Replacement Aerial Mast Problem

[alien]

OK, so i grabbed a genuine replacement mast for my VY commodore. Due to there being 3 different types of aerials the guy had to check the VIN of the vehicl to match it up with a mast.

That was all good, and i spent 2 or 3 hours removing the old mast (it was really difficult in mine). While removing and fitting the mast in the motorized section i had to remove the cover where the cable goes and also had to remove the motor housing and the "gear" from under there to get the mast in and out. Yes, it wouldn't come out without it. Now, i do know how to put motors back together, and i did a good job. Pushed both magnets back in their spring loaded holes and got the gear back in and the motor cover back on....

Then i went back to the vehicle and discovered that the aerial is operating in REVERSE!? When i have the radio on the aerial goes DOWN, when i switch the vehicle off or switch to CD the aerial goes UP (not all the way, but to a level that i'm satisfied with anyways [better to sit at that level than all the way up]). Anyone want to shed some ideas on whats happened? And how i can fix it?

I'm thinking of putting in a a circuit that basically is a NOT chip behind the head unit's antenna on circuit. Now, it's a standard S pack vehicle (so only has options for aerial to be up or down, no custom set level).

[holdenboy]

While im not sure on why thats happening i can offer a simple solution....

Try reversing the two wires what go to the antenna....not the earth of course but the other two wires. In theory it should work

[alien]

I was actually thinking of doing this too, but iw as running out of light to cut them ans swap them.

One is for constant power, the other is for telling the antenna to go down or up.

Here's how it should work:
Red ON, White ON -> Antenna Extends
Red ON, White Off -> Antenna Retracts
Red Off, White ON -> NO MOVEMENT
Red Off, White Off -> NO MOVEMENT

Right now it's doing what it shoud... just in reverse?!

Actually, that reminds me, i tried with the connector loosely sitting there and wriggling it. On certain angles it would be right, but when plugged in right it wasn't. Argh, maybe i need to get a new connector Which is going to be hard! May have to call Holden AGAIN >_< They must know me very well now LOL

[caaf]

Firstly I think you really went to town pulling it all apart. I assume you only opened it up due to the rope (nylon) snapping or something.

I've replaced many (no broken rope). Had the radio on, unbolted enough where I could be sure the lock ring in removable, pull out the mast and rope then to load I pushed in the antenna to approx position re-fixed, turned off radio and pushed in the remainder.

Below are the electrical details.

White....Red.......Result
12v......12v........Up
12v......00v........Down
00v......12v........No movement
00v......00v........No movement

Good luck..

[alien]

caaf,

Mine just wouldn't work like that. I removed the bolts and moved it all around so i could access it all. But when i tried pulling out the rope it simply wouldn't come out, even with heaps of force! So the thing i thought of next was to get to where the rope coils around, still nothing, couldn't even push it out. So next step was to open the motor and remove the gear. That allowed me to get it out. That wasn't the only tough part, the metal that has a plastic tip loose on the replacement masts wouldn't come out. Spent an hour and a half trying to remove the damn thing! Used a scredriver to make a gap between it and the brass thread. Then had to use a hammer and screwdriver and force it out! Mine was just a pain!

As for your electrical details, now i'm confused. Holden say that the red wire needs 12v for it to work (which makes sense and conforms for ADR's). Some aftermarket manuals (i looked at one lying around) say the opposite, saying that the wires are opposite! O.o Now i'm confused, but i think i might stick with Holden's official manual there and hope they've adhered to ADR's, or that means that almost every vehicle with power aerial is defectable!

I wont be able to work on the vehicle until the weekend now. But i'll try testing the operations with both electrical details and thoroughly test it. At least i know it wasn't my mast replacing skills that stuffed it up! :P I'm thinking i might've destroyed the connector somehow. Well, that's what i'm hoping. Hoping it's not the electronics inside the device. REALLY dont feel like pulling it apart again.

[holdenboy]

Nah its not the electricals inside, it'll be that connector i'd say....can you plug it in two ways? (i.e. the right way and wrong way).

