Power Antenna - Rehab

[BudW]

I'm guessing the one I have from Darth is the older M-body style.
The one in your pictures is smaller diameter tube and the connector for the radio is a very different mount.

Which is why I took pictures (insert smiley icon here).
This one will fit Darth's car, if used with the included wiring and the short bracket at bottom of antenna motor, - should be all he will need to get a working antenna, again - if this motor worked, that is.

The Nut and Chrome washer at top of fender will be the same (as well as the fender hole diameter).

 

[Justwondering]

Yep, I'm beginning to get a feel for the power antenna world.

There's such a big demand for that skill... lol

I've got Darth's old antenna working again, but killed the tube that housed the mast. So its in my list to weld the tube back together. It will be ugly on the outside, but beautiful working on the inside.

Looking forward to your antennas coming my way as well.

I think I have a better plan for rehabbing them now that I understand how they are put together and how they work.

 

[Justwondering]

Oh my... I suck at welding round tubes back together.

I do have the welding finished and will post pictures this evening. I decided to cop out and jbweld over the nasty mess I created.

My welding helmet is an auto-darkening and it no longer auto-darkens... Its just always dark. So I tried welding in the sun but I kept getting shadows and welding all over the place. lol It looked butt-ugly.
However
It will hold together now and the antenna guts will be returned to their proper glory soon.

I was also very unsuccessful on how to stabilize the tube (cut into 3 pieces). I welded two pieces together and then the remaining piece was welded to that unit. Other than holding it in my hand, I could never get any thing that would clamp and hold in the correct orientation.

If it wasn't labor day weekend I'd visit my welder buddy and get some guidance.

But that's done. Hope to hook it up to my car tomorrow and see if it works as well as I expect it to. Then get it mailed to Darth Car. Will keep you posted.

 

[Justwondering]

So there is good news and bad news.

I cut up the tube trying to understand how the thing worked and what it was made of.

This was necessary for my education, but totally not necessary to fix the antenna. Brian - you are a good sport to let me maim your antenna.

Bad news:
I can't weld small tubes worth a hoot.

After grinding things flat and trying again to finesse some of the gaps. It smoothed down a great deal. But I was blowing little holes in the sides.

Good news:
JB Weld is a lot like spanx... it smooths and covers a lot of sins.

Today I go to put everything together and discover my husband 'helped' me yesterday. He cut the copper insert tube I'm using (instead of brass). 3/4 inch diameter is perfect -- only he cut it about 1 1/4 inch too short.

Gotta go back and get more copper tubing and a few small fasteners and I'm good to go with the test after I solder the adapter on the copper tube.

 

[Justwondering]

Supposed to rain this evening, so will make a trip into town to get the copper pipe, new striker flints, new torch tip (mine has a 1/4 inch crack ). Darth Car's antenna could make major progress today!

 

[Justwondering]

Darth Car - you lucky devil - you are back in the queue for tomorrow. Got the new copper tubing so I can cut the correct length. Am going to pull my antenna off tomorrow and after I put your jewel back together, I'll alligator clip it to my auto and give her a test!

 

[Justwondering]

Good News!
Was able to get the copper tube cut the the correct length and the antenna mast installed into the tube.
Holding the body together with my hands, I had my brother give it power and the antenna extended. He reversed his leads and the antenna retracted!!!

Bad News!
If I use clamps and hold the body tight and try it again, the wires from the battery overheat. Checking on the internals, it appears to be a problem with the serrated plastic winding that threads up through the antenna.

The original one was not serrated and had a lower profile than the newer one. So I need to figure a way to sand down the serrations so they aren't as tall. Then it won't bind in the rollup/rolldown.

The old one used serrations/teeth on the outside of the interior housing to make it wind and unwind. The new one relys on gears/teeth inside of the the interior housing.

So close!

 

[Darth-Car]

The suspense is killing me.

 

[Justwondering]

Got the dremel out and was able to get it to extend with no problem. It won't retract because I don't yet have a way to anchor it in the old gear body. Working on that solution.
Without a good anchor the plastic spool just spins.
One more solution and I can put it all back together.

 

[Justwondering]

Awesome day today!

Was able to find a small (5/32) aluminum tube that will just fit in the old gearing for the antenna mast.

