How to remove stock manual antenna?
#22
![Default](https://www.miataturbo.net/images/icons/icon1.gif)
i would just sawzall that ******* antenna from the bottom. i know what your going thru. mine wouldn't come off either. it started to spin the whole thing and scrape my paint so i quit trying and just chopped my antenna mast down to the size of a prison shank. (and it's just as sharp and dangerous) prolly just rusted together.
i also have a problem taking the previous owners "cobra eyes" off the hood. i and all my friends have tried everything. i even grabbed some vise grips and tried to just rip them off the hood but that didn't do anything except nearly bend my hood into the shape of a couple nipples! i gave up on that too and sharpied the ******* things blk. and noone has noticed. can't wait to get rharris hood just for the fact that those ******* things will be out of my life!
i also have a problem taking the previous owners "cobra eyes" off the hood. i and all my friends have tried everything. i even grabbed some vise grips and tried to just rip them off the hood but that didn't do anything except nearly bend my hood into the shape of a couple nipples! i gave up on that too and sharpied the ******* things blk. and noone has noticed. can't wait to get rharris hood just for the fact that those ******* things will be out of my life!
#24
Cpt. Slow
![](/mt2011/images_td/ranks/supporter1.gif)
iTrader: (25)
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Oregon City, OR
Posts: 14,360
Total Cats: 1,184
![Default](https://www.miataturbo.net/images/icons/icon1.gif)
Oh. My. God. You can't get any more useless than you already are.
From left to right: Antenna assembly with plug, rubber gasket, angled plastic piece to match angle of quarter panel, metal nut with half asses screw driver slots in it.
![Name: photo2-5.jpg
Views: 4464
Size: 84.9 KB](https://www.miataturbo.net/attachments/general-miata-chat-9/202209d1501245554-how-remove-stock-manual-antenna-photo2-5.jpg)
Close up of antenna assembly and round metal nut. The antenna assembly (the part that's in the trunk) has two (2) sets of threads on it. The smaller upper threads are for the antenna that you've apparently already managed to get off in a feat of amazing mechanical skill on your part, and larger threads below it that the round metal nut screws on to.
![Name: photo-13.jpg
Views: 4653
Size: 48.8 KB](https://www.miataturbo.net/attachments/general-miata-chat-9/202210d1501245554-how-remove-stock-manual-antenna-photo-13.jpg)
Remove this metal nut, and the plastic angled piece and rubber gasket will come off, and along with the nut removed from the trunk, the rest of the assembly will fall out. The trick is to unscrew the metal nut without spinning the angled plastic piece, as that will result in scrapped paint. I believe Mazda intented something like this:
![](https://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:xbspZ2oEPq65dM:http://images.toolbarn.com/catalog/product/cache/6/small_image/135x135/5e06319eda06f020e43594a9c230972d/4/0/401680-00.jpg)
to be used to remove the nut, however a pipe wrench will work fine, perhaps with a rag to protect the metal nut, if you ever intend on putting it back on.
Please print these pictures and instructions and hand them to your grandmother, as I'm sure even she is more mechanically inclined than you.
From left to right: Antenna assembly with plug, rubber gasket, angled plastic piece to match angle of quarter panel, metal nut with half asses screw driver slots in it.
![Name: photo2-5.jpg
Views: 4464
Size: 84.9 KB](https://www.miataturbo.net/attachments/general-miata-chat-9/202209d1501245554-how-remove-stock-manual-antenna-photo2-5.jpg)
Close up of antenna assembly and round metal nut. The antenna assembly (the part that's in the trunk) has two (2) sets of threads on it. The smaller upper threads are for the antenna that you've apparently already managed to get off in a feat of amazing mechanical skill on your part, and larger threads below it that the round metal nut screws on to.
