Broken Antenna

The antenna unscrews. If the base it screws into is intact and only the antenna part is broken, I'd try to get hold of whatever is left and unscrew it. Maybe use some needlenose pliers?

Then just buy a new antenna and screw it in. Maybe get a shorter stubby one so no more accidents.

 

I can tell you one thing because my garage door just broke my antenna. The screw-in antenna costs about $50 but the base (that goes into the car) costs $240!! I have no idea why.

 

if you can pull the wire out enought to solder it to the bushing, I'd do that and then mix a bit of epoxy and butter up the bushing and stuff it back in to the base of the antenna and let the epoxy cure and screw it back on. Failing that new antenna time. OEM or aftermarket stubby.

 

Damaged amtenna mount

It is a problem. The epoxy trick and a 3.5" stubby (cheap)seemed to work well for about a month. (Don't buy the 2.5" stubby.) However, when I had my oil changed at the dealer they washed the car and it ripped it off.

I have been looking for what I believe to be a 3/8"-24 thread "sleeve" that I can insert and epoxy or Gorilla glue in the bakelite. The epoxy alone will be a temporary fix. We very carefully mixed, cured and followed the instructions.

Installation by the dealer requires removal of the entire interior roof and runs >$950 including the $260 part! No thank you!

You may want to waterproof around the bakelite since the impact may have damaged the seal. It is driving me nuts since the car was 3 days old when I damaged my antenna.

I look forward to some suggestions.

 

Re: Broken Antenna correction

Oops. 3/8" should probably be 3/16" .

eBay site below:

Oops]http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...66867511Oops. 3/8" should probably be 3/16" .

 

you do take the antenna off when you go thru the car wash? I hope. As per the instructions in the owner manual.

 

My antenna suffered the same fate. I thought the garage door was open..... but apparently it decided to stop just out of view of my rearview mirror. Snapped the antenna right off (shot it clear accross the garage too, just barly missed going thru the window!!)

It cracked/damaged the base (which i have ducttaped all up to prevent it from getting too wet) - the base is $240!?!? Thats insane, are there any other options? Has anyone installed one of this on their own? or is paying the dealer $1000 plus to replace what cant cost more than $15 to make??

:mellow:

 

I see a growing market for a break-away antenna. Any takers?

 

Actually, one of those rubber flex antennas would be perfect, but I have yet to find one that matches up well (visually) with the base..

I snapped my antenna a while back as well- in a hurry and backed up before the door was all the way open.. Snapped the antenna right at the top of the screw-in and the force slightly dented the roof around the base as well :-(

To remove the dent, I used the "Ding King" kit with the puller glued to the antenna base with a couple of pieces of thick foam under the legs to account for the additional height. This was an easy fix- this kit has been an extremely worthwhile investment, yes, you do have to repeat the treatment several times, but it does work and is certainly cheaper than a body shop..

As for the antenna, I drilled out the broken fibreglass stub from the screw-in to expose the brass cup inside, then scored the antenna about 1/2" up from where it broke, snapped it at the score (just snap it, but leave the bit attached), then took a hammer to the bit that I broke off to smash off the fibreglass and free the copper wire that's in the middle. Bent the copper wire up the side of the antenna so that it friction-fits back into the screw-in portion and makes contact with the brass cup, then mixed up a batch of that silver-bearing conductive epoxy and glued the antenna back into the screw-in.. The repaired antenna has been through a winter and many car-washes without any problems and radio reception is no different than before..

I was lucky that I didn't break the base, but if I had, instead of a rigid epoxy, I would probably have tried that semi-flexible urethane kit from Loctite to make a waterproof repair of the base..