f22a

For those of you who like to read about stuff before attempting it. Pardon the dirty interior.

Required tools:
- Flat head screwdriver
- Philips head screwdriver
- Electrical tape or duct tape
- Strong wire or strong cord (at least five feet)
- 10mm socket or wrench (somewhat optional)

1) Begin by removing the center console by removing the highlighted screws:


2) Disconnect the electrical connector that powers the cigarette lighter and ashtray light. Now is a good time to replace the bulb in the ashtray if it's burnt out (#74 1.4V, available at your local parts store for a few bucks).


3) Remove the dash panel under the steering wheel by removing the three highlighted screws.


4) Remove your radio and disconnect the antenna from the back of the radio. No picture associated with this.

5) Get under the dash and find the antenna wire. The antenna wire is attached with two clips as shown (pictures are taken laying down on the driver's side floorpan looking up):



6) Remove the wire and trace it back to the hole that it is coming out of, which is on the driver's side kicker behind the fuse box, hood pull, and auto cruise box (if equipped). In the picture, the hole itself is behind the rubber flap. You will definitely feel more than you can see.


7) This step is critical to preserving your sanity. If you get hasty and pull the old antenna out without attaching something to snake the new one back through, you are in for a frustrating treat. I used speaker wire tied to the end of the old antenna so once I pulled the old antenna out, I could tie the new antenna to the wire and pull it back through. In retrospect, speaker wire wasn't nearly strong enough to get past the snags that the cord will encounter during its journey back to its home.

8) Once you've secured a wire or strong cord to the antenna wire, remove the screws holding the antenna to the roof and pull the antenna, antenna wire, and cord that you have attached to the antenna wire out of the car. Make sure you leave enough string in the cabin to to pull the new one back through.




9) Attach the cord that you left in the hole to the new antenna and pull through. Make sure that it is attached very well. Make very sure:


10) Re-installation is the reverse of removal. As you snake the wire through, push the new antenna through the hole an inch or two at a time, pulling the end of the wire as you progress.

Finished product, antenna fully extended with victory beer:


HINTS, TIPS, LESSONS LEARNED:
- Don't use speaker wire to snake the antenna wires through. Use something with some meat. 14G wire or something else that is less likely to break.
- If the car is equipped with cruise control, removing the auto cruise module by the clutch pedal is handy for giving you room to work with. It is two 10mm nuts and an electrical connector.
- If you hit a snag, work the wire back and forth and twist. Don't force it too hard.
- If the antenna is not sitting right on the roof, there is likely a bunch in the wire somewhere. Try again.
- If your string breaks, you are in for a frustrating surprise. Patience is the key. Source your wife or girlfriend's small hands to pull the wire out of the hole.

slowturbocx

Nice job. Some idiot broke mine off before I bought the car, took me a while to figure it out.

motegicivic

I was thinking of this, what if you took out the old antenna, cut the wire hooked up the new antenna to the old's wire and fished it back down, wouldn't that be half the effort?

EsotericImage

iTrader: (8)

nice diy. Im sure the EJ crowd could do the same as its close to the EG routing.

angrysmileyface

The concepts the same. Prev owner of my EJ1 broke the connector that would go into the radio. Bought a new antenna and used a nylon cord tied to it to fish it through. Though oddly I dont remember the plastic clips holding it in place.

Jettplane

Where exactly does the wire come out under the dashboard? Can you take a picture with reference? Please. I've been trying to look for it.