If it was the electricals it wouldnt work at all, and/or make some crazy noises

[caaf]

Hey Alien,

Sozz to hear that you have had so much trouble with the replacement. Like I said I've never had that much of an issue.. I maybe because I've extended the broken antenna first would be the reason and I could simply pull the rest out as there hardly anything left on the spool inside.

As for the electrical, I can only write what I read as I've not had the need to pull the bugger apart to see what's inside.

As others have said I would be looking at the connector as maybe they have become corroded or something.

If you wish, I'm happy to pull off the wheel ect and confirm yours or my details, just send a PM

[alien]

Nah its not the electricals inside, it'll be that connector i'd say....can you plug it in two ways? (i.e. the right way and wrong way).

If it was the electricals it wouldnt work at all, and/or make some crazy noises

It's definatly not possible to plug it in two ways. Only goes in the right way (trust me, i tried swapping it around to see if i could get it to work that way LOL. Wont fit

Hey Alien,

Sozz to hear that you have had so much trouble with the replacement. Like I said I've never had that much of an issue.. I maybe because I've extended the broken antenna first would be the reason and I could simply pull the rest out as there hardly anything left on the spool inside.

As for the electrical, I can only write what I read as I've not had the need to pull the bugger apart to see what's inside.

As others have said I would be looking at the connector as maybe they have become corroded or something.

If you wish, I'm happy to pull off the wheel ect and confirm yours or my details, just send a PM

The weird thing was i had it extended too (radio on). And it was a little bit left, i manage to pull it out a little but it was only about 4mm or so. Then nothing more. So i had to goto extremes LOL. I'm kinda ok with that.

Sorry if i sounded like i was having a go at you or anyone else, i'm not like that and i can see my posts can be taken that way. Just had a really crap week! But yea, i think i might stick with the Holden manual, they usually know what they're doing in their own cars. I'll also post up when i test with my auto test light if Holden have it right or the other ones have it right for future reference.

They didn't look corroded to me, but the amount of times i removed it yesterday it may have damaged the clip on it or the wire may have come loose. I'll test it with my auto test light *HOPEFULLY* tomorrow. Depending on if work calls me in.

I wont be needing your help, but thanks for the offer anyways. I am competant with electrical tasks on houses and vehicles. I've had all the knowledge on it passed on from my grandfather and from what i learnt in school. Then i also did electrical courses at uni. Kinda sucks when all your mates know that and they want stuff done. Although one of my mates stopped asking me for help after i took him to a call out i did on a 67 Mustang after he realised what i charged. After already selling the guy many parts from Dick Smith Electronics already.

[alien]

OK, i've just accessed it again. According to my auto test light the head unit is passing out the correct voltages when radio is on and off. So i tried to test the unit against Holden's wiring table. And yes, Holden were right, Red is constant power and white is for the signal. Since that's all out of the way, i tried testing myself, and when the white wire is 12v the aerial goes DOWN, and when 0v the aerial goes UP! Looks like it's something to do with the actual electrics inside the aerial unit. Now, i looked at the one little chip with a relay and 2 capacitors on it. Looks all in tact and good. All contacts still look well soldered. So now i'm stumped! As to what to do. Short of making my own circuit to flip the signal the head unit pumps out. Which would raelly suck!

I'm willing to re-solder the leads which run to the motor... the only problem is that the circuit doesn't look like it comes out of the unit easily! So it's going to be difficult getting my soldering iron in there! Any ideas?

[alien]

OK, i fixed it. When i put on the motor cover yesterday i put it on backwards.... The motor cover has the magnets in it. Which really NEEDS to be the right way around to work right! Datestamp on the cover MUST be facing towards the passenger side of the vehicle.

Now it goes up and down, and when it reaches as low as it goes or as high it simply clicks twice and then stops. I can live with that. I've been living with many more louder clicks and it not actually working properly over the past 6 or so months.

Thanks everyone for thoughts and what not. I did take pics of the procedure so i'll post a How to for others when i get the chance.

[paevans257]

I woudl be interested in seeing a procedure for replacing the mast. From reading the post, this seems fraught with problems, and I am aprehensive about even starting.

[caaf]

No it is a simple job so long as you don't think to much about it.. As I've stated I've changed few and never had all the issues as above

[Dayvo]

I woudl be interested in seeing a procedure for replacing the mast. From reading the post, this seems fraught with problems, and I am aprehensive about even starting.

