azrael
05-16-2008, 01:28 AM
I'm sure you've all seen it before: the mk2 with the power antenna that is in a constant state of up or down, never in between, and certainly not of its own power. You turn your car on, and flip to the radio. You can hear the motor whirring, but nothing happens. Your antenna is, for all intents and purposes, flaccid. Miniscule. Impotent. You weep. All the other Supras make fun of you.
You will have no more of it.
"No!" some cry. "Just replace the windshield with the 82 windshield with the glass antenna! Get rid of that potential for rust in the back of your car!" But deep down inside, you know they're wrong. They're just jealous of how OEM your car is. Jeff Lange would be proud of you, even if the masses disagree. You WILL fix your power antenna.
And it will be glorious.
However, I will warn you now: When Toyota designed the power antenna that is in your car, they delegated the task to the spite-filled designers who had been scorned for the rest of the project. Without further ado, I give you instructions on how to replace your antenna cable that is obviously borked.
You will need:
- 1x Phillips screwdriver
- 1x Flathead screwdriver or knife
- 1x 10mm socket
- 1x Short extension
- 1x 7mm socket
- 1x New OEM Cable and drum
- 4x New OEM drum screws (included)
- Paper towel (this is critical)
- As many impressive strings of profanity as humanly possible
So, now that you've decided that your quest for OEM zen has taken you this far, and you are set on going through with it. Cast aside your worldly being and relax, then. Let the oneness of the all-original mk2 fill you with a deep-seated inner peace. God fucking knows you're going to need it for what you're about to do.
1. Remove passenger side rear interior panel.
Pop the privacy cover out, and undo the two screws holding the passenger side rear speaker cover on. Next, undo the four screws along the side of the side interior panel. Lift the spare tire cover, and undo the one screw holding the interior panel to the floorpan. Finally, undo the screw at the top of the rear interior panel (the one that cover the tail lights) closest to the passenger side edge. Lift the panel towards you, and pull it free of the vehicle.
Admire what you've done. That's about the only thing that's going to go right for the next hour or two.
2. Remove antenna nut
Wander on over to your power antenna. Look at it. Isn't it pretty, in its non-working glory? Okay. Now, you see that little chrome nut on the top of the black rubber bushing? Turn it counterclockwise to get it off.
Hah. Haaah. You thought that was going to be easy, didn't you? If your antenna's never been out, it's going to be fucking stuck. Grab some pliers or something. Grab on and twist. Hope something not awful happens. You'll probably scratch your paint using pliers. Shit happens. This thing needs to come off for the antenna to drop through the hole in the body. (Hopefully this is the pre-cut kind, not mother nature's kind of hole.)
Half an hour later, you're finished that part. Good.
3. Remove power antenna motor from body
Take out your 10mm socket, and undo the one nut holding the power antenna assembly to the inside of the body. It'll be just above the washer bag, it's the nut, not the bolt. Just saying. Shove the stud through the hole, and wiggle the damn thing until it falls through. Angle it carefully out through the hole in the body. Disconnect the weird rubber tubing at the bottom of the assembly, as well as the main wiring harness clip (if it hasn't been disconnected already since it doesn't work.) Struggle a bit as you try to get the actually antenna cable undone. It doesn't come easily. I laugh at your misfortune.
Once that's done, take it out of the car. My recommendation would be to go find a nice, comfortable place to work on this. It only gets more fun from here.
4. Remove drum assembly.
Now, you're looking at an antenna assembly. Part of that is a big, nickel-looking drum, almost like a rounded triangle. On it are two 10mm bolts, which also go through the bracket with the stud on it, and a Phillips screw. Dead center of the main circle-type thing is a 7mm nut. Undo everything, and pause for a minute.
Weep.
Remember how I said you were going to want paper towel? Now is about when you're going to start to regret not listening to me. EVERYTHING inside of this drum is covered in grease. COVERED in grease. Pull the big nickel cover off. There might be some wiring attached to it. Detach it, if you like. Now, what happens next is partially dependant on how much of your cable is still in tact.
The drum assembly underneath is where the cable winds into. Pull the (probably disgusting colored) reel off the spindle in the center. See those four screws on the back? Undo them. You have in your parts a replacement for the reel and the screws. The thing with the teeth in the middle of the reel? That, you have to reuse. Take it all apart, and note that what's left of your old cable is shoved through the little indent in the inside of the reel.
This will be your downfall, but we'll get there. First, we finish disassembly.
5. Remove mast assembly and disconnect what's left of the cable
At the base of the mast assembly, there is a clamp. It might be covered in glue and adhesive and silicone and shit. If it is, get out your knife or flathead screwdriver and clean some of it off. Next, undo the 10mm bolt that holds the clamp together. Pry it apart enough that it's no longer holding the mast to the motor backing, and wiggle the pole sub-assembly until it slides off.
You might be able to see what's left of the cable at the base of the mast. If you can, you can see the threaded nut on the end. Undo that, and your mast is free. Throw out what's left of the cable.
