W126 Antenna Whip and Cord-Replace just it-Possible and How? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

LNGfish · #1 04-22-2015, 10:01 AM

Hello,

I purchased just the antenna with like a nylon cord with gears on cord.

My goal is to just change out the internals.

My radio has crackles in it but where I live is remote but it goes up and down ok.

I have fixed the ground it was bad. So that is good now.

Yesterday, I took off 3 Phillips screws on cover and a 7mm nut in center of cover and looked inside and saw a big white round wheel.

Wasn't sure what to do so put cover back on.

Anybody ever just replace the shiny antenna pole and the nylon rope with gears on it?

I'm thinking antenna may be bad but don't want to disable what I have which is 90% good it just crackles and fades in and out like you are going by trees.

Thanks

tyl604 · #2 04-22-2015, 02:24 PM

All you do is extend the old antenna all the way and then pull it out with the nylon cord (seems like you have to remove the outside fender hole cover first so the antenna itself is loose and only held in by the cord). Feed the new cord in and then turn on the engine. It will feed itself if the radio is on. Then screw the cover back on.

compu_85 · #3 04-22-2015, 03:19 PM

Yes, you remove the lock screw at the base of the antenna, turn on the radio so it extends, and the motor will eject the old antenna. Similarly you put the new antenna's nylon cord down into the motor, turn off the radio, and it draws the antenna in. Then you re-tighten the nut.

-J

LNGfish · #4 04-22-2015, 04:02 PM

Understood Now,

Thanks!

LNGfish · #5 04-23-2015, 06:15 AM

Well the new one URO 126 827 0001 was slightly different and did not work. I may look at it again today however and swap the Old top nut out with the smaller top-not/sleeve arrangement the new one comes with. Then it may.

I kind of go tied-up when I started blowing 15A fuses after having the cover off the antenna actuator. Blew a few. Turned out it wasn't anything I had done but the Right rear door bottom light fell out and shorted inside the door and was shorting out. These are a problem on this car. I didn't even know the rear doors had lights, now I do.

Did temp repairs to hold light up into door fixed the dead short there.

When I was working on the antenna actuator I saw what I saw was a mickey mouse set up but I'm no sure it is or not. What I saw was a 6 or 8 pin relay strapped behind the antenna actuator with some wires in a bundle. 2 bundles. The relay had about 8 wires attached to it and done nicely. I think it is a timing relay. Not sure. I think what it does is puts voltage on actuator for so many seconds then shuts down then reverses next time.

The reason I think so is that the 3-postion switch on dash board doesn't do allot that I know of. I learned yesterday that I need to put that switch in MAX position for relay in trunk to work otherwise actuator in trunk does not work.

What ever it is works. When I turn radio on, it goes up. When I turn radio off it goes down. But I don't know what was done is all and if the relay is OEM, I suspect not. It sure does not look OEM.

Since it works hard to justify looking into it if you get my drift.

Thanks

tyl604 · #6 04-23-2015, 11:08 AM

My 81 SD does not have anything like that. The inside of the actuator has several sets of points and they regulate the up/down. Inside the cabin if you want to play a tape and keep the antenna retracted, you just lock the up/down button in the down mode.

LNGfish · #7 04-23-2015, 08:19 PM

Gotcha,

Mine has been jury rigged somehow but it works.

I got the URO antenna in today. 126 827 00 01

W0133-1660606

Good Quality but NEW antenna has male fine thread on collar-bushing at end.

Whip Nylon same as old. Teeth same.

Old actuator has Male fine thread pointing up through fender.

Male won't go to Male.

You need to use the old Female Nut to fit Male sticking up from fender.

What I did was Cut Bushing Collar assy off new antenna with a small grinder with a disc on it. Sliced it off lengthwise.

This removes slip collar and nut assembly, both brass. As a unit.

Save the little black plastic seal bushing at end of new bush-collar assembly, you will need it. OK if u slice it in half when U cut unit, I did. If u can get out without cutting it half do it.

After cutting new collar-busying assy in half pry it open and off new antenna with screwdriver. It is soft brass but looks chromed and is soft.

Go purchase (2) 3/8" external clips. The ones u use snap ring pliers with. Take antenna with you.These will slide down new antenna and act as stoppers to keep antenna from popping out. They slide and will stop at the dead end of antenna not at groove. Use two for strength. You will have grind off the part where the snap ring pliers go in, Careful. U will end up with split clips with no holes in them. These will have to fit on OLD NUT from old antenna you will need to use. Poke them into the female nut. Then poke in the plastic bushing form the new antenna on top.

Repeat:
Put 2 metal clips into old nut and add the plastic bushing from end of new Bush-Collar (at end of the one you split) on top of the 2 metal clips. This Plastic bushing is needed to steady the antenna. Otherwise it is floppy.

Reassemble it and tighten nut just enough to full antenna retracts. If too tight the lower section will not retract. Loose up slightly.

tyl604 · #8 04-24-2015, 01:52 PM

Ouch. What a pain. Sorry about that.

LNGfish · #9 04-24-2015, 06:58 PM

Freed up old antenna today. Slammed it a bit till it opened. One section was frozen and not extending. Lubed it with 3 in 1 oil. Put it back on as a test. Old antenna weak when installed compared to new one.

Put back on new antenna, much better. Removed plastic bush not needed. Antenna tad of a wobble, good connection however and whole antenna goes in hole, old one the last section, biggest, did not go on hole.

Works better with modified URO than the antenna I took off, why no idea. New antenna like 3-4 inches longer.

Trying to get 97.1 out of Atlanta, little weak her in NW corner of SC. Great station for those in Atlanta. Might be this radio no up to the task. It is a Jensen HD5112. Wish I got a better radio now. My 89 BMW has a OEM Alpine and picks up 97.1 crystal clear. Bummer

Ceristimo · #10 04-24-2015, 09:44 PM

Unfortunately the Jensen HD5112 doesn't seem to be a quality unit, judging by the reviews I checked online. Seems a lot of folks are reporting problems with the SD and USB reader, and you're not the only one reporting a weak radio reception. If anything, the bad signal seems to be caused by the radio, not the antenna.

LNGfish · #11 04-25-2015, 07:55 AM

Oh, I did not look up feedback on the Jensen HD5112. Yeah it isn't that good at all. I should of checked it out better before I purchased it but didn't. The only way I could get 97.1 was to tape together both antenna together so I had about 6' of antenna then it worked. You would think in this day in age most manufacturers would have the reception part down by now. Bummer