Me too mine is stuck in the up position . It makes all the right noises when you turn the radio on and off but it won't move , i can't even push it down .

[CalaisJohn]

No it is a simple job so long as you don't think to much about it..

lol how true. But I don't wanna touch another one for the rest of my life.

[caaf]

Me too mine is stuck in the up position . It makes all the right noises when you turn the radio on and off but it won't move , i can't even push it down .

You will find that you will have to remove it again and rotate the rope so it actually bites to the running gear inside the power ant motor.

lol how true. But I don't wanna touch another one for the rest of my life.

LOL classic.. Well I'm happy to do them. As I don't personally think there hard to do

[Lewy47]

I am about to replace a mast and rope on my VX SS auto antenna. The question I have is: Is there any way of setting it up such that the antenna only goes up when the radio is on and comes down if a CD is being played. It irks me on long drives when I'm playing CDs and that stupid antenna is flopping around in the breaze for no reason. Why did Holden take out the antenna switch which was on the VK(I think)? That at least allowed you to decide for yourself how high or low the antenna was.

[alien]

AFAIK a VX should do that automtically when a CD is in with the stock stereo?! If you have an aftermarket stereo it is it's responsibility to send it up or down. If it doesn't do it properly maybe think about wiring up a switch to keep it down?

[Lewy47]

Can anyone tell me why the replacement mast and rope I purchased from Rare Spares refuses to fit back into the vertical tube that sits upright of the motor? (Car is a VX SS)To get the old mast out, I had to chop the tip off in order to remove it from this tube. I have the the tube off of the motor. That's fine but the mast will not fit from either direction. There is a white plastic piece at the base of the mast which hindered the tube. In desperation, I trimmed this with a knife until I could squeeze this into the tube. However I then found that there is a metal sleeve on the mast which absolutely will not fit the opening of the tube. I think this sleeve is designed to locate the mast within the tube and keep it stable. I used brute force and ignorance to no avail. I'm pretty sure it's the right part, it certainly looks the same as the original I removed.
I am deadset pissed off. I am driving from Sydney to Adelaide next weekend and need the thing working. If anyone can set me up with a complete antenna before next week then I am all ears.
Thanks

[anarklov3r]

you didnt attatch the rope to the wrong side of the gear did you? that would explain its reverse behaviour...

[Dayvo]

I had the same prob when i put a new mast in mine last weekend .You have to cut off the metal tube on the new mast , then ,on the end of the antena where the mast comes out you need to use a pair of pointy nose pliers and pull the black plastic tube out . The new mast should now fit . To replace the plastic tube you need to cut it down one side and slip it over the mast then slide it into position and then just assemble the rest .

[Lewy47]

Thanks Dayvo. I'll take a look at it this evening. What a horses arse! I'm driving from Sydney to Adelaide in a weeks time and have to get this sorted otherwise it could be a long trip. I'll let you know how I get on.

[Lewy47]

Got it sorted. I didn't need to cut the sleeve off after all. It isn't perfect in that it would appear that the antenna stops short about one inch from fully down position. I will install into the car and see how bad it is. If it is working ok and doesn't protude too much, I'll leave it. If not I will cut a small amout out of the metal sleeve which is preventing the mast from fully retracting. Either way, I think I have it sussed now. Thanks.

[Lewy47]

Hooray. I got the thing back together and working. Except now i have the click, click, click when fully up and when fully down. Grr. Any ideas?

[alien]

No idea, for some reason when you replace it the system runs for too long. You get used to it :P If anyone has solved it... how? :P

[PSYKO PHOENIX]

8 hours 8 %$@* hours and im done finaly, thanks heaps for this post, i had exacty the same problem, the damn thing was seazed in it, and id put the motor cover on backward as well so thanks heaps for that info to, saved me a shit load more trouble!

the reason it took 8 hours is cause the little mettal mettle thing with the 2 prong things on it had practicly gled its self to the side of the shaft, once we got most of it out we then had to file the rest of it away and finaly it fit!

thanks again and hope any one else having this problem gets it sorted!!

cheers