Itasca 35 U Front Radio Antenna

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Pubtym

Pubtym

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 20, 2009
Posts
444
Location
Brandon, SD
I have a 2006 Itasca 35 U. The front radio (rubber stick) is located forward edge-center front. The antenna is loose in the topside surface mount and it appears that the base nut inside the roofline mount needs a 1/2 twist to tighten all up again. I recently tightened the CB antenna mount the same..inside mount nut..as it was accessible with a socket and long extension. Problem: The inside base antenna nut for the radio mount appears to be not accessible from either side or back of the center mounted overhead TV. Any ideas on how to tighten the base nut without removin the TV front wood trim?

Charlie
 
I would attempt to pull up on the antenna from the outside enough to hold the nut secure against the inside of the roof, then see if I could turn it enough to tighten it up.  If that doesn't work, then the hard way it is -- not just the trim but the TV too probably...

Good luck!!!
 
Hello Charlie,
On ours the TV wood trim comes off "easily"... there are two screws on each side of the wood that are accessible from the inside the left and right cabinets... Once these are removed, then the screws that hold the bottom trim board are accessible to separate from the plastic shroud.  I don't know if yours is the same and I didn't find these screws right away when I changed the TV out but in hindsight, it would have been easier than the steps I went through...

you might try some epoxy/silicon caulk on the roof to secure the antenna instead of going through this process to tighten the nut but I've never done either so I'm speculating.



Pubtym said:
I have a 2006 Itasca 35 U. The front radio (rubber stick) is located forward edge-center front. The antenna is loose in the topside surface mount and it appears that the base nut inside the roofline mount needs a 1/2 twist to tighten all up again. I recently tightened the CB antenna mount the same..inside mount nut..as it was accessible with a socket and long extension. Problem: The inside base antenna nut for the radio mount appears to be not accessible from either side or back of the center mounted overhead TV. Any ideas on how to tighten the base nut without removing the TV front wood trim?

Charlie
Click to expand...
 
afchap said:
I would attempt to pull up on the antenna from the outside enough to hold the nut secure against the inside of the roof, then see if I could turn it enough to tighten it up.  If that doesn't work, then the hard way it is -- not just the trim but the TV too probably...

Good luck!!!
Click to expand...

I think I'll try this approach first...OK..I pull up on the mount from the outside...and I turn it? (clockwise or counterclockwise) ???
 
No specific experience here, but clockwise would be normal to tighten.  I'd worry about too many turns if the nut doesn't hold with the pressure.  You could maybe twist the cable too much.
 
When I installed a cell phone antenna on my cap I removed the cabinet liner from one of the overhead cabinets and had great access to the underside of the cap.

The liner is held in place with a combination of screws and velcro on my coach.
 
Clay L said:
When I installed a cell phone antenna on my cap I removed the cabinet liner from one of the overhead cabinets and had great access to the underside of the cap.

The liner is held in place with a combination of screws and velcro on my coach.
Click to expand...

Left and right overhead in cabinets..yes...but center overhead over TV is a mouse hole!
 
Hello Charlie,

I just thought of another way... maybe / maybe not... but here goes...  try to figure out where the nut is located from the WB drawings that you can get online, or call WB service line.  If the diameter is larger than the rubber boot, then you could drill a very small hole through the roof (1/16" or less is preferable), then while the drill is through the nut you could turn the antenna clockwise 1/2 turn or less and the drill will hold the nut unless the torque gets too much, so take it easy.  Then, the real payoff, you can inject some caulking or epoxy into the hole, not only to keep the water out but to keep the nut from coming loose again. 

If the nut has a lock washer under it, the "pulling up on the antenna suggestion" is probably going to work, especially if you can raise the rubber boot up a little and get access to a hex... turn the antenna clockwise to tighten.

Another option which is more risky is to use a syringe to inject some epoxy into the hole and attempt to lock the threads with epoxy... kinda a long shot though.

I hope you don't have to remove the TV but if you do, I'd replace the CRT with a LCD unit while you're in there.

good luck!
 
taoshum said:
Hello Charlie,

I just thought of another way... maybe / maybe not... but here goes...   try to figure out where the nut is located from the WB drawings that you can get online, or call WB service line.  If the diameter is larger than the rubber boot, then you could drill a very small hole through the roof (1/16" or less is preferable), then while the drill is through the nut you could turn the antenna clockwise 1/2 turn or less and the drill will hold the nut unless the torque gets too much, so take it easy.  Then, the real payoff, you can inject some caulking or epoxy into the hole, not only to keep the water out but to keep the nut from coming loose again. 

If the nut has a lock washer under it, the "pulling up on the antenna suggestion" is probably going to work, especially if you can raise the rubber boot up a little and get access to a hex... turn the antenna clockwise to tighten.

Another option which is more risky is to use a syringe to inject some epoxy into the hole and attempt to lock the threads with epoxy... kinda a long shot though.

I hope you don't have to remove the TV but if you do, I'd replace the CRT with a LCD unit while you're in there.

good luck!
Click to expand...

Brilliant and creative ideas here..thanks..my senior mind would have never come up with these options. It's stopped raining here in Brandon, SD so this could be a day I wander up on the roof to consider further..

A driled hole to insert a small right angled allen wrench to turn and leverage against the inside base nut...Locktite too..

Thanks..will keep you updated..
Charlie
 
Fixed. I decided to pull the front TV wood trim to see if I could get access to bottom mount nut-antenna fastener. With the trim removed I had 5 inch clearance over the top of TV and direct reach access to the bottom of the radio antenna mount. The inside nut plate with antenna wire connection was serrated for grip on the inside surface of the roof. I went to the roof and cut away the caulking directly around the rubber stick mount piece. That enabled me to directly turn the mount/tighten it two turns. I completed the fix with a reseal/caulk of the rubber stick mount area.

In summary: There's no need to pull the TV or TV trim to tighten the forward center roof mounted radio antenna. Cutaway top caulk..twist tighten top antenna fitting..reseal caulk. 8)

Some things are more simple than the first appear.  This was one of them. ;D
 
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