Questions and Answers

Honda Accord Antenna Mast Q. Hi, I am trying to install an antenna mast on a 1994 Honda Accord EX, I got the nut off and am unable to pull out the old antenna as instructed it just won't come out and the radio is on and now it is getting bent and not going back in as far as it did before! How can I get out the old antenna without breaking it? It all seemed so easy in the instructions but it is not working. Thanks for any help, Bobby

A. There is a little trick to replacing an antenna mast. You get the radio to do most of the work for you.

Turn the key to the ACCY position and turn the radio off. Remove the Special Nut, Spacer and Bushing and turn the radio on. The antenna motor will spit the plastic gear out for you. Make note of which way the teeth of the plastic gear are facing. Leave the radio on.

To put the new mast in, you will need an assistant to turn the radio off. Orient the plastic gear teeth in the same direction the old one came out. Have your assistant turn the radio OFF. You will hear the motor run and you can feed the gear into the motor. Once the motor grabs the plastic gear, it will draw it in. Don't worry it did not go completely in at this point.

If it doesn't grab the first time, just turn the radio on again and try again.

Replace the Special Nut, Spacer and Bushing and tighten it. Don't go crazy here or you will strip the Special Nut. Snug is all it has to be. Now cycle the radio ON and OFF and the mast will move fully up and fully down.

Added 3/17/2004

Hi. I finally got the mast replaced and thought I'd pass along what my problem was since it wasn't as easy the instructions. The gold colored piece at the bottom of the mast had corroded and was stuck inside that's why it wouldn't just pop out as it should. I had to break off the antenna and remove the motor and mast from inside the trunk/fender in order to get the piece out.

At least I could do all that without replacing the motor which was fine. The new mast goes in almost all the way, just sticks up about an inch. Much better than before! Thanks for having your site it's great for us not so great do it yourselfers especially with the new technology there is getting less and less we can do!

Bobby