G'day All

I wanna replace my bodgy aerial as this one stays up for the last 6 inches or so. I've tried delicate adjustment with some pliers, I've tried brute force with a mallet, its still up, so now I've decided I'll replace it and I'm stuck at the first step.

What sort of tool do I need for this bit? This little black ring with the two notches on top 180 degrees from each other, this does unscrew, right??

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t120/mre635/clutter/jpg_arl01.jpg

So far it won't budge with a little screwdriver and I'm getting paranoid about pushing hard, slipping, and gouging a nice deep rip mark into my shiny filthy brown paintwork. It looks like someone has been at it at some stage coz the little notches have a bit of a bend to them, but I can't think of any tool which will fit that slot (at least, not while I've got that first main section of aerial stuck in the upright position, ie I can't really access the clip from directly above, only from the sides).

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t120/mre635/clutter/jpg_arl03.jpg

I can get to all the assembly brackets, screws etc inside the boot cavity to release the aerial from there, but can't move the top one.

But I also realised while I was trying all this, even if I do get everything undone it might be a real trick to actually remove the unit - because that 6 inches or so of aerial is stuck up, it might be a bit of a wangle to remove the unit from below because there probably isn't enough clearance space to lower it down and out, without actually cutting off the excess aerial section so I have enough clearance to remove it. Make sense?????

However, if I could just get this simple bloody circle clip off I'd be a bit happier about the whole thing! I realise this isn't nearly as daring a move as most of you fellas do with your engine rebuilds, tranny swaps and suspension mods etc, but here I am trying to undo a simple clip.

Given I'm having no luck so far with a screwdriver, is there some tool I'm supposed to be using??

Regards,
Ellis.

(btw, in Australia a 'tool' is another word for an idiot, so I say again, "What sort of tool!!")

yep, it's the nut with the two notches. Since you plan to replace the aerial any ways you can f*** up the nut and therefore I'd just take some big pliers or maybe even a vice grip (spelled correctly?).
But you may want to do it the gentle way and open the aerial after successful removal from the car. Maybe you're able to fix it. Sometimes it is possible.

Ellis-

the repair manual i have (bigass Blue BMW factory manual) shows a special wrench for that part. Ill put up a picture of the picture later today, but you need to have the aerial/antennae all the way down for it to work. The tool is quite ridiculous, and im sure near impossible to find, so your better off with a vise grip per wolf's reply...just be extra mindful of that filthy paint of yours!

-Jeff

Ellis, did you try backing off the top chrome nut first? That usually holds the internals and then go after the base...even with a bit of the mast sticking up you should be able to wiggle it out.

Here is a pic of the tool (it is in the center of the pic):

yeah i just used a vice grip on mine.....then got a new set of nuts ect.. for it..

are you saying your antenna stands too tall? at 6inches? mine is like 3 feet tall....my car looks like an rc car....

anyone fabbed up a small fixed rubber antenna for this car?

i think his is busted, and wont go down all the way, so it sticks up 6 inches when its 'all the way down'

Mine sticks up like 8 inches when its 'all the way down', im just lazy and need to fix other things before that haha

Thats it Todd, funky looking tool...

-Jeff

I can't remember for sure, but I believe I used a pair of needle nose pliers that fit the slots, held from above, straight down into the slots and then turned them with a pair of channel lock pliers form the side.

The Antenna mast is replacable. As Joe said, the antenna mast can be removed by unscrewing the top nut and then turning on the radio while pulling the mast out. That should help to get at the slotted nut and getting the antenna motor out. Here is a link to an antenna repair describing it. I had the problem with the worn metal roller he shows. I was able to turn the roller around so that the nylon antenna tail rode against the unworn edge of the roller:
http://www.davebarnhart.com/mb300e/antenna.htm

This same link has some interesting info, there is a guy that repairs antennas and he sells all of the parts.

The link to the Shop selling the antenna parts:
http://www.geocities.com/odemer@sbcglobal.net/Hirschmann.html

A Caveat about the shop and a feel for the prices of the parts:
http://www.mercedesshop.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=126645

Parts listing and Exploded View:
http://bigcoupe.com/ims/pic.php?u=21GvpX2&i=299

That's great fellas, thanks very much all of you, I appreciate all your responses and suggestions. Much more advice than I anticipated!! :thumbup:

As Jeff said, its busted and won't go all the way down, so the 6 inches stays up when fully retracted. I rarely notice it when I'm in the car, the aerial's in one of those convenient blind spots, but my mate Paul keeps giving me a hard time about it and I'm succumbing to peer pressure!

