How to change the arial?

[Big_Lebowski]

Hi! I am the proud new owner of a VT commodore!

I need to replace the arial since the old one has been snapped off. Can someone please give me hints and tips on how to change it? I'm not sure how to even get at it! Maybe through he wheel arch?

Any other VT commodore general hints and tips would be much appreciated also.

Thanks in advance,

Big_L

edit - and hey! Mine's a 97. Shouldn't this forum be: VT commodore (1997 - 2000) ?

[The1985divo]

Youll have to take the wheel off and it should be bolted in, under the wheel arch,

[9C1pack]

You have to remove the front wheel, undo the plastic plug screws that hold the plastic inner wheel arch (cover?), these screw into plastic plugs like ramset concrete fasteners. You can then see the nut, that holds the aerial to the car body (undo it) and an earth wire to the aerial (undo it), remove aerial by using the aerial lock key to remove the holder and let it dangle inside the mud guard while you go inside to unplug the cable.
You then move inside the car, on top of the plastic trim, that you drag your shoes over, is a raised long strip with several decorative lines in it, use a flat screw driver pushed in from the side to prise it up, there are screws underneath that hold the trim in place, undo the one that is towards the front of the car, then undo a screw that is deeply recessed in the middle of the kick trim on the inside of the car below and to the left of the glove box, I think there is a clip or something else that you have to pop out by pulling on it. You should then see the computer (the thing with all the wires going into it). Beside or some times behind it, is the joiner between the aerial and the radio. I had to remove the computer as the joiner was tucked in behind it, nothing hard, the computer is in a plastic holder that just clips in to the car body, to hold it in place. Unclip the holder, ease the computer out far enough to unplug the aerial wire, and push it back through the hole in the body. Reverse the process to fit the new aerial.
A couple of hours and a skinned knuckle and it will be done

[VL Executive]

edit - and hey! Mine's a 97. Shouldn't this forum be: VT commodore (1997 - 2000) ?

Yeah, I thought the same thing.

[Big_Lebowski]

You have to remove the front wheel, undo the plastic plug screws that hold the plastic inner wheel arch (cover?), these screw into plastic
.......
Reverse the process to fit the new aerial.
A couple of hours and a skinned knuckle and it will be done

Thanks heaps for taking to time to post that!

I thought it might be one of those fiddly jobs that I loathe. I'll have to build up a bit of motivation before I tackle it I guess

[t3zza]

Yeah true is takes a bit of time, I just did it. Wasn't to hard though, but time consuming and i must say its a bitch to get the old antena out though. It was a struggle, I would need 2 people to do the job.....

[wooly72]

any ideas for a VP, the computer doesnt "slip out" that I can see

[pooh]

Just remember to attach some string to the aerial cable before you pull it through, it can be a real bastard to feed back through. Attach the new cable to the string and it will save you some fiddly work.

I'd recommend getting a power aerial kit, I got mine on ebay for less than $100. Saves it from getting snapped as it recesses completely when the radio's not on. Same process involved with some additional stereo/interior removal required, let me know if you need help.

[vztrt]

Do you have to buy the OEM aerial for a replacement or is there an aftermarket one available??

[VT-VY OWNER]

Hi, in need of a vt rear wiper motor on the gold coast if anyone can help me out or let me know where to get 1 from. Thanks

[plunge]

Do you have to buy the OEM aerial for a replacement or is there an aftermarket one available??

I'm just short of two years late but... No, you don't need to buy OEM. I bought a new aerial from Sprints for $44 (AP250 | Aerpro Suits Holden Commodore VN-VX, Replacement Mast, Suits OEM Assy.). Looking at the packet, you don't get a lot for your money but it's sure cheaper than getting a dealer to fix it (>$200 from memory).