'93 antenna help

[enzo302]

My friend has a '93 Camry with a power antenna, I'm trying to remove the antenna so that I can repair it. But I cannot figure out how to remove the assembly from the car. Any help on how to remove the antenna assembly from the car would be appreciated.

[Dave's]

Well, you have to unscrew the chrome piece with the 4 slots in it around the base of the mast (perferably with something which doesn't damage the chrome). From inside the trunk you have to use something (there's a speciality tool but one or two wonder bars work pretty good) to pop out the round plastic lining retainers and fold back or remove the lining to remove 2 (?) bolts (10mm?) (I think) and a wiring harness. Careful with the retainers, they break pretty easily. (But you can buy similar replacements at an auto parts store. HELP is one brand.) However, if you only need to replace the mast, then (I think you still have to remove the chrome piece) just pull up on it as someone turns on the radio to start the mast up. It should come right out. Start the new one in and turn off the radio so it pulls the new one in. It's been awhile but that's how I remember it. (Not sure about removing the chrome piece for mast replacement.) Hope this helps.

[enzo302]

I tried turning the chrome piece but it only spun, it didnt come out. I need to remove the whole thing because I think that there is a broken gear or something since the mast dosn't go up or down, but you can hear the motor turning.

[Dave's]

The mast has a plastic flexible rod with teeth on one side and they strip. That's why you pull out the mast and replace it. If you hear the motor running then this may be all you need. Sometimes the mast breaks and then you may or may not need to pull the unit out and disassemble to remove broken piece. The chrome piece is just a fancy 'nut' screwed to the housing and doesn't come out. But if you unscrew it far enough you should be able to lift it up. I'm sure if you do a search you can find many threads on this which may give better info. This has been discussed to death which is probably why others aren't responding. Masts are $20 or less. Try looking on ebay or such to see what one looks like so you get an idea of what you're dealing with. Good luck.

[Mike Gerber]

Originally Posted by enzo302

I tried turning the chrome piece but it only spun, it didnt come out. I need to remove the whole thing because I think that there is a broken gear or something since the mast dosn't go up or down, but you can hear the motor turning.

That chrome bezel piece with the 2 slots should just underscrew. Try lifting it a bit as you are turning it. You can try using a needle nose pliers. Once that is off, follow Dave's instructions to remove the motor assembly. Chances are you only need to replace the mast, since you said you can hear the motor turning. At the base of the mast are some gear teeth on one side of a nylon strip. Chances are those teeth are stripped. They are replaced as part of a new mast. You can disassemble the motor housing to remove the mast and attached gear teeth. Then put everything back together and reinstall the assembly back in the car, without the mast or the chrome bezel. You can get an aftermarket replacement mast for the generation 3 Camry at Pep Boys for around $16-$17. The dealer charges around $45 for one. Once you have the assembly back in the car with the chrome bezel still off, have someone turn the radio off from inside the car while you feed the new nylon toothed portion of the mast in to the assembly from on top of the rear fender area. The teeth on the nylon gear portion of the mast need to face foreward. The new mast will be drawn in to the assembly. Once the mast is drawn in, just replace the chrome bezel and you are done.

On second thought, you may be able to remove the old mast without removing the whole assembly. Just remove the chrome bezel and have someone turn the radio on. You can probably pull the old mast out from above as long as you hear the motor turning. If not, then you will need to remove the whole assembly form the car and disassemble it to remove the mast, as described above.

You can download the generation 3 manual stickied at the top of the General Camry Discussion Forum. It will have these instructions along with a few illustrations, but it is essentially as I have described.

Mike