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Antenna swap tips or tricks? (Tricks on lowering the headliner?)

ewoo

ewoo

Rally Car Newbie
Location
Ken~tucky! Wahoo!
I'm planning to swap-out my bee-sting whip antenna for an OEM shark-fin type antenna. I managed to pull-out the rear-headliner trim piece and look under there...

I can reach underneath and undo the nut holding the antenna down but it's pretty tight. (I managed to scruff up my hand with all those nasty fiber-glass threads!) In addition, I can't seem to squeeze in a spanner in there. I also reviewed the service manuals and it seems that I have to take-apart practically the whole interior to properly lower the rear of the headliner.

Does anyone have any tricks or tips for this work? Any tips appreciated!
 
K

KaynE

FIA World Rally Car Champion
Location
So Cal
hmm.. I haven't tried anything like this.
But my first mod was a shorter antenna. I got it for free.
but really, I don't think anyone will notice the antenna anyway.
 
loccusst

loccusst

FIA GT Champion
Location
IA
Car(s)
MKV GTI
I was planning on taking mine down to put in a different XM antenna inside the shark fin for my aftermarket radio. I am assuming you already have the shark fin? Is the shark fin hollow or can it be taken apart to modify it inside. Also, you are gonna have to pop the sides in the pack so you can lower the headliner. It should not be necessary to dismantle the entire car unless the antenna cable goes to wards the front.
 
P

plac

GTI Master
Location
SF Bay Area, CA
The good thing is the sharkfins cables are only like 6" long at most. so the harnesses are right there. i havnt done it yet. but if i go to aftermarket SAT i might have to.
 
loccusst

loccusst

FIA GT Champion
Location
IA
Car(s)
MKV GTI
I had heard that the shark fins have the thermometer in them for the temp sensor......not sure though.
 
K

Kirium

Go Kart Champion
Location
Canberra, AUS
loccusst said:
I had heard that the shark fins have the thermometer in them for the temp sensor......not sure though.
Click to expand...

That doesn't sound right. I don't have the sharkfin and my car still tells me the temp.

I think you'll find it's down in the front bumper. They also rely on airflow over them for an accurate reading.
 
ewoo

ewoo

Rally Car Newbie
Location
Ken~tucky! Wahoo!
loccusst said:
I was planning on taking mine down to put in a different XM antenna inside the shark fin for my aftermarket radio. I am assuming you already have the shark fin? Is the shark fin hollow or can it be taken apart to modify it inside. Also, you are gonna have to pop the sides in the pack so you can lower the headliner. It should not be necessary to dismantle the entire car unless the antenna cable goes to wards the front.
Click to expand...

I don't have satellite so the shark-fin is mostly for aesthetic reason. I got the VAG OEM Shark-Fin Atenna--which is smaller than the US one (since it doesn't have satellite).



There are screws in the bottom of the antenna--which leads me to believe that you can actually take it apart... (Yes, you can take it apart. I did and took a look. Not sure if there is enough space to put anything else in there, on the Euro spec one.)

I think I've got my tools together now (a long rachet socket wrench with a joint and a 22mm socket. I'll do a DIY if I get a chance to do the swap in the next week or so...

BTW, the service manual doesn't say anything about a temperature sensor at all. The antenna has units for mobile phone, satellite radio, FM/AM radio and navigation. (Thus the unit can have 1 to 3 cables coming out of it--depending on the options you got.) The US doesn't use the fin for AM/FM so it's just decoration if you ordered PKG 0 like me.
 
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ewoo

ewoo

Rally Car Newbie
Location
Ken~tucky! Wahoo!
OK. I completed the swap... Pics & write-up to come.

Not too terribly difficult but time-consuming... And a pain in the ass.

The mod has no functional value but worth it if you're as anal as I am about subtle visual differences.
 
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