Antenna Groaning Fix

[BobQ Tampa]

My 03Rx antenna was groaning going up or down. After reading about the internal nylon strap with gear teeth on one side being the mechanism that makes the mast move I figured I’d better fix it before it broke. I removed the antenna and opened it up and after taking a look at the system I took an oil can and pumped about 4 tablespoons of 30wt mobile 1 into the gear strap area and put it back together . In short this worked just fine. BUT I spent a lot of time getting to the antenna and doing the R&R.

I found there is a much faster and easier way to fix the problem if like me you have the simple “groaning” problem but the thing is otherwise working. The antenna housing has a water drain on the bottom of the case with a 3/8 OD black rubber hose that goes out the bottom of the body straight under the antenna. Note: there is also a 3/4 in OD clear tube next to it. Solution, remove the plastic tray with right side of spare tire. Then remove the plastic half moon tray to the right of that (it has a couple of plastic push-in thingies, a screw driver works but there is a special tool used to get door panels off that works). You can now reach in and feel the bottom of the antenna motor housing. Feel the bottom and follow the hose down to where it goes through the bottom grommet. Give it a pull and it will come right out. Now you can sit on the back and finish the next step. I use a pump oil can that holds about a cup of oil but you can use any number of techniques to add about a half cup of oil into the antenna motor housing through this tube. Plug the tube with a pencil or clamp it with vise grips. Now run the antenna up and down a few times. Get a cup and set it down in the well and drain the oil back out. The oil will loosen up the grease that is already in the motor housing. Later push the hose back down through the hole and place a tray on the floor to catch the dripping for the next several hours.

By now you’ve thought of two things. 1 Couldn’t you do this from underneath and not take anything apart. Yes, and in fact I would do that myself should the need ever arise again. 2, will this cause a problem with the electric motor etc. I don’t think so. The actual motor and a small circuit board are both in the top half of the antenna motor housing and the nylon gear strap winding is in the bottom. The half cup of oil should not get near high enough to be a problem and in fact even if you filled it full of oil I suspect it would be ok assuming you drained it back out after running the mast up and down. The actual motor is a well sealed unit and the circuit board is likely immune to the oil. Bottom line is – my system is now silent and using this info you can fix yours with minimal effort. Just look for the 3/8in black tub next to the 3/4in clear tube under the car directly below the antenna. Note: I use Mobile 1 because it is synthetic oil and does not get gummy over time, (or as gummy). Good luck. BTW I will update this if I find a future problem.

[pauljcl]

My 03Rx antenna was groaning going up or down. After reading about the internal nylon strap with gear teeth on one side being the mechanism that makes the mast move I figured I’d better fix it before it broke. I removed the antenna and opened it up and after taking a look at the system I took an oil can and pumped about 4 tablespoons of 30wt mobile 1 into the gear strap area and put it back together . In short this worked just fine. BUT I spent a lot of time getting to the antenna and doing the R&R.

I found there is a much faster and easier way to fix the problem if like me you have the simple “groaning” problem but the thing is otherwise working. The antenna housing has a water drain on the bottom of the case with a 3/8 OD black rubber hose that goes out the bottom of the body straight under the antenna. Note: there is also a 3/4 in OD clear tube next to it. Solution, remove the plastic tray with right side of spare tire. Then remove the plastic half moon tray to the right of that (it has a couple of plastic push-in thingies, a screw driver works but there is a special tool used to get door panels off that works). You can now reach in and feel the bottom of the antenna motor housing. Feel the bottom and follow the hose down to where it goes through the bottom grommet. Give it a pull and it will come right out. Now you can sit on the back and finish the next step. I use a pump oil can that holds about a cup of oil but you can use any number of techniques to add about a half cup of oil into the antenna motor housing through this tube. Plug the tube with a pencil or clamp it with vise grips. Now run the antenna up and down a few times. Get a cup and set it down in the well and drain the oil back out. The oil will loosen up the grease that is already in the motor housing. Later push the hose back down through the hole and place a tray on the floor to catch the dripping for the next several hours.

By now you’ve thought of two things. 1 Couldn’t you do this from underneath and not take anything apart. Yes, and in fact I would do that myself should the need ever arise again. 2, will this cause a problem with the electric motor etc. I don’t think so. The actual motor and a small circuit board are both in the top half of the antenna motor housing and the nylon gear strap winding is in the bottom. The half cup of oil should not get near high enough to be a problem and in fact even if you filled it full of oil I suspect it would be ok assuming you drained it back out after running the mast up and down. The actual motor is a well sealed unit and the circuit board is likely immune to the oil. Bottom line is – my system is now silent and using this info you can fix yours with minimal effort. Just look for the 3/8in black tub next to the 3/4in clear tube under the car directly below the antenna. Note: I use Mobile 1 because it is synthetic oil and does not get gummy over time, (or as gummy). Good luck. BTW I will update this if I find a future problem.

Well done! Sounds brilliant to me! We'll just have to see how long the fix lasts....

[mikey00]

Brilliant! I have been on this site for over 5 years and over at CL for about 8 years and this is the neatest trick ever. My antenna has been making the groaning noise for over a year now (worse in the winter). I figured I would get to it someday and dissamble and grease it. I read this post and grabbed my pump oil can which holds about 1/2 cup, leaned under the rear of the car, pushed the nozzle of the pump can into the hose and pumped away. Antenna was quiet immediately. Took about 3 minutes total.

I have a small container catching the oil right now and if looks clean enough it goes back into the pump can. It's only whatever multi-grade dino that was leftover from lawnmower, tractor or whatever I changed the oil in last. The pump can is only used to lube contact points on tractor, dump cart and things like that.

Great first post BobQ. Most people only come here when they need answers and sometimes even complain if you don't welcome them fast enough.

[carguy07]

Thanks! :) :) :) :) :)