'99 S70 - Power Antenna Travel

Post by **E Showell** » 10 Mar 2015, 07:01

Should the power antenna on a '99 S70 retract all the way so that it is almost flush with the top of the rear fender, or should the last 10" or so be left sticking up? Right now, I've got the last 10" exposed, which looks a little fragile.

If it is supposed to retract all the way, any suggestions on how to make that happen other than cleaning and lubrication of the antenna mast?

Post by **Juan62** » 10 Mar 2015, 11:29

It should be flush. I have replaced mine three times since 1998, and have learned the teeth must be set inside the mechanical gear housing perfectly. What I did is open the gear casing, insert the antenna end until it reached the gear to catch. Re-attach the gear case, connect the wiring, turn on the radio, and it should be set. With the radio turned off (no key), re-mount the antenna motor to its original configuration. Turn on radio, it should extend all the way up, turn off the radio and it should retract all the way down.

Hope that helps.

Post by **E Showell** » 10 Mar 2015, 11:37

Thanks, Juan. I'm thinking I have a different problem. It looks as though the antenna might be bent ever so slightly which I am guessing will keep it from retracting all the way. Curiously, the middle section only extends about 3" while the tip goes up about 10-12". I cleaned and lubed the mast with PB blaster which removed a lot of dirt/oxidation, but didn't appreciably increase the travel of the middle section.

Has anybody had luck (from a quality of radio reception standpoint) with replacing the stock antenna with a rubberized fixed whip antenna? If so, which rubberized antenna did you use?

Post by **dosbricks** » 10 Mar 2015, 13:49

I eliminated the recurring hassle of the power unit with this 31" powder coated black whip.
http://www.autozone.com/electrical-and- ... id=5636220

31" is ideal for FM reception. I modified it to use the original exterior base on the S70 and it looks more updated than the original. It works for us because we never take our cars to automated car washes. IMHO, those rubberized flexible antennas look funky.

Post by **FLXC90** » 10 Mar 2015, 14:03

Does it extend all the way up? normally, if they don't retract fully, the gear strip is broken, and the only fix for that is mast/strip replacement. (see Robert's video) The masts are $10-20 on Amazon. I found a good JY one for $10. And it IS that easy.

Post by **E Showell** » 10 Mar 2015, 14:16

Doesn't appear to go all the way up. The tip raises about 10-12" and the middle section rises about 3" or so. I'm thinking the middle section is just dirty. I've been spraying and wiping with PB Blaster, but no joy so far.

doogandougie · Post by **doogandougie** » 04 May 2015, 21:40

Should you be able to hear the motor attempting to move the antenna? I've checked the fuse, and removed the antenna. The cord and gears all appear to be fine. This is on a 1998 S70, I'd assume most of these are the same.