I was at the point where I could use a battery to send power to the mast and it would go up.
Yet, when I reversed the lines, although the motor ran, it would not pull the mast down. Further investigation revealed that I needed a 'stop' or 'anchor' to provide tension so the plastic line in the mast would have something to pull against as it wound itself back around the gearing.

None of the normal places had tubes that small, just solid rods. (oreillys, hardware store, home depot, etc. were no-go)... Success was found at Hobby Lobby!

Got it cut and dry fit, so now I need to do a little sanding and perhaps jbweld the end into the tube so it doesn't back out under tension.

Brian -- your antenna is totally gnarly right now!

 

[Darth-Car]

Groovy Dudette!

 

[Justwondering]

Darth-Car -
Cowboys don't play til this evening. That means your antenna is #1 priority til then...

 

[Justwondering]

Well -- that would have been a fairy tale ending - IF I had any oxygen left in the oxygen cylinder for my micro welder.
I have two cylinders for flame, but the oxygen cylinder lasted about 10 seconds then was out.

So, I have to run to town tomorrow when the stores are open and get another cylinder and try again manana.

I did get the plastic insert ground down a little more and attached the anchor with the ever popular jbweld.

Then had to leave in disgust when I realized I had no oxygen.

 

[Darth-Car]

It's those annoying little problems.

 

[Justwondering]

Darth -
Did the earth move beneath your feet today??????

Your antenna connector is now firmly soldered to the inner tube.

My problem was 1) not hot enough torch - needed to go up to a full size acetylene and 2) needed a much higher quality solder stick -- 56% silver so it would properly stick. Used the same type of solder that you use for stainless steel.

Going to use the alligator clips to connect it to my car and make sure the radio can pick up some stations. After it does, you need to know that you'll have to retrain your antenna because it will only get country western stations. So funny sometimes when I get very little sleep my jokes just make me chuckle.

More later.

 

[BudW]

More jokes later.

?

 

[Justwondering]

more info on the antenna rehab.
My jokes are toooo lame to have more of those.

 

[Darth-Car]

There is an entire paragraph in the FSM about genre retraining of antenna, after installation into vehicle. So I should be ok if I follow that procedure.

 

[Justwondering]

you are so patient.
Didn't get hubby back from the doctor in time to pick up the chrysler.
So Monday is the day the car comes home.

Spent satuday chainsawing wood for the outside walls downstairs. All my 18 inch cordwood needs to be 6 inch lengths to wrap the north east and north side of the walls.

Freaking 96 today.

 

[Justwondering]

The continuing saga.
Darth Car (Brian) has been especially patient waiting for his antenna to return.

The day I picked to test his assembly was the day I figured out there was a starter issue with the Fifth Avenue ... so I couldn't test anything til I got that fixed.

Now ... this just burns my biscuits.
I go to Rockauto to order the starter. Order fails. Why?
Because my visa card can't pass the 'verify by visa' software now running on Rockauto.
Rockauto blames it on the card. I call the card company (cabelas). They blame it on Rockauto.
Rockauto then says to wait a couple of hours and try again (say what?)
I leave.
Return hours later.
Try again. It fails. Use a different phone number. it fails. Use a different browser. It fails.
Used my nickname instead of given name. It fails. Use the 9 digit zipcode instead of the 5 digit. It fails. Then gives me a screen and says I need to call rockauto.

Call rockauto again. They blame the credit card company.
Call cabelas again. They tell me to call visa.
Visa tells me to cal Verify by Visa (separate company). Oh lord, give me strength.
Verify by Visa blames it all on Rockauto.
Then blames it all on cabelas.

If you get caught in this purgatory ... the scoop is:
If the Merchant is now using Verify by Visa software, then the credit card issuer has to use Verify by Visa software as well. Otherwise, the merchant software doesn't get a valid authorization for charging our card.

Royally irritated the sheeuut out of me after literally 1 hour 37 minutes on the phone with folks during the day.

Then I begin the search to find someone else to sell me a starter that seems reasonably priced without a horrendous core charge or shipping charge to compensate for their 'great low prices'.

Another hour later, I settle with carparts.com which I hope I don't regret. But at this point, as long as rockauto is no longer involved perhaps I stand a small chance of getting parts shipped to me.

And yes, I am having an evening glass of Baileys which means I'll fall asleep in about 30 minutes. Probably best for everyone on the planet at this time. lol