You can replace the broken car radio antenna and install a new radio antenna with these simple methods.
How to replace a broken car radio antenna? You can replace a broken car radio antenna by unplugging the coaxial cable, removing the rubber grommet, removing antenna screws, remove the broken antenna and add a new one.
The antenna of a car radio works on a simple principle. We know that a car antenna generates radio waves that are sent to the receiver of the car radio.
In turn, it amplifies and isolates the radio waves that you want to listen to. The radio waves over the mast of your car’s antenna produce electrical charges.
Capturing the radio wavelengths easily and quickly depends on the length of your antenna and its design. You can make a car radio antenna yourself, or you can buy it from any car shop.
For making it yourself, you must have the required tools. You have to remove your car radio antenna before washing your car. It is because the water will damage your antenna.
How to replace a broken car radio antenna?
No antenna can be used for a lifetime. A day comes when it wears out or becomes bent. So, you have to replace it if you still want an antenna for your car radio.
Removing an antenna wire from your car radio is so simple. You must have the tools which can be used to remove the antenna.
The reception of the radio depends on the distance between the transmitting tower and the receiver. If your antenna is damaged, it will prevent you from listening to the radio in the car.
If there is no antenna for your car’s radio, but there is a factory antenna hole, you should feed the antenna cable through it.
The main reason to remove an antenna is that if it is broken or has stopped working. Another reason for it can be the poor working of the drive system.
All these problems can be fixed by replacing the whole assembly of the antenna. If the antenna of your car has been broken, you can fix it only by replacing the mast instead of replacing the whole antenna assembly.
If you are using fixed-mast antennas, they are effortless to remove. You can use pliers or a small wrench to remove the antenna.
You need a universal kit for this purpose. You have to unscrew the bent mast using a wrench and install a new one. Toledo antenna removal tool can also be used to remove your car radio’s antenna.
Tools required:
- Screwdriver
- Pliers
- Universal antenna wrench
- Electrical tape
- Replacement antenna
- Clean cloth
- Crescent wrench
Identify the Type of Antenna
The first step is to identify the type of your car radio antenna. It is because different antennas are made up of different types of cables or wires.
There are three common types of antenna, i.e., internal, external, and satellite antennas. These antennas are mostly made up of thin steel tubes. Satellite radio can be installed in any car.
The internal antenna of your car radio receives better protection from accidental damage and protection from the weather. Installing this type of antenna helps the reception performance of your car, and removing such an antenna can affect your car’s reception performance.
External radio antennas of your car are made up of fiberglass or metal. These antennas are installed near the hood of your car. They offer better reception performance than the internal ones, but they are more vulnerable to weather damage or breakage.
You should remove them before washing your car. You must use retractors that are used to protect the antenna by pulling it into the car.
Satellite antennas are mostly used in automobiles. The radio dock of such antennas is installed in the dashboard or near the windshield of your car.
The antenna itself is installed on the roof of your car. For removing this antenna, first, you have to remove the magnetic antenna from the roof of your car and remove the wires that are connected to the radio dock.
Unplug the Coaxial Cable
The coaxial cable is used to connect the radio dock and the antenna installed on the roof of your car. You should locate this cable that is running from the radio antenna to the back of the radio dock that is installed behind the dashboard. You must check to see whether there is an extension cable or not.
If there is an extension cable or it is one cable running the entire length, this cable is a coaxial cable. You should unplug the cable at the extension coupling if this cable is an extension. You should unplug this cable from the back of the radio if it is one cable.
We use coaxial cable for this connection; they transfer the video and audio signals between the pieces of video and audio equipment. This is important otherwise you may notice that one car speaker is louder than the other.
The first step to unplug the coaxial cable is to move the equipment to a position where you can easily reach the stuck connection. You should apply a few drops of penetrating oil to the exposed thread that is entering the stuck F-connector.
You should use a wrench and the handle of it in a clockwise direction to loosen the nut. If the nut is not loosening easily, apply more penetrating oil to the connection.
After applying more oil, you should again use the wrench to loosen the nut. After loosening the nut, you can easily unplug the coaxial cable.
Take off the Rubber Grommet
A rubber grommet is a rubber seal that keeps the water, dirt and other debris away from the antenna of your car’s radio to prevent premature water. It can be used to protect the antenna hole in your car cover from fraying or tearing.
