How to Get Power Antenna Down?

[n/a]

I read all the "power antenna" threads I could find and still no answer...  I confess, my problem is with my '91 350SD, but my 230SL also has a power antenna (in the rear) and it could just as well be that one!

The problem is I cannot get the antenna down on the SD.  I replaced it a few years back and it is in excellent condition--no bends at all; when I bought a new one they just sort of placed it in and it kinda installed itself (as described elsewhere here, I think regarding a Saab...).  It was sticking a little so I cleaned it and sprayed it with some WD-40 and that made it worse.  Now it is stuck up/extended and won't budge!

I know I should be on an S-Class forum but this is my favorite Benz forum (fewer, or even non-existent know-it-alls and idiots!).

Any advice?  I'm afraid to park the car out of fear it'll be broken off!

[jeffc280sl]

I just installed a Hirschman electric antenna on my 280SL.  Can you hear the antenna motor run when you turn the radio on and off?  Assuming you can, turn the radio on and when the motor stops pull the antenna at the base completely out of the antenna socket.  Can you compress the antenna?  As you compress it does a white plastic serated piece extend from the base?  Does the antenna freely compress and extend?  Assuming yes to these answers here is the next step.  Compress the antenna halfway.  Turn the radio on and wait for the motor to stop (in the up position).  Feed the white plastic into the antenna socket until you reach a stop.  Have someone else turn the radio off.  (The motor will run to compress the antenna.) As they turn the radio off gently push the white plastic into the antenna socket.  The antenna drive should grab the white plastic and begin the pull it down into the antenna housing.  Continue to feed the white plastic as you line up the antenna with the socket.  As the antenna motor continues to lower feed the antenna into the socket which should lower it completely into the antenna housing.  Fine adjustments can be made later.

Jeff C.
1970 280SL 4-speed

[Naj ✝︎]

Mind your fingers though.
One of mine got trapped between the body and the button on the first section - ouch!!
naj

65 230SL
68 280SL

[rwmastel]

quote:Originally posted by PeterinCO

It was sticking a little so I cleaned it and sprayed it with some WD-40 and that made it worse.  Now it is stuck up/extended and won't budge!

Peter,
Keep in mind that WD-40 is not a lubricant!  I've been told this by many people on this forum and elsewhere.  The WD stands for Water Displacement.  I would assume that your MB dealer would tell you that there is a grease that is appropriate for an antenna.  They will probably sell you some!  

Rodd
Powell, Ohio, USA
1966 230SL, Euro, Auto, Leather, both  tops
1994 E420

[n/a]

Thanks all.  Jeff C.--I'm not sure I quite follow your instructions.  But now it is coming back to me from when I bought the new antenna; perhaps you meant to say this--start by taking the bolt off at the base.  Yes, the white serated strip, that's what it kind of "ate" when it self installed.  It's a little chilly here in Colorado and it may take me a little while to take the car outside and play around with it...  When it started sticking the motor seemed to work fine and I haven't tried it repeatedly for fear of harming it.

Actually I may have used 3-in-1 spray (I saw WD-40 mentioned on another thread here and felt confident writing it).  I've had power BMW and M-B antennas forever and have used it more to clean than lubricate; it doesn't really penetrate the partitions anyway.  Nonetheless I held a rag behind and sprayed...

[jeffc280sl]

You are correct about removing the base nut before removing the antenna from the antenna motor section.  If the motor runs when the radio is turned off and on I consider that good news.  We just need to get the motor to "grab" the white serated plastic piece so it can wind up (lower) and unwind (raise) the antenna.  It's possible that the antenna exterior is in good shape but the white plastic piece has broken somewhere.  After removal, I estimate 10+? inches of the white plastic should extend out of the bottom of the antenna when it is fully extended by hand.  In this way the antenna can be in the fully up position and the motor still has a hold of a bottom section of the white plastic so it can retract the antenna when the radio is turned off.

You should not harm the motor if it has no load.  If the antenna binds somewhere on the up or down cycle the motor will come under some stress.  I believe it is protected so that it will simply shut down and reset if the stress is too great.

Jeff C.
1970 280SL 4-speed

[n/a]

Thanks Jeff C. and others; my problems are hardly yours.  I cannot guarantee that the motor or other parts are working properly.  I'll fiddle with it on a nice day and we'll see.

I do like this forum....

