. House Station HERE), and it is there that I'll 'dial-in' on / or "trim" the signal (the screw just atop of the Tuner shaft), by optimizing that "clarity" (fiddling with that screw), hence this allows everything to come in wonderfully for ME / in MY example. That particular example (Station), is 165 miles from me / thus The FM Band (where I always am most times), works just fine. So, I'd guess the short answer likely is "no" (no ill effect). The Antenna shafts braded "ribbon-sheathe" (soldered to the 3rd section of the power antenna's base), then is Still wonderfully insulated / and I'd guess (somewhere it may be written ?), is that resistance from the case, to the insulated section THERE ... OR: just a resistance measurement from the conductor / to the outer coaxial-cable braded-side upon / amid a final reassembly "reading" that very resistance once you're done / and the topic task (here) is completed. Just MY opinion here .... BEST
@@TommyZTrains Tommy, Thanks for the reply. I actually have an antenna modeling program for my Ham Radio activities and I guess I could try putting the measurements in and see what it says but as long as you aren't having any issues I am going to give your fix a try. Its my Wifes car so it needs to work properly :) :)
Is the plastic covered cable necessary? I can only find bare metal cable.
I would say "YES" ... the way it coated means that it will NOT rust inside the tube sections ... hardware's usually have all different sizes / sold by the foot ... "keep looking / read below / YOU'LL FIND IT" !. :- )
I did this but could only find NON coated wire and also my antenna sticks slightly at the top of the mast. It broke 2 times but didn't the third time. The sang goes 3 times a charm but In this case I may leave it off the GTA Trans Am. I believe it's my sticking mast.
I knew the F Bodies very well / with many times doing this ... "thus I get the frustration". All I would add is that the mast tubes must be near "mint" for hassle-free operation. After that, I'm bewildered about the non-coated cable availability !. Even at a menards or something / there are rolls and rolls of the stuff ... so I guess some places just don't. Anyway, I hope you find your resolve amid a GOOD outcome. :- )
How long is the new cable supposed to be cut to?
Somehow I MISSED THIS Mario, and I'm sorry. "about 35 inches" !
TommyZ I appreciate the video... I have a few questions as I need to do this repair as well on an 84 TransAm. What type of solder & flux were you using? Do you recall the length of the exposed cable... my guess is 34.5" but mine is so crumbled that it is impossible to measure. Thanks Bud! (I edited my length listed as I found another piece of the broken nylon cord.)
HI Michael !, The Solder: "Rosin-Core". (The torch is a Harbor Freight Coupon thing / Free with purchase of bla bla bla ...) So far as the length, I SHOULD HAVE LOOKED AND MADE A NOTE of that, but alas, "I forgot too". In getting-out another car however, "I broke another cord" ... and WHEN I pop that one out (for the last and FINAL time / ta Steel-Cord that one), I'll measure it / and LET YOU KNOW.
"WHEN" is the question ... "soon" is the hopeful answer. Sorry / Best
PS: These are now available for sale you know ... (not by me). *"just look".
TZ I appreciate the quick reply. I am going to give this a try and see how it goes. And yes I did see that these steel cables were being sold as a repair kit... $60 though!
I completed the modification which works great. I ended up using 35.25" exposed cable ( .50-.75" longer than needed) as measured between the completed ends. The cable is probably about an 1.25" longer due to the depth inside each component. I did have difficulty using the solders I had (rosin-core 60/40, unknown variety from HD for jewelry repair) until I tried some silver solder which worked awesome. Seemed like the small butane torch I have got the piece too hot and it would not wick the solder in... but the silver solder flowed nicely. TIP- I found the heat from my butane torch melts/burns the vinyl coating quickly... and you need to keep as much of the undamaged vinyl coating as possible on the mast tip end or the cable will bind in the mast seal.
Hi again ... I just had another failure myself and found an UN-THOUGHT-OF Culprit / amid another fix ... (I'll try an post another clip). That said: I think about a 36" length (or less) will work fine ... *interesting about the solder*. I guess IF THE SPOOL'S not "overloaded" (and it can "limit"), that all should be fine in the end. END-RUN: "You DID it" !!!
*GLAD you found resolve Mike, (and I know your car well) ! ... *is there a VIDEO of this car ? / "I'd LOVE to see it IF yes". BEST.
How long do you make the cable? How do you spool the cable
34.5" - How do u "spool" the cable ?, ... gently wrap it around in the spool cavity inside same, then reconnect & 'seam' the plastic case halves back together / Done. After that, upon operating it (or plugging the antenna back in) ... the limit-switch sees to the rest (or the on/off points / thus "limiting it out". :- )
Neat fix. Will likely outlast the car.
"so-far ... so-good" !! :- )
Hi, how long should the cable be thanks
34.5" (I used and did).
@@TommyZTrains thank you Sir
Can you fix my unit? Let me know how much?
Just had a rotator-cuff surgery, sorry but no / Best.