Aerial issues

[Spruce1990]

Me again! This bargain MR2 is turning out to be exactly what I paid for! So now the aerial is stuck. For a short while, the motor whirred but couldn't move the aerial without assistance. Now it seems the aerial doesn't move at all (I imagine that I could push it in, but I don't think it'll come out) The aerial does have a slight bend to it and I have a feeling that, when it had first got stuck, some wd40 might have sorted it but I think its past that now! As the motor still whirrs (annoyingly, but also is there a chance it could overheat and burn?) I'd like to disconnect power to it. At the same time, I'd like to replace the huge aerial that makes it look like an RC car with something more subtle! Any suggestions? I've found a few things on the forum about stubby aerials not working too well?

[Justin.D]

Stubby aerials need some sort of booster or amplifier - full length ones like stock on the MR2 doesn't. Many who have fitted the stubby ones haven't fitted the booster so that's why a poor signal

When I first got mine I had the same issues as you. I removed the aerial motor (there's a How To, I'll edit the link in) and replaced the shaft (I'll find a link to one)

Edit - Aerial assembly - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Toyota-Power-Aerial-Antenna-Hilux-Surf-96-05-4Runner-AM-FM-Radio-Mast-Tooth-Cord/162943414876?fits=Car+Make%3AToyota&epid=0&hash=item25f02f325c:g:8NAAAOSwn3Vap5IY

How to - The pics have suffered the photobucket scandal but hopefully will give an idea - https://www.mr2roc.org/forum/index.php?topic=30031.0

[paulj]

If you just want to stop it working while you work out options, the aerial motor relay is a small box under the drivers side compartment bin.  Pull the wiring out of it and everything will stop!

[Justin.D]

I may have given a duff link above - My aerial has 6 sections, the one in the link has 5. I don't know if this makes a difference, but better come clean

One with 6 sections here - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BIG-SALE-GENUINE-OEM-AERIAL-MAST-TOYOTA-MR2-MK2-5-REV2-5-ROADSTER-ON-BACK-WING/113218421696?hash=item1a5c5803c0:g:kmYAAMXQ3kRQ8Jtp

[Spruce1990]

If you just want to stop it working while you work out options, the aerial motor relay is a small box under the drivers side compartment bin.  Pull the wiring out of it and everything will stop!

Is it literally the only wiring in there?

[Spruce1990]

I may have given a duff link above - My aerial has 6 sections, the one in the link has 5. I don't know if this makes a difference, but better come clean

One with 6 sections here - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BIG-SALE-GENUINE-OEM-AERIAL-MAST-TOYOTA-MR2-MK2-5-REV2-5-ROADSTER-ON-BACK-WING/113218421696?hash=item1a5c5803c0:g:kmYAAMXQ3kRQ8Jtp

No worries! I hadn't got round to looking at the links yet, so no probs! Thanks for your help

[paulj]

Is it literally the only wiring in there?

As far as I can remember, yes!

[Spruce1990]

Stubby aerials need some sort of booster or amplifier - full length ones like stock on the MR2 doesn't. Many who have fitted the stubby ones haven't fitted the booster so that's why a poor signal

When I first got mine I had the same issues as you. I removed the aerial motor (there's a How To, I'll edit the link in) and replaced the shaft (I'll find a link to one)

Edit - Aerial assembly - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Toyota-Power-Aerial-Antenna-Hilux-Surf-96-05-4Runner-AM-FM-Radio-Mast-Tooth-Cord/162943414876?fits=Car+Make%3AToyota&epid=0&hash=item25f02f325c:g:8NAAAOSwn3Vap5IY

How to - The pics have suffered the photobucket scandal but hopefully will give an idea - https://www.mr2roc.org/forum/index.php?topic=30031.0

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Car-Aerial-Antenna-Booster-Amplifier/dp/B004SO5FUE/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8 is this the type of aerial booster I'd need? Looks a bit ebay "performance" chip to me!