FYI, here are some pics of the vehicles in question:  www.theResearchSource.net/mb/sept04.htm

[jeffc280sl]

Peter,

Very nice cars.  Of course I'm fond of SLs.  I especially like your bumpers without those silly vertical bumper pieces.  I rechromed my bumpers and had the holes filled and grinded and the lines are much nice without them.

Jeff C.
1970 280SL 4-speed

[n/a]

I don't have a power antenna on my Benz, but ran into the same problem with the antenna on my Thunderbird.  I went the WE40 route and had the same problem as you did.  I would try washing down the antenna with varsol, and the applying white grease. I assume your antenna is still functioning electrically.  Have someone actuate the antenna electrically, and wipe it down with the varsol."Provide physical assistance" if necessary and as required.  This should free it up.  Apply white grease and evenly distribute for the extended length of the antenna.  I did this application every time I noticed a non function section of the antenna, or about every six months.  My Benz has a rear fender fully retractable manual antenna, and I plan on using the white grease application on it, as I noticed it is a bit sticky.

Good Luck.

Jim Hunter
Ottawa, Canada

quote:Originally posted by PeterinCO


I read all the "power antenna" threads I could find and still no answer...  I confess, my problem is with my '91 350SD, but my 230SL also has a power antenna (in the rear) and it could just as well be that one!

The problem is I cannot get the antenna down on the SD.  I replaced it a few years back and it is in excellent condition--no bends at all; when I bought a new one they just sort of placed it in and it kinda installed itself (as described elsewhere here, I think regarding a Saab...).  It was sticking a little so I cleaned it and sprayed it with some WD-40 and that made it worse.  Now it is stuck up/extended and won't budge!

I know I should be on an S-Class forum but this is my favorite Benz forum (fewer, or even non-existent know-it-alls and idiots!).

Any advice?  I'm afraid to park the car out of fear it'll be broken off!

JLHunter

[mulrik]

Well I'm just very impressed that you guys can get your antenna to BOTH come up and down. What happens when I turn on my radio is that the antenna comes up, but it continues to run even though the antenna is fully extended, and the antennamotor just "clicks" over for every round it takes. When I turn off the radio it doesn't come down. Does anyone have a bulletproof, failsafe instruction as how to connect the antenna? I have 3 wires (+ the antenna wire itself) coming out of the antenna. One goes to allways on out on the right hand side of the engine bay. One goes to earth and one goes to the radio above the speaker output as I remember (it's a Becker Grand Prix). OR AM I WRONG??? Please help!! I've tried everything it seems!!!
Thanks
Ulrik


'67 250 SL Papyrus White 113043-10-000023

[jeffc280sl]

Hello Ulrik,

Sounds to me like the wiring is correct.  The radio on/off lead simply provides an on signal to the antenna motor to raise/lower the antenna.  I think the off condition is created in the antenna motor box itself.  

When the radiop is turned on the antenna extends to the full out position.  When fully extended the antenna motor needs to switch itself off (it may be limited by design for a fixed number of revolutions).  

The radio remains on and the antenna remains in the up position.  

When the radio is turned off the antenna motor receives an off signal from the radio and the antenna motor reverses and withdraws the antenna. As the antenna lowers to the final stop the motor needs to switch itself off.

There must be a switch in the motor box that is used to turn the motor off.  I suspect yours is dirty/broken.  I think the radio simply tells the motor to turn on/forward or turn on/reverse as the radio is turned on or off.

Jeff C.
1970 280SL 4-speed

[n/a]

When I saw the "LAX"--as in the airport?--on the main page it reminded me...  I pulled it out, the motor was humming, turned the radio off, and fiddled with getting it to grab the white strip.  Then, make sure it is clean and lubricated.  Seemed to do the trick!

[dldubois]

I've got a power antenna I can't get to go down.  I've removed the nut and pushed the antenna down so that I have approximately 12" of a white plastic piece extending.  It doesn't seem to be serated though.  I've got a switch in the car to raise and lower the antenna.  I turn the motor on to retract the antenna while trying to get it to wind the white plastic piece with no success.    The motor comes on but I'm unable to get the plastic piece started.  

Any ideas

Dana DuBois

1969 280sl metallic blue (906) auto
Corinth, TX

[Naj ✝︎]

Dana,

 

quote:I have approximately 12" of a white plastic piece extending

I think you may have a (long) bit of the plastic stuck in the antenna drive. It should be 3 to 4 feet long. You need a new mast with the full length plastic attached and will still have to open up the motor to remove the broken bit. If, its not a Hirschmann, it may be cheaper to buy a complete antenna rather than just a mast.

naj

65 230SL
68 280SL