2001 C70-coupe: retractable antenna broken

docstork · Post by **docstork** » 30 Dec 2013, 14:13

I have what appears to be a common problem with the Volvo auto-retractable antennas, and I thought I knew the fix, but I'm stuck.

Recently I have heard a one minute or so clicking noise after the radio is turned on and the antenna extends all the way up. Then when the radio is turned off, or the engine is turned off, the noise returns but the antenna does NOT retract. If I am quick enough getting out of the car and gently start the mast down it will retract all the way.

I assume that either the very end of the plastic zip cord on the antenna mast is broken off, or the last few teeth on the zip cord are stripped. I obtained an inexpensive replacement mast but cannot get it installed. I have removed the external mounting nut, but when the mast extends all the way I cannot pull it off (perhaps I am afraid to pull too hard). When I inspected the motor inside the trunk wall I got a surprise. I was under the impression that the drum holding the retracted zip cord was closed with a nut (as per some videos on the motor installed in 850's); but on my car the drum is closed with a rivet. And the plastic drain tube appears to be on single piece of plastic tubing that dives down into the left rear fender where I cannot easily follow it. I could remove the entire motor if forced to, but it does not look like I can take it apart if I do get it out.

So questions --

(1) How hard do you have to pull on the antenna mast to remove it in this circumstance? Or is this even an option? I don't want to break the whole thing and then not be able to feed a new mast into the motor.

(2) Is there a way to take apart the antenna motor, or do I have to replace the entire assembly on the C70 coupe?

(3) If all this is to difficult, is there a reasonable replacement, non-retractable antenna for the C70 coupe?

Thanks for any advice.

rubyvette · Post by **rubyvette** » 05 Jan 2014, 21:26

Any luck yet? I just picked up the same car to fix up and sell. It appears that the mast, or the top of it, is missing. I can hear the motor working when the radio is turned on and for a while when it's shut off. I just haven't made it to that yet. Been busy on the front of the car for now. I will post again when I get to it. It should be pretty soon as I need this out of my garage ASAP.

Post by **MoVolvos** » 05 Jan 2014, 22:40

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docstork wrote:
the antenna does NOT retract. If I am quick enough getting out of the car and gently start the mast down it will retract all the way.

I assume that either the very end of the plastic zip cord on the antenna mast is broken off, or the last few teeth on the zip cord are stripped. I obtained an inexpensive replacement mast but cannot get it installed. I have removed the external mounting nut, but when the mast extends all the way I cannot pull it off (perhaps I am afraid to pull too hard).

So questions --

(1) How hard do you have to pull on the antenna mast to remove it in this circumstance? Or is this even an option? I don't want to break the whole thing and then not be able to feed a new mast into the motor.

Just installed this eBay Antenna this evening - It is labeled a URO Brand

Volvo 2/7/8/9/S Series Sedan Antenna Mast - Brand New
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Volvo-2-7-8-9-S ... 4947514%26

Everywhere I've looked including the Instructions on the package says to just Pull and Play but unfortunately you have to remove the Antenna from the car and practically disassemble the entire unit to get the broken Antenna out - The Mast in the Shaft and Broken Toothed Gear in the motor housing. The Antenna is inserted from the bottom of the Tube after you remove the 2 small screws and separated the Shaft from the Motor Housing.

On top of that due to inside design you have to wind it manually into the Motor Housing (after you opened it up) that hold the Antenna with Mast down as the inside design also allowed the Gear to get stuck as soon as it winds in. Had I known it was not Pull and Play I would of have done a Tutorial but it got dark and cold while trying to work on it in the trunk so I took all the pieces back into the garage. Had to get a helper as it was difficult to wind the Gear manually into the Housing especially after Lithium Greasing it.

The reason yours will only go down Manually is that a section of the Gear is broken inside and too short. Mine had two sections broken.

I will see if I have time to redo the whole thing as a Tutorial as it was a pain trying to figure it out besides having to basically disassemble the entire unit.

Blessings,

BKM

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Post by **MoVolvos** » 06 Jan 2014, 00:17

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Not a Tutorial nor best Instructions but found this photo (fair use) on eBay for illustration. Won't have time to do a proper Tutorial (don't want to accidentally break it either

)

: Antenna.JPG (148.15 KiB) Viewed 3437 times

Image is from http://www.ebay.com/itm/VOLVO-S70-1999- ... d5&vxp=mtr

Blessings,

BKM

_

Post by **erikv11** » 06 Jan 2014, 01:32

I can suggest these 850 tutorials; perhaps it hasn't changed much, they will get you started anyway. There are a lot of posts on this site about taking apart the antenna motor, some searching might help you out too.

https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/tag/antenna-mast

c70_lindsay · Post by **c70_lindsay** » 06 Jan 2014, 14:18

I've had my C70 for three years, I didn't know the antennas were supposed to retract. lol

Post by **rspi** » 06 Jan 2014, 16:35

Post by **MoVolvos** » 07 Jan 2014, 00:16

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From looking at rspi's video there are 2 types of antennas. One where you can insert from the top as in rspi's video and another where you have to separate the Aluminum Mast Tube from the Motor Housing and insert from the bottom of the Mast Tube.

Blessings,

BKM

_

Post by **cn90** » 07 Jan 2014, 08:01

- I leave my antenna attached.
- Turn off the radio so the antenna is retracted.
- Go to the trunk and d/c the electrical connector (where the antenna gets the signal to go up and down).

Now my antenna is always retracted down.
AM/FM reception is excellent 99.9999% of the time when the car is "outdoor".
The downside is when I am in an underground parking, the AM/FM reception is no good but who cares, this happens to less than 0.0001% of the time.

This way I don't have to deal with the antenna going up and down and vandalized by kids (when the antenna fails to retract).

This business of antenna going up and down is old school, most modern cars have shark fin etc.