Taking off the rubber grommet is a little tricky task. If you remove it incorrectly, it will harm or damage your radio. First of all, you should gain access to the rubber grommet. If it is in a drive or under the hood of your car, it would be difficult to reach it.
Before taking off the rubber grommet, you should first clean the area around your car’s antenna to protect the surface of your car. You should use a clean piece of cloth for cleaning purposes. Use a specific tool to lift this rubber grommet from around the lip of your car radio’s antenna.
You can remove the rubber grommet by using a flathead screwdriver if it is placed on the exterior surface of your car radio. If it is located on the interior, there may be wires running through it.
You have to cut the rubber grommet by using a razor blade. You should not cut the wires that the grommet is protecting. After loosening the rubber piece, take it off your car’s antenna.
Undo the Antenna Screws
After removing the rubber antenna grommet, you have to unscrew the antenna screws. You need a screwdriver for this purpose. By using a screwdriver, you should lift the mount off of the surface of your car.
You must look under the dashboard under the front passenger side of your car to find out where the antenna is mounted to your car.
It is necessary to remove the antenna screws because they are used to hold the antenna in place. You can use a wrench, pliers, or a screwdriver to remove the nuts present at the base of the mast.
You should keep the nuts in a safe place because they can be used later.
The screws are placed tightly on your car’s antenna mount. After undoing the screws, you should lift the mount off the surface of your car and look under the dashboard of your car.
In this way, you will find the exact location where the antenna is mounted to your car. It is mostly placed on the outside under the front passenger side of your car.
Undo the Socket
You should remove the socket after removing the screws and nuts. The socket is used to hold your car antenna to the vehicle frame. You can complete this task conveniently and quickly by using a crescent wrench. Undoing the socket will release your vehicle frame.
You should hold your car antenna from outside while loosening the socket. You need someone’s help to hold the radio antenna. If you do not have anyone to help you out, you can do this task yourself.
The purpose of doing this is to protect the socket from falling down the ground or protect your car’s paint to get damaged. After undoing the socket, you should clean the surface of your car by using a clean cloth.
Remove the Broken Radio Antenna
The last step is to remove the radio antenna from the surface of your car. You should slide the socket out of the coaxial cable and then remove the antenna from your car.
This process is so simple as you just have to pull the coaxial cable through the hole present in the vehicle frame.
You should remove the antenna gently from the surface of your car so that you do not damage the paint of your car. You should place the socket and all the screws in a box so that you can use them for later use whenever you want you to install a new car radio antenna.
There may be many reasons to remove the antenna of your car’s radio. You may need to remove it when it is damaged or has been broken. You may have to remove it before washing your car to prevent it from water.
It is because water will damage the interior of the antenna. If you want to repair your broken antenna, you can do it by covering the broken part by aluminum foil.
Replace it with a new Antenna
If you want to replace your car radio antenna, you need to locate a spot inside the trunk of your car to mount a new car antenna. You need a hole to insert the antenna.
If you are reinstalling the antenna, there will already be a hole in your car for the antenna. If the radio antenna is new to your car, you have to drill a hole to insert it.
After inserting the antenna in the hole, you should bolt it into the right place. You should use electrical wires to connect the fuse box to the antenna if you are installing a new one.
If you are replacing your radio antenna, you should reverse all the steps that you followed while removing your car’s antenna.
You can use coaxial cable to connect to the radio dock and the antenna that is mostly installed on the roof of your car.
After using coaxial cable for connection, you should install a rubber grommet to protect the radio antenna from water, dirt, and debris. You can add Polk Audio car speakers with your radio to listen to quality music.
You should install the socket to hold the radio antenna to your car’s frame. The installation of the socket should be done before installing the rubber grommet.
After installing the socket, you should tighten all the nuts and screws that are supporting the antenna. You can use a wrench to tighten the nuts. You should install the nuts in the same way you removed them.
Conclusion
The antenna of a car radio is used to catch the radio signals and play the radio for you. This antenna is mostly installed on the roof of your car.
If you do not want to install an antenna, you can modify to make your car chassis act as an antenna. There may be many reasons to remove the antenna from the surface of your car.