6. Feed new cable into new reel.
Because god hates you, you now have to feed the end of the new cable, which is to say the end WITHOUT the nut on it, through that little indendation and cutout in the inside of the new reel. You WILL have to bend it at a really funny angle to get it to do anything other than poke through and try to feed to the outside. To get it to wrap around through that cutout and into the other side is...less than fun.
Remember those interesting strings of profanity I asked you to have ready? Now would be a good time to use them.
You will be feeding the cable clockwise into the inside of the reel, by the way. There's a little nub on the far side of the cutout that it will eventually come to rest against.
So I'm going to leave you with that one for a while. Go have some coffee, you know, whatever. You'll be a while at this. If anyone finds a more efficient way to do this, let me know.
7. Clean the shit out of the motor assembly.
Remember how I mentioned how everything is a greasy, slippery mess? Well, you'll also notice that there's a pretty significant buildup of crap in the channel where the cable was running before. Clean that out, unless you want to be doing this again in short order. These cables break because shit builds up in there and they bind, and wear much more quickly than they should. Just do it. You won't regret it.
8. Reinstall drum assembly
Watch closely, 'cause this one's a trick. First, look at the wheel with all the teeth that you unscrewed from the center of the reel. See the notch in the one side of it? That notch matches with the cutout you just fed that cable through. Match those up, and install the four new screws you got with your new cable.
Now, look at the backing that the whole assembly fits into. See where the cable obviously went through? Feed the cable through there, all the way. It's now poking up through where the mast should be, if you've done this correctly. Feed the drum back onto the spindle, and it should seat nicely in place. Take it firmly, and turn it counterclockwise. This should reel the cable back in.
You are now free to reinstall the cover for the drum, and all the wiring associated with it. Two 10mm bolts, one 7mm nut, and a screw.
9. Reinstall mast assembly
Take the threaded nut on the end of the cable, and screw it onto the threads of the mast. Now, like you took it off, slide the mast assembly back over the black plastic nub, and do the clamp back up. Congratulations, you're pretty much fuckin' done.
10. Reinstall antenna assembly in vehicle
Pop the antenna back into the car. Do up the one nut, plug the wiring harness in, and thread that nut back onto the top of the antenna on the outside. Reinstall the interior panel with the six Phillips screws, and pop the speaker cover back on with the two that screw into the interior panel. Drop the privacy cover back into place.
Congratulations. You are finished.
Wasn't that fun? I mean, that's the part that I actually figured out. If you need to replace the mast, as well, I recommend just trying to find a whole new pole sub-assembly (the thing you took off with that clamp) because chances are, your mast is seized into the thing pretty fuckin' good, and the masts tend to get broken off by assholes, or carwashes.
Altogether, though, this doesn't cost too much, and is the perfectly OEM solution to a working power antenna. Manual antennas are lame.
Thanks, Jeff, you bastard. This is about the most frustrating thing I've ever done, and it's not over yet.
You will have no more of it.
"No!" some cry. "Just replace the windshield with the 82 windshield with the glass antenna! Get rid of that potential for rust in the back of your car!" But deep down inside, you know they're wrong. They're just jealous of how OEM your car is. Jeff Lange would be proud of you, even if the masses disagree. You WILL fix your power antenna.
And it will be glorious.
However, I will warn you now: When Toyota designed the power antenna that is in your car, they delegated the task to the spite-filled designers who had been scorned for the rest of the project. Without further ado, I give you instructions on how to replace your antenna cable that is obviously borked.
You will need:
- 1x Phillips screwdriver
- 1x Flathead screwdriver or knife
- 1x 10mm socket
- 1x Short extension
- 1x 7mm socket
- 1x New OEM Cable and drum
- 4x New OEM drum screws (included)
- Paper towel (this is critical)
- As many impressive strings of profanity as humanly possible
So, now that you've decided that your quest for OEM zen has taken you this far, and you are set on going through with it. Cast aside your worldly being and relax, then. Let the oneness of the all-original mk2 fill you with a deep-seated inner peace. God fucking knows you're going to need it for what you're about to do.
1. Remove passenger side rear interior panel.
Pop the privacy cover out, and undo the two screws holding the passenger side rear speaker cover on. Next, undo the four screws along the side of the side interior panel. Lift the spare tire cover, and undo the one screw holding the interior panel to the floorpan. Finally, undo the screw at the top of the rear interior panel (the one that cover the tail lights) closest to the passenger side edge. Lift the panel towards you, and pull it free of the vehicle.
Admire what you've done. That's about the only thing that's going to go right for the next hour or two.
2. Remove antenna nut
Wander on over to your power antenna. Look at it. Isn't it pretty, in its non-working glory? Okay. Now, you see that little chrome nut on the top of the black rubber bushing? Turn it counterclockwise to get it off.
Hah. Haaah. You thought that was going to be easy, didn't you? If your antenna's never been out, it's going to be fucking stuck. Grab some pliers or something. Grab on and twist. Hope something not awful happens. You'll probably scratch your paint using pliers. Shit happens. This thing needs to come off for the antenna to drop through the hole in the body. (Hopefully this is the pre-cut kind, not mother nature's kind of hole.)
Half an hour later, you're finished that part. Good.
