radio antenna
09-28-2015, 08:44 AM
#1
radio antenna
How can I temporarily remove antenna from truck...Won't fit under garage door. Don't want it to break off. Used to be in older cars could retract. I know this may seem like a dumb question. If can be removed, can I cover the open space?
09-28-2015, 08:45 AM
#2
A wrench, in most cases. But I have no idea what truck you have. No year, nothing.
If it's just a wrench, there probably won't be an open space to cover. It usually screws down onto a stud.
If it's just a wrench, there probably won't be an open space to cover. It usually screws down onto a stud.
09-28-2015, 08:52 AM
#3
oh sorry, its a 2002 f150 4 wheel drive. Just an old lady here trying to take care of my late husbands truck. So I would have to remove it from under the hood?
09-28-2015, 08:57 AM
#4
Not usually. It's usually just screwed down into the mount on top of the fender flare. You can just put a wrench (or even pliers) on the base of the antenna whip itself and screw it off counterclockwise. If it's the type that screws down into the mount rather than screwing onto a stud that sticks up from the mount, there will be hole there (inside the mount). You can go to pretty much any hardware store (bring the antenna with you) and find a bolt that matches it just to screw down into the mount to plug it.
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101fm (09-28-2015)
09-28-2015, 09:20 AM
#6
You're welcome. Please post back with your results so others researching this can see if it did or didn't work for you :-)
09-28-2015, 09:28 AM
#7
Senior Member
It will unscrew. The base of the antenna is the shape of a octagon and a small crescent wrench will remove it with easy. If you google "F150 Cut Factory Antenna" you will find many how tos on how to do this.
Simply take a pair of pliers and tighten it around the antenna shaft just below the ball you want the wrench to be lose enough to slide on the shaft but tight enough to not slip over the ball. Take a hammer and tap the wrench towards the ball. The ball will pop off, be sure to have someone catch the ball as it can go flying. Then use a hack saw to cut the antenna to the desired length. Once you get it to the desired length take a file or grinder and shape the end of the antenna to allow the ball to slip back on. You want this to fit very smug. Once it's where you want it out a dab of superglue inside the hole of the ball, put end of antenna into the hole and stand it up on a piece of wood with the ball end down, now take a hammer and give it a few taps to firmly jam the antenna into the ball, let glue dry and repaint. I use duplicolor black trim paint. It matches damn near perfectly. Once dry reattach!
Not the greatest picture as I was focusing on the windshield and not the antenna but it will give you an idea of the look. I normally cut them around the height of the top of the roof to the top of the windshield.
This picture is of a 2013 but the same process was used on my 2003 also.
Wayne
Simply take a pair of pliers and tighten it around the antenna shaft just below the ball you want the wrench to be lose enough to slide on the shaft but tight enough to not slip over the ball. Take a hammer and tap the wrench towards the ball. The ball will pop off, be sure to have someone catch the ball as it can go flying. Then use a hack saw to cut the antenna to the desired length. Once you get it to the desired length take a file or grinder and shape the end of the antenna to allow the ball to slip back on. You want this to fit very smug. Once it's where you want it out a dab of superglue inside the hole of the ball, put end of antenna into the hole and stand it up on a piece of wood with the ball end down, now take a hammer and give it a few taps to firmly jam the antenna into the ball, let glue dry and repaint. I use duplicolor black trim paint. It matches damn near perfectly. Once dry reattach!
Not the greatest picture as I was focusing on the windshield and not the antenna but it will give you an idea of the look. I normally cut them around the height of the top of the roof to the top of the windshield.
This picture is of a 2013 but the same process was used on my 2003 also.
Wayne
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Sirikenewtron (10-16-2015)
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09-28-2015, 09:42 AM
#8
It will unscrew. The base of the antenna is the shape of a octagon and a small crescent wrench will remove it with easy. If you google "F150 Cut Factory Antenna" you will find many how tos on how to do this.
Simply take a pair of pliers and tighten it around the antenna shaft just below the ball you want the wrench to be lose enough to slide on the shaft but tight enough to not slip over the ball. Take a hammer and tap the wrench towards the ball. The ball will pop off, be sure to have someone catch the ball as it can go flying. Then use a hack saw to cut the antenna to the desired length. Once you get it to the desired length take a file or grinder and shape the end of the antenna to allow the ball to slip back on. You want this to fit very smug. Once it's where you want it out a dab of superglue inside the hole of the ball, put end of antenna into the hole and stand it up on a piece of wood with the ball end down, now take a hammer and give it a few taps to firmly jam the antenna into the ball, let glue dry and repaint. I use duplicolor black trim paint. It matches damn near perfectly. Once dry reattach!
Not the greatest picture as I was focusing on the windshield and not the antenna but it will give you an idea of the look. I normally cut them around the height of the top of the roof to the top of the windshield.
Attachment 396034
This picture is of a 2013 but the same process was used on my 2003 also.
Wayne
Simply take a pair of pliers and tighten it around the antenna shaft just below the ball you want the wrench to be lose enough to slide on the shaft but tight enough to not slip over the ball. Take a hammer and tap the wrench towards the ball. The ball will pop off, be sure to have someone catch the ball as it can go flying. Then use a hack saw to cut the antenna to the desired length. Once you get it to the desired length take a file or grinder and shape the end of the antenna to allow the ball to slip back on. You want this to fit very smug. Once it's where you want it out a dab of superglue inside the hole of the ball, put end of antenna into the hole and stand it up on a piece of wood with the ball end down, now take a hammer and give it a few taps to firmly jam the antenna into the ball, let glue dry and repaint. I use duplicolor black trim paint. It matches damn near perfectly. Once dry reattach!
Not the greatest picture as I was focusing on the windshield and not the antenna but it will give you an idea of the look. I normally cut them around the height of the top of the roof to the top of the windshield.
Attachment 396034
This picture is of a 2013 but the same process was used on my 2003 also.
Wayne
Thanks, but think a bit too much for me to take on. Will save though, can get some one to help...Good idea , to make shorter.
09-28-2015, 09:45 AM
#9
You don't have to go through all that. It's not a transmit antenna, it's a receive-only antenna. If you want to shorten it, just cut it with wire cutters or tin snips or something, then maybe a bit of glue on the end (to seal the metal from the air) and then maybe a shot of black spray paint. Receive antennas don't need an anti-static ball on top.
Receive antennas aren't complicated. It's transmission antennas that need to be exact.
Receive antennas aren't complicated. It's transmission antennas that need to be exact.