New Member - Arial question

Technical Area Electrics & ICE
1

Hi All New member here - Mk2. Just realised the arial doesn’t automatically go up or down when the radio is turned off. Is this normal? Also are there any recommended stubby arial as an alternative?

Thanks

2

Firstly check if the original electric aerial is fitted and not been replaced. If it makes whirring noise when radio is switched on it could be a broken nylon cable. These are available as a repair kit. Have never replaced mine so no ideas about stubby etc. Hope this helps.

3

discovered the problem - cable to the Aerial motor was disconnected - I plugged it back in and now it grinds… seems a common issue. is it easier to install a stubby aerial?

also I can’t seem to get the white clip back off - any tricks to this?

4

Take it apart and have a look what is broken.

It’s probably the plastic toothed belt, if so replacements are available.

5

What white clip are you on about Sam? If it’s the connector, there is a thumb tab that needs to be pressed in to remove the connector plug from the aerial body.
Just take the aerial out of the car, tape or grommit up the hole in the rear wing and take the aerial apart.
I refurbish these and they always need some sort of attention. Usual problem is the mast, stiff bent or the worm is damaged or detached. Next comes the primary plastic cog that strips. Also a good idea to take to pieces, clear off all corrosion and pack with grease to future proof. Worst corrosion is where the aluminium mast tube joins the black plastic body.
Have fun, I do; used to sell a lot of these but not sold a MK2 aerial now for months for some reason. Christmas soon:-)

1 Like
6

Thanks! decided to replace with a stubby so have ordered one of those :slight_smile:

7

Or it may be that the motor, or the gears it drives are knackered. That happened to me. I replaced it with a second-hand one of these, from Suffolk Mazda

I looked at both the videos below before I did the replacement. Replacing the whole unit was a doddle. Replacing just the mast an nylon belt was a bit more fiddly (and didn’t work for me because the problem was with the motor / gears)