Radio antenna replacement?

[Shellfish]

The wife came home and said the radio antenna came out of the fender with some wire on the bottom of it my question is how difficult is it going to be to replace this thing it retracts into the fender when you turn off the key and comes out of the fender when you turn key on or it did at one time before it shoot out of the fender

 

[TheDurk]

The wife came home and said the radio antenna came out of the fender with some wire on the bottom of it my question is how difficult is it going to be to replace this thing it retracts into the fender when you turn off the key and comes out of the fender when you turn key on or it did at one time before it shoot out of the fender

There are two ways this can happen.

1. The collar nut has come loose and allowed the antenna to escape. Replace nut--if you can find it, or buy a new one.

2. The little plastic sleeve at the bottom of the antenna mast that keeps it from going through the collar nut has broken off and you need a new antenna mast. You can get a new one at the dealer $$, or get one on Amazon, what I finally did:

https://www.amazon.com/AntennaMastsRus-A049-Toyota-Power-Antenna/dp/B00JIARQ1O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473913306&sr=8-1&keywords=toyota+4runner+antenna



or e-Bay, This guy's worked for me but only three years:

Toyota 4 Runner Power Antenna Mast 1996 2002 Brand New | eBay

There are cheaper ones that DO NOT WORK. Do NOT buy from THIS guy:

[Turns out he's gone...good thing]

Lot's of good info here:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/110684-power-antenna-fixed-but-new-issue-3.html

Now 17 people will show up to tell you to do the Taco Whip mod. Me, I like the power and it has given me relatively little trouble in 17 years.

 

[rkntoy]

First of 17....

But it depends. I went with the Tacoma mod. I am on my 2nd 3rd Gen and I went through an antenna mast every other winter when ice would freeze on the antenna and it would break trying to pull it back down when I turned the car off (I drive back and forth over the mountain passes a lot). If the ice thing was not going to be an issue I would have stuck with the power mast replacement.

 

[gamefreakgc]

Replacement masts work great. For as little as I actually do use the radio nowadays, it works just fine.

 

[OleMissRunner]

Second of 17...

I replaced my power antenna twice. When I bought my 4R, the idiots at the dealership I bought her from stuck what I can only describe as a flag on it that ran the entire length of the antenna and screwed it up; it wouldn't retract and just made an awful grinding noise; replaced the mast and it was fine. The second time, I was driving on the interstate and something (no idea what) hit it and bent the antenna enough that it again wouldn't retract fully, at which point I just cut the power to it. It eventually broke.

I went with the taco whip and have never looked back. I don't have to worry about wayward sticks, broken mast teeth or a dying antenna motor, and my radio reception is the clearest it's ever been.

Link to the write up The "Taco" Whip Antenna Mod . It's not a difficult procedure at all.

You can buy the antenna assembly here or at a dealership (Toyota Part no. 86300-35090) ---> https://www.amazon.com/Genuine-Toyota-86300-35090-Antenna-Assembly/dp/B00P2QI9M8

The mast you can either get again from Toyota (part no. 86309-AA040) or you can save yourself some $$ and just get a whip antenna from your favorite auto parts store or junkyard.

Good luck!

 

[habanero]

I'm with The Durk though when I needed replacement parts I grabbed an antenna with far less miles than mine out of the junkyard. NOT the mast, that I bought new in '05.
The other thing I did since my antenna raised no matter whether the radio was playing a cd or radio or whatever is add a switch so it only raises when I want it to, which isn't often.
Mine is a 96 so I don't have the rear antenna. If yours does (obvious, in the right rear cargo glass) you can add a connector to use it instead or as well as the front one. My husband did that with his 99, with a switch for the front antenna which he almost never uses.

 

[habanero]

Okay dokay. I've not done the whip mod, but I like digging into stuff to try to figure out how to fix things. Since you quoted me I did do a quick google for this:

https://www.4runners.com/threads/replacing-power-antenna-with-whip-antenna-picture-heavy.655/

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/70865-non-power-antenna-tacoma-whip.html

More googles will net you more stuffs but I'm tired and am going to bed because am old lady.

Oh, in case you're tired too...
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/32939-taco-whip-mod.html post#3

 

[Mark_BC]

You don't have to run any wires for the switch mod except under the center console. Then when you go through trees you can take down the antenna and then put it back up, at whatever height you want.

 

[sambishop]

Okay dokay. I've not done the whip mod, but I like digging into stuff to try to figure out how to fix things.

I made a video on how to do the tacoma whip mod, it's in the DIY videos thread if you want a visual on how I did mine.

 

[habanero]

I made a video on how to do the tacoma whip mod, it's in the DIY videos thread if you want a visual on how I did mine.

That's awesome. I'm not interested as I'm happy with what I've done with no plans to change, but verbutani may enjoy a link to it, if you have it.

 

[sambishop]

but verbutani may enjoy a link to it, if you have it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n94ck2tv-iQ&t=1s

...Sorry habanero, I misunderstood your post. I thought you were doing it too.

 

[habanero]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n94ck2tv-iQ&t=1s

...Sorry habanero, I misunderstood your post. I thought you were doing it too.

Always up for some good sharing of infos.