By Andrew Maier (White96disco) on Friday, October 05, 2001 - 06:01 am: Edit

Hi there again...How does one go about replacing the original radio antenna in a 96 Disco? I'd prefer to avoid a power antenna if at possible.

Any pics? DIY Instructions? Anything else?

By rob on Friday, October 05, 2001 - 06:32 am: Edit

It's supposed to be pretty staright forward. You have to peel back the internal firewall on the inside of the engine compartment which will expose the connection to the antenna. Unscrew to old one and put in the new one.

By Mike J. (Mudd) on Friday, October 05, 2001 - 06:33 am: Edit

PITA!
Well it's not so bad but you have to mostly remove the fender, pull out the glove box and...
while the box is out try rerouting your alarm antenna wire it is so much better with more range.
Mike J.

By Andrew Vick (Afv) on Friday, October 05, 2001 - 07:33 am: Edit

Firewall? Fender? All I did was remove the right front wheel well, pull out the old and snake in the new. You do have to get behind the stereo by flipping down the glove box, but it's not so bad once you know what to expect.

Power is not mandatory either, and about $100 less.

By rob on Friday, October 05, 2001 - 10:15 am: Edit

Listen to Andrew he sounds like he knows what he is talking about.

By Scott Bowden (Scott_Bowden) on Friday, October 05, 2001 - 04:04 pm: Edit

It is alot easier than you might think. There is a plastic panel between the inner fenderwell and the fender. It is held on with plastic push pins like a door panel. remove it and there is the antenna. Then pull the lower dash cover panel (same push pins), drop the front of the glove box down (use your fingers to lift the spring retainers up out of the slots, use a small torx driver to remove the screws on the front of radio if you can not get to the antenna cable. Tape a 4-5 foot section of wire to the end of antenna cable, overlapping about 6". Identify route of cable, pull cable out, feeding and manuvering as necessary. There might be a grommet under the hood. Tape new antenna cable to wire and pull, feed and manuvere back to original location.
You can use a power antenna from Pep Boys for about $40. Wire it up so you can lower the antenna with the radio on, using a switch, directions are on the package. The hole on the top of the fender will probably need to be dremeled out larger. I like the set-up, seems to work fine.

By jay caragay (Jcaragay) on Saturday, October 06, 2001 - 12:29 pm: Edit

Sounds simple enough and a problem that I need to correct as well.

Is the LR Factory antenna the way to go or are there alternatives?

By tc on Saturday, October 06, 2001 - 02:57 pm: Edit

Andrew/Rob,

I have a 96 disco. I just spent last 2 hours trying to take off the right front wheel well so I can replace the antenna. There is no way you can remove those push pins without breaking them and those push pins are nothing like the one on the door panel. Do you have to use a special tool for that or I am just stupid? Please help. Thanks.

By Jake on Saturday, October 06, 2001 - 03:58 pm: Edit

Having broken several antennas on my D1, I find it just as easy to remove the fender bolts. All on top and all but the bottom one on the back (door) side. antenna is right there and I don't have to mess with that access panel on the fenderwell. I never could get it to come off due to grime and stuff. I can do the fender bit and change the antenna in about 45 minutes.

By Slider on Sunday, October 07, 2001 - 04:46 am: Edit

Andrew?..Are you replacing it to get better reception? I'd like to know if it does improve reception, and what antenna, if diff. from stock, are you using?

Signed
RECEPTION SUCKS
Slider

By tc on Sunday, October 07, 2001 - 08:53 am: Edit

FYI. The only way to remove those psuh pins so you can remove the wheelwell is to do it from inside the engine compartment. 2 of them you can get to fairly easy but for the rest of them, you will have to remove the battery and other parts. 3 of them you will have to drill it out because you just can't get to it. So, remove the fender is the easiest way. I just found out the hardway.

By Andrew Vick (Afv) on Sunday, October 07, 2001 - 12:52 pm: Edit

TC:

That Sucks! Sorry I have't checked in this weekend, and I could have been more clear. The 3 or 4 rivets in the fender well have to be drilled out, but the pushpins are easy, from the outside, by turning the steering wheel to get the tire out of the way. The pushpins have a central pin, which once pushed, releases the rest of the assembly. All you have to do is make sure you keep all the little bits together. Better luck next time, and I hope you didn't spend your whole weekend fighting something so stupid.

By W.A.Molnar on Tuesday, October 09, 2001 - 09:29 pm: Edit

I replaced my antenna when I bought my '94 Disco. Had little problem with the plastic thingies: Pull the center pin out and then use a "fork" to pull the remainder. I was a bit pushed for time so I cut the antenna coax and used TV system coax connectors and a double male connector (cheap at radio shack). I already had a coax crimping tool so that was one cost that I didn't repay. I used vulcanizing (waterseal) electrical tape (rated at 600volts) and covered that with regular PVC tape. Have had no problems since.

By Richard Dekkard on Tuesday, October 09, 2001 - 09:52 pm: Edit

am i incredibly blind, or does the 97 d1 not have an external antenna?

By gp (Garrett) on Wednesday, October 10, 2001 - 02:51 am: Edit

you got it. its in the rear window.

damn leprechauns took mine off my '96.

By Leslie N. Bright (Leslie) on Wednesday, October 10, 2001 - 02:53 am: Edit

No, you're not 'entirely' blind.

The antenna is on the side windows at the back of the truck (the windows on which you put all of the stickers).

Nice thing is that it is one less thing to bust when running through the bushes....


-L

By Leslie N. Bright (Leslie) on Wednesday, October 10, 2001 - 02:54 am: Edit

Doh! Garrett, you jumped in there while I was hunting for the icons...

-L