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NZMAGNA
28-09-2005, 09:31 PM
Hey i am just wondering if anyone knows how to replace the roof aerial on my TR Wagon. I have been told you can only replace it if you have the whole wire running from the aerial to the stereo. Mine has been cut in half so im wondering is there a way of doing it without having the entire wiring.

Any help would be great.
Thanks

Cabernet Savignon
01-10-2005, 12:39 PM
whoever told you that was talking nonsence!
Call Autobarn or supercheap or someone similar and ask if they have an antenna in stock, if not they will order it in. When you buy the antenna it comes with:
Mast
Base
Cable
Plug
All of which are joined up and ready to go
This should be $30-$40

Now heres how ya do it:

-Unscrew your old antenna and remove it from roof (there will be resistance because of the cable.
-Pull cable to unthread old wiring... If it does not move then my solution is/was to yank until it snapped in the middle and I could unthread it from both ends.

***here is where I improvised***

-Remove plastic trim covering windscreen pillar
-Thread end of new cable into the pillar (not all the way)
-Thread end of cable OUT of the pillar using one of the many holes/gromits.
-Run it down the outside of the pillar (use cable ties or similar to secure if you wish)
-When you reach the dash poke the cable down the gap on the extreme right hand side of the dash. (you will need to tie your cable to a coathanger and do the poke and pull through method.
-From here remove the kicker panel just under the fuse box
-Thread antenna under the carpet until reaching the console.
-Take the necessary steps to remove your radio.
-pull the cable up the side of the forward centre console area
-PLUG IT IN AND RE-INSTALL RADIO

-you could probably replace pillar cover now aswell

Yay... I know it is not the same as a factory fit... But its easier and does the job just fine!

Hope that helps

GRDPuck
01-10-2005, 09:50 PM
So you can't wire up a new antenna onto the existing wires ? (at the roof).

M4DDOG
02-10-2005, 12:07 AM
I've done this and it is a real pain in the arse!!
Using a coat hanger and threading it through is the hard part.
Make sure you d/c the antenna cable from the head unit before trying to take the old aerial out, and dont bother trying to get it through all the anti leak stuff, near impossible.

As for joining, i guess you could with abit of soldier and a few twists but i can see this not picking up as good reception as it could (hell my aerial snapped in half and reception was shocking, which is why i had to replace :P).

Also Aerial from autobarn is only $25.

If i were you i'd replace the whole thing, cable and all, dont try and solder them together, it just wont be as effective.

Colgate
02-10-2005, 06:41 AM
cant you just put a joiner in the cable ? i put a couple in roadtrains to save pulling the whole lot out and they never knew what i done ... i asked 1 dude that came back for something else and he said it worked great


think the joiner is about 2 bucks and you only need a small screwdriver and stanley knife to put it on

Cabernet Savignon
02-10-2005, 08:19 AM
Joining the cable is possible... but generally you buy the whole she-bang when you get the aerial. You have to be careful when joining coax cable, if you get it wrong then the radio picks up it signals from the blemish in the cable. If you know how to join coax (ie. how to deal with the 3 sheaths and the core) then go for it! or if ya want some advice on that I could give it to ya!

Colgate
02-10-2005, 08:40 AM
it's not that hard to join the cable ... should take about 2 minutes to do