![Name: photo-13.jpg
Views: 4653
Size: 48.8 KB](https://www.miataturbo.net/attachments/general-miata-chat-9/202210d1501245554-how-remove-stock-manual-antenna-photo-13.jpg)
Remove this metal nut, and the plastic angled piece and rubber gasket will come off, and along with the nut removed from the trunk, the rest of the assembly will fall out. The trick is to unscrew the metal nut without spinning the angled plastic piece, as that will result in scrapped paint. I believe Mazda intented something like this:
![](https://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:xbspZ2oEPq65dM:http://images.toolbarn.com/catalog/product/cache/6/small_image/135x135/5e06319eda06f020e43594a9c230972d/4/0/401680-00.jpg)
to be used to remove the nut, however a pipe wrench will work fine, perhaps with a rag to protect the metal nut, if you ever intend on putting it back on.
Please print these pictures and instructions and hand them to your grandmother, as I'm sure even she is more mechanically inclined than you.
#25
![Default](https://www.miataturbo.net/images/icons/icon1.gif)
Dude its ******* held in with like 3 bolts, a wire running to the front of the car and thats about it, once unbolted you have to finagle it around so it come out of the hole.
if you don't care about it then just beast it and break it.
if you ever get it out, mazda sells an OEM antenna plug its like 3$ i have one and it seals fine
if you don't care about it then just beast it and break it.
if you ever get it out, mazda sells an OEM antenna plug its like 3$ i have one and it seals fine
#26
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posts: 963
Total Cats: -1
![Default](https://www.miataturbo.net/images/icons/icon1.gif)
GOT IT. Put a ton of masking tape around the antenna, took vise grips and ripped the plastic plug right out the quarter. Here are the pics of how it looks now with a new antenna.
![](https://lh3.ggpht.com/_uzUzVzeT3VA/Sw9jZQ0CzzI/AAAAAAAADSg/zF65bYDj-o8/s800/IMG_0590.JPG)
![](https://lh5.ggpht.com/_uzUzVzeT3VA/Sw9jZtWvn-I/AAAAAAAADSk/36fahUm3oe4/s800/IMG_0591.JPG)
the new antenna comes with a power wire for the built in amp, where is the best place to wire it to in the trunk? I dont want to wire it all the way to the radio or right to the battery.
the new antenna comes with a power wire for the built in amp, where is the best place to wire it to in the trunk? I dont want to wire it all the way to the radio or right to the battery.
#30
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posts: 963
Total Cats: -1
![Default](https://www.miataturbo.net/images/icons/icon1.gif)
What else I could do? It was caked in with old paint. It should comeout with out any trouble but because there was paint between the black gromet and the antenna I just broke the paint seal and pulled the antenna out.
#31
Elite Member
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Birmingham Alabama
Posts: 7,930
Total Cats: 45
![Default](https://www.miataturbo.net/images/icons/icon1.gif)
I know I have made more useless threads than this, but still...
![facepalm](https://www.miataturbo.net/images/smilies/facepalm.gif)
New antenna looks OK, but I would have just plugged it. My antenna has never picked up well for some reason anyway, neither the stock one or the replacement spiral cell phone style antenna. That rubber style antenna to me looks too modern like it should be on and S2000 or an NC, but not an NA. Just looks kind of out of place.
![facepalm](https://www.miataturbo.net/images/smilies/facepalm.gif)
New antenna looks OK, but I would have just plugged it. My antenna has never picked up well for some reason anyway, neither the stock one or the replacement spiral cell phone style antenna. That rubber style antenna to me looks too modern like it should be on and S2000 or an NC, but not an NA. Just looks kind of out of place.
#32
Cpt. Slow
![](/mt2011/images_td/ranks/supporter1.gif)
iTrader: (25)
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Oregon City, OR
Posts: 14,360
Total Cats: 1,184
![Default](https://www.miataturbo.net/images/icons/icon1.gif)
Before I completely removed it, I used to unscrew it for track days (for that extra .5 second a lap in aero smoothness and lightness!) and I wouldn't notice it was off for a week or two, only in remote areas would I notice the crappy reception. That was the difference between nothing and one of those $10 rubber antennas from GI joes.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
stoves
Suspension, Brakes, Drivetrain
5
04-21-2016 03:00 PM