3. Remove power antenna motor from body
Take out your 10mm socket, and undo the one nut holding the power antenna assembly to the inside of the body. It'll be just above the washer bag, it's the nut, not the bolt. Just saying. Shove the stud through the hole, and wiggle the damn thing until it falls through. Angle it carefully out through the hole in the body. Disconnect the weird rubber tubing at the bottom of the assembly, as well as the main wiring harness clip (if it hasn't been disconnected already since it doesn't work.) Struggle a bit as you try to get the actually antenna cable undone. It doesn't come easily. I laugh at your misfortune.
Once that's done, take it out of the car. My recommendation would be to go find a nice, comfortable place to work on this. It only gets more fun from here.
4. Remove drum assembly.
Now, you're looking at an antenna assembly. Part of that is a big, nickel-looking drum, almost like a rounded triangle. On it are two 10mm bolts, which also go through the bracket with the stud on it, and a Phillips screw. Dead center of the main circle-type thing is a 7mm nut. Undo everything, and pause for a minute.
Weep.
Remember how I said you were going to want paper towel? Now is about when you're going to start to regret not listening to me. EVERYTHING inside of this drum is covered in grease. COVERED in grease. Pull the big nickel cover off. There might be some wiring attached to it. Detach it, if you like. Now, what happens next is partially dependant on how much of your cable is still in tact.
The drum assembly underneath is where the cable winds into. Pull the (probably disgusting colored) reel off the spindle in the center. See those four screws on the back? Undo them. You have in your parts a replacement for the reel and the screws. The thing with the teeth in the middle of the reel? That, you have to reuse. Take it all apart, and note that what's left of your old cable is shoved through the little indent in the inside of the reel.
This will be your downfall, but we'll get there. First, we finish disassembly.
5. Remove mast assembly and disconnect what's left of the cable
At the base of the mast assembly, there is a clamp. It might be covered in glue and adhesive and silicone and shit. If it is, get out your knife or flathead screwdriver and clean some of it off. Next, undo the 10mm bolt that holds the clamp together. Pry it apart enough that it's no longer holding the mast to the motor backing, and wiggle the pole sub-assembly until it slides off.
You might be able to see what's left of the cable at the base of the mast. If you can, you can see the threaded nut on the end. Undo that, and your mast is free. Throw out what's left of the cable.
6. Feed new cable into new reel.
Because god hates you, you now have to feed the end of the new cable, which is to say the end WITHOUT the nut on it, through that little indendation and cutout in the inside of the new reel. You WILL have to bend it at a really funny angle to get it to do anything other than poke through and try to feed to the outside. To get it to wrap around through that cutout and into the other side is...less than fun.
Remember those interesting strings of profanity I asked you to have ready? Now would be a good time to use them.
You will be feeding the cable clockwise into the inside of the reel, by the way. There's a little nub on the far side of the cutout that it will eventually come to rest against.
So I'm going to leave you with that one for a while. Go have some coffee, you know, whatever. You'll be a while at this. If anyone finds a more efficient way to do this, let me know.
7. Clean the shit out of the motor assembly.
Remember how I mentioned how everything is a greasy, slippery mess? Well, you'll also notice that there's a pretty significant buildup of crap in the channel where the cable was running before. Clean that out, unless you want to be doing this again in short order. These cables break because shit builds up in there and they bind, and wear much more quickly than they should. Just do it. You won't regret it.
8. Reinstall drum assembly
Watch closely, 'cause this one's a trick. First, look at the wheel with all the teeth that you unscrewed from the center of the reel. See the notch in the one side of it? That notch matches with the cutout you just fed that cable through. Match those up, and install the four new screws you got with your new cable.
Now, look at the backing that the whole assembly fits into. See where the cable obviously went through? Feed the cable through there, all the way. It's now poking up through where the mast should be, if you've done this correctly. Feed the drum back onto the spindle, and it should seat nicely in place. Take it firmly, and turn it counterclockwise. This should reel the cable back in.
You are now free to reinstall the cover for the drum, and all the wiring associated with it. Two 10mm bolts, one 7mm nut, and a screw.
9. Reinstall mast assembly
Take the threaded nut on the end of the cable, and screw it onto the threads of the mast. Now, like you took it off, slide the mast assembly back over the black plastic nub, and do the clamp back up. Congratulations, you're pretty much fuckin' done.
10. Reinstall antenna assembly in vehicle
Pop the antenna back into the car. Do up the one nut, plug the wiring harness in, and thread that nut back onto the top of the antenna on the outside. Reinstall the interior panel with the six Phillips screws, and pop the speaker cover back on with the two that screw into the interior panel. Drop the privacy cover back into place.
Congratulations. You are finished.
Wasn't that fun? I mean, that's the part that I actually figured out. If you need to replace the mast, as well, I recommend just trying to find a whole new pole sub-assembly (the thing you took off with that clamp) because chances are, your mast is seized into the thing pretty fuckin' good, and the masts tend to get broken off by assholes, or carwashes.
Altogether, though, this doesn't cost too much, and is the perfectly OEM solution to a working power antenna. Manual antennas are lame.
Thanks, Jeff, you bastard. This is about the most frustrating thing I've ever done, and it's not over yet.