Removing the Mast:  

1. Remove your rear tire and the the splash pan that is under the rear quarter panel.  On some models the tail light can be removed as well in order to get to the power unit.
    

2. Now unbolt the power unit from the car, generally held on by two bolts at the bottom and a upper mount on some models
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3.   Remove the special nut at the top of the antenna. ( by turning counter clockwise, looking down at it )
   

 

4.    Then as you have someone turning the radio on, and as the mast begins or tries to come up, ... grab hold of it and assist it out as the power unit feeds the mast out, taking note which direction the teeth on the plastic cable are facing ( the teeth will face either toward the front or the rear of your car )  so you know which way the new mast cable is to face when you put it in .... If you are not sure which way the teeth face, note that the teeth face the main gear assembly when the mast is inserted into the storage drum, .. determine which way the teeth will be by looking at your power unit, again it will always face the main drive gear assembly.
   
       Make sure that the short outer grounding/retaining sleeve ( as what is on the outer portion of NEW antenna mast ) [ See PHOTO 1 Below ] has come out with the old mast,  this is very important, as this is what holds the antenna mast in when the nut is fastened, as it holds down the mast
   
       IF the old mast and grounding/retaining sleeve are out then proceed with STEP 6 below ....... If you cant get the mast out proceed with the STEP 5 below.
   
   
   
   Photo is not of the actual sleeve, but is a general view of one.
   
   PHOTO 1
   
    

5.    If at this time you can’t pull the mast out and it seems to be stuck, more than likely the grounding/retaining sleeve is corroded to the top of the antenna Storage Tube where it does its job holding in the mast and giving it reception. Being that this part doesn't move, after time it corrodes its self in its position.  Many people think that the tabs on the sleeve hold it in, this is not true, they are there to give the mast reception only, period. ...
      What we found that works best in removing a stuck mast is cut the largest mast tube 1 inch from the top of the largest section of the mast, so you can fill the hollow of it with a drill bit so that when you put a vise grip on that mast it will not collapse.  By doing this it also allows you to put major force on the vice grip so you can now take a hammer and hit the vise grip in such a way so you can hit the mast out.  If at this time the old mast comes out proceed with installing a mast below Step 6.
   
   
   
   
   
   Installing the Mast:
    

6.   Compare the old mast with the new one,  the length of the white teethed cable MUST be the same length of the one you took out of your power unit ( DO NOT CUT THE NEW MAST CABLE ) .... If the cable is not the same length, then you probably have a broken piece left in your power unit .... If the cable is shorter proceed with Step 5 .... If the over all Collapse length of the stainless portion of the new mast and diameter are the same with the old mast, along with the white cable length continue with Step 6.
    

7.   There are occasions where the antenna cable breaks off in the power unit and this will not allow the replacement mast to be pulled in all the way, because the storage drum can only hold enough cable for one mast. Simply remove the cover at the bottom of the power unit, the grab the drum and remove any broken cable that is in there.  Put the drum back in and the cover, and you are ready for the installation of the mast.
    

8.  Insert the new mast cable into the top of the power antenna tube with the teeth facing toward the direction that it was when you removed the broken mast ... ( SEE PHOTO BELOW ) Then have someone turn the radio off,.. as the power unit begins to pull the new mast in, guide the new antenna into the power unit, as it pulls the mast down into the power unit, it may on the first try not pull the mast all the way down, don’t worry, install the grounding sleeve and the outer nut and turn the radio on and off a few times as this will center the new antenna mast. then, "Voila!   The mast is installed."