Question RE: antenna replacement 83 123 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

lindajane · #1 06-07-2015, 06:58 PM

Hi,

I got a replacement antenna and white plastic part. The old antenna
got bent. So i've looked and seen on video how to replace.
When it bent, I pulled the white part out, and part of the silver
part was still there where it broke. So I managed to unscrew this
long, hollow part. But The silver part left of the old antenna still
won't come out.
There is another ring, with two notches. I managed to turn it,
but it just seems to turn and turn but not unscrew.
Do you know what I'm doing wrong?....if my description is at all clear.
Thanks

Ceristimo · #2 06-08-2015, 01:52 AM

A picture might be better. I don't know what you mean with "white" part and "silver" part.

I just took the antenna out of my '84 300D yesterday so it's still fresh in my memory. I think the best thing to do is to get the trunk liner out on the left side so you can see what you're doing.
Removing the trunk liner is straight forward and easy, and won't take more than 5 minutes. Unscrew the liner at the back of the trunk (the wall, so to speak). It has 2 10mm screws on top and 2 8mm on the bottom. After you pull this out you unscrew the one 8mm screw on the bottom of the left trunk liner and it should be loose. There are some plastic clips still holding it in, but these are most likely already broken, and if they aren't they probably will when you pop 'm loose.

With the trunk liner out of the way you can see the bottom of the antenna so you can see what's going on. The antenna base itself is held in with two little screws on the bottom. Once you remove these you can pull the antenna out downwards.
The ring with the two notches you're talking about on top of the antenna (outside the car) should fit a 13mm wrench. That's the part you unscrew to get the antenna mast out. If it's just spinning and not unscrewing, I would think your antenna base (the motor) is loose and spinning around with it, but again: you'd have to take out the trunk liner so you can see what's going on.

Now, as to getting the trunk liner back in, that's a little tricky as it isn't very flexible. The best thing to do is to get the rear end line up properly (look at the right trunk liner to remember where it goes exactly) and then to push the rest of it in sideways. It can bend enough to comfortably "snap" into the lower part of the trunk floor.

MBeige · #3 06-13-2015, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lindajane

Hi,

I got a replacement antenna and white plastic part. The old antenna
got bent. So i've looked and seen on video how to replace.
When it bent, I pulled the white part out, and part of the silver
part was still there where it broke. So I managed to unscrew this
long, hollow part. But The silver part left of the old antenna still
won't come out.
There is another ring, with two notches. I managed to turn it,
but it just seems to turn and turn but not unscrew.
Do you know what I'm doing wrong?....if my description is at all clear.
Thanks

I know what you're talking about. There is a sleeve that gets stuck if you overtighten the 13mm or 14mm notched chromed cap and break off the "neck".

What I did to resolve mine is to place the old antenna back, apply downward pressure and rotated the notched chromed cap counterclockwise. This allows the cap to "bite" whatever grooves were left at the breakoff point, and turning it counterclockwise will force it out.

If you say there is a silver part and white part and a long hollow part, descriptions can fall apart.

Silver part = mast
White part = cord

Hope this helps

jay_bob · #4 06-13-2015, 03:30 AM

While you have it apart, do yourself a favor and order a new grommet from the dealer. It is something that fails after 30 years, and if it does, you get water in your trunk, leading to rust in short order.

Once you are past that getting the new antenna mast in is easy.

Look at your old "white part" and see which way it is curled up and how the teeth are pointing. This is so you know which way to insert the toothed white cord on the new antenna.

Now look in your trunk, it should be apparent which way it rolls up on the drum.

Have a friend turn on your radio and set the antenna switch to the down position.

When you hear the motor start, put the end of the white cord down the hole with the teeth facing the appropriate direction based on how your old one was. I believe it is teeth facing the front of the vehicle if I remember correctly.

The teeth on the drum should grab the cord and pull it all the way in. The motor might time out and stop before it pulls the entire length in, so if that's the case, run it up for a moment with the switch, and then set it to run it back down again to finish it off. It will stop automatically when it bottoms out, and from there it knows how long it takes to run it to the top next time.