Hello,

I had posted in the radio section but not allot read that section so I'm going to post here. Hope this is OK.

Yesterday I was trying to improve the reception of my new radio and was looking at the antennae box in the trunk.

The previous owner replaced the entire box in there. I asked him.

I don't know much about antennae's so bare with me.

I read in the Radio section that the resistance between the brushed aluminum tube in the trunk to ground should be zero. This would mean there has to be a grounding wire or a clamp bracket that grounds this thin aluminum tube. Well mine has no factory mount and they used a makeshift bracket to hold the top and bottom of this. They used the strip metal that has the holes in it. Erector set straps I call it.

My Questions:

1. Is the outer aluminum tube that you see in the trunk supposed to be grounded? and if so is it grounded with a "holder bracket" or is there an external grounding wire?

Thanks

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1982 300SD

The factory antenna has a metal grounding braid from the antenna to a ground point on the car. You should be able to make one. If the aftermarket antenna doesn't have any place to connect a wire, you could try putting a (metal, screw-type) hose clamp around the antenna case (metal tube) and clamping a wire to the case. Then run the wire to the ground point on the chassis. It needs to be tight or you will have noisy reception. In the long term you should consider returning to the factory antenna. New they are expensive but you should be able to find a used one in a junkyard or from someone who sells used parts.

__________________

"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970

Thanks Jeremy,

The one in there is Factory only the mountings are missing plus the grounding braid is missing that you mentioned. I wasn't sure what was supposed to be there, now I know.
Thank you very much for letting me know that it need to be grounded! (The outer Tube)

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1982 300SD

For best reception, the ground should be reasonably short. For absolute best reception, a non retractable antenna is best, but you may not be able to tell the difference.

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Ron Schroeder
'85 300 Turbo Diesel 2 tank WVO
'83 300 Turbo Diesel 2 tank WVO
Some former WVO vehicles since ~1980:
'83 Mercedes 240D
'80 Audi 4000D
'83 ISUZU Pup
'70 SAAB 99 with Kubota diesel
'76 Honda Civic with Kubota diesel
'86 Golf
Several diesel generators
All with 2 tank WVO conversion
LI NY

The pic is of my SD, maybe the ground is that lower right bolt mount.
Stock AFAIK.

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83 SD

84 CD

See post #1

"Can somebody look in their trunk for me?"

Sorry LNGfish, I looked in my trunk and you were not there!!! LOL


I have noticed in looking at the junkers that there were two styles of factory mounts. Some have a metal mount to the fender and do not have an additional grounding strap. I think the ground is through the fender contact. Others penetrate the fender with a rubber mount (no ground) and have a grounding strap. Nothing wrong with adding more grounding - can only help.

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Charles
1983 300D, bought new, 215k+ miles, donated to Purple Hearts veterans charity but I have parts for sale: http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/mercedes-benz-cars-sale/296386-fs-1-owner-83-mb-300d-turbo-rebuild-parts.html

Yeah, that's good!

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83 SD

84 CD

TooMany,

Thanks for posting the picture!

I'll compare what you show to what I have.

Steve

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1982 300SD

No prob, the cover is off because the antenna does not go all the way down, still doesn't.

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83 SD

84 CD

Disregard the part on the left of the pic. I took this pic to illustrate for another customer.
I took this antenna part w/ strap from a 1986 560SEL. The part on the right of the pic. Your OEM set up was the same. This part actually screws onto the top of the shaft that comes out of the antenna motor housing.

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Selling used Mercedes parts on Ebay...always changing...
cdplayer51 take a look!
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Mine is missing the grounding braided strap. Thanks. I'll look for one.

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1982 300SD