I'm glad there is a special tool for this after all, thanks for the image Todd. I felt like a right 'tool' not being able to get it undone, but the needle-nose pliers is a good idea and definitely sounds like the go. Those scratches on the black are from me trying with a vice grip, but if I can get the thing out in one piece and look at it I'll do that, the top chrome nut undoes okay so hopefully I can get the aerial out without cutting it up. That little BMW logo on the bottom section is one of those nice, finer details! That exploded view is great too, thanks very much.

I've already bought a generic aftermarket aerial as I figured this was a ten minute job. I've done it before on the green car a couple of times, that blind spot had me backing into the garage on more than one occasion without the roller-door all the way up and damaging a few aerials in the past. But then I realised that the aerial on the green car was an aftermarket one to begin with so it didn't have this pesky black circle clip to contend with. Check this old pic, you can see the aerial hanging loose, makes the car look fast even when sitting still hey!!

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t120/mre635/moneybags/mbg98_090.jpg


I contemplated the short stubby black aerial for the green car given my repeat offender action with the garage door, but I decided against it as I figured that would look obviously aftermarket. The green car is a chrome fest anyway so a silver aerial seems right, but I certainly understand the RC comparison Andrew :lol3, so something black and tough would probably suit a black car.

I'll let ya know how I go! :thumbup:

Regards,
Ellis.

from HIRSCHMAN (and may be also BOSCH) you can actually get an aerial with a black telescope. HIRSCHMAN is top of the line when it comes to aerials and IMO better than BOSCH.

Wow!

Thanks Ellis for starting this.

I have been puttering with mine as well, and I cannot get the damn #12 part dislodged from the backing. I am paranoid to break a tab and have to replace that too. Has anyone had any experience with tricks, or tips to pull that black cover off? It is as if it is glued on.

I can pry, but, I just dont want to break anything.

Off topic.

For SESF, who is doing the concours show? I just got the email today and I am skeptical that I should show.

Adam

the black cover is not glued on - just secured with those clamps. But there is a rubber seal underneath which might have gotten quite sticky with the years. Use some gentle force and you'll be OK.
Wolf

For SESF, who is doing the concours show? I just got the email today and I am skeptical that I should show.

Adam

Do it! If you are skeptical, enter the car in the 'clean' judging section, i mean why not if the car was used for a magazine spread as joe stated in another thread. I wish i would be able to enter my car, but i need a character class, or perhaps the...shows best room for improvement or something haha

-Jeff

I reckon you should definitely enter. Everyone should, why not, whaddya got to lose!!?? You're there, your car's are all going to be looking the best they've ever been, and whether you win anything or not doesn't matter, its about being there with all those other sharks showing the world how awesome these cars are!

I know its a hassle having to commute all that way and the mess the cars will get in to just doing that long drive, but even so, even if you're not entering I know you're still gonna make your car the best it can be, what with all those other Sixers around!

No doubt there'll be some owners there with concourse cars, unloading their vehicles off prime movers wearing white gloves and facemasks so as not to tarnish their rarely driven garage queens, but hey, you guys use your cars and enjoy them, and that's what its all about.

Even if your car isn't perfect, who's is?? Its great to see an immaculate & pristine example, but we've all got flaws in our cars, and 20+ years of driving will be taken into consideration with the judging. Give your car the privilege of looking the best its ever been and enter it in the show-n-shine, you know it deserves it! Its not about winning, its about participating, and what have you got to lose anyway!! :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: Yeah!!

Hoorah Ellis! I want you on my team!! I agree with you...cept that there are those cars.. like mine, that need some wheel arch work, has a slightly oddball interior, homegrown exhaust and generally is more like a hungry junkyard dog on a short chain than the other more pristine examples. You see I DON'T want my car getting too too close to any garage queen lest it here stories from the others about heated garages, cushy padded floors and getting bathed on a regular basis. Know what I mean? Plus my cars got an attitude about pretty bitches and I definately don't want to be accused of any illegit contact that might promote thoughts of rusty offspring!! No I think 'ol OTTO will probably be parked in the shade somewhere to cool his heels after a long run down. That'll leave me time to do a bit of staring, carousing and generally good time it for a while... :evil2

the black cover is not glued on - just secured with those clamps. But there is a rubber seal underneath which might have gotten quite sticky with the years. Use some gentle force and you'll be OK.
Wolf

I'll give it another try. I used my flathead to try to pry the tabs off, but, they were really tight.

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w245/lsixer/P1010437.jpg

Does anyone know if the tabs are all the way around the box?

I'll give it another try. I used my flathead to try to pry the tabs off, but, they were really tight.

Does anyone know if the tabs are all the way around the box?

Yes, the tabs are on all sides. Take the antenna out of the car and IIRC, I had to use multiple small screwdrivers to hold a tab out while I went to the next.