Retractable antenna & repairing hood struts

[98SF19]

1. Retractable antenna's been grinding away for a week, so I yanked it and noticed that the toothed plastic cable that pushes/pulls the antenna up SNAPPED. I believe it happened a long time ago because it hadn't gone all the way up in years but was still extending/retracting. I think the antenna itself must have gotten rotated, which misaligned the teeth on the cable with the flywheel retracting it, resulting in about 30 seconds of a grinding sound when powering up or down the radio. The alignment of the cable with the flywheel is maintained by the spiraling of the cable up into the cylinder housing. When the cable pops, the antenna once extended is then free to spin, and thus uncoupling the cable from the flywheel. Not a big problem, but:

QUESTIONS: Has anybody successfully repaired or replaced this plastic cable? Which makes and models (F/L/M) use this part? There's a junkyard just up the street from me and I'm sure there are a few taurus's, sables, explorers, etc.

2. SHO Yoda sold me some used hood struts that work great. But I'd like to know if there's any hope for the old ones. Are they repairable? Any value at all? I'd like to know before I chunk 'em, especially considering that the used ones I have now will eventually fail.

[calvin0325]

You can replace the mast which has the plasitic piece with it, but will need the tool to take the nut off the top of the housing. Once you remove thenut you turn on the radio and the plastic will feed out all the way, once you have it all out you can insert the new piece and have somebody turn the radio off and the new piece will retract into the housing, then just reinstall the nut and you are done.

[Johnlemon]

"Antenna Masts R Us" sells OEM antenna masts for $20
don't know if I can link to it, so just google it. If for some reason you can't find the Taurus antenna mast page, pm me

pretty sure you cant repair worn hood struts, I just use some vice grips to hold up my hood.

[kevinspann]

The vice grips are a great idea.

[newshofan]

I still have the mast I purchased for my 95. The day I was going to put it in the car got totaled :(

Not sure if it will work for Gen 3.... I'd love to have it gone though

[98SF19]

I wish I'd found this before I took the whole unit out, although with my problem, I would have had to remove the motor and remove the bit of broken plastic cable anyway. So it looks like I can just reinstall the motor unit (after regreasing), turn on the radio and let the mast come straight up and out (assuming grounding sleave doesn't hang), let the motor stop, then feed in the new one oriented the right way (teeth facing aft) as someone turns the radio off. Here's the link:
(Thanks Calvin & John!)
http://www.antennamastsrus.com/Ford/...01996-2006.htm

[jimtash]

Don't need any special tools to take off the nut. A flat screwdriver and small mallet will do just fine. Just take extra care and tap it off slowly.

[luigisho]

I took mine off the GenIII and did the same thing you are doing. Not complicated. You can do this easily. The grease is kinda funky.

[98SF19]

Followed the directions above and ultimately this was easy, but only after spending 10 minutes yanking on the old antenna and then trying pliers. It didn't want to leave! It took me telling my son "We'll have to try something else" before the thing came out. I kid you not, it was within 10 seconds of me telling him. So anyway, radios back, but oh how I miss my CD player . . . <crickets.mp3> . . . for which I have yet to see a simple aftermarket solution. Plenty of threads on here and v8sho about folks cutting up the football or jamming something into where the ashtray is.

[toledogt]

My 98 power antenna stopped working during an ice storm. It has been in the up positon ever sense. I hear stories of "it's not easy". I would be willing to give this a try. The mast is slightly bent so i wonder how much those cost.
Next time i turn off the radio i will listen for the motor. Newshofan- Do you still have your mast?

[newshofan]

I have a brand new oem mast for a 95 still in box. The whole unit was taken out of my 96 before i bought it...i havent felt like purchasing a replacement unit to go in there yet....however i hate the look of that crappy ten dollar universal antenna thats on there now

[toledogt]

Now the question is.. Does a 95 ft a 98 antennea? I did listen to mine after i shut off the car. I can still here the motor running. If the 95 fits do you have all the parts that are mentioned in the link? And is it really not to difficult.