DirtyMech Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 I've got a 1999 Legacy-Outback Limited wagon that I am trying to replace the power antenna on but am having difficulty. The antenna motor is fine (I can hear it running every time I turn the car off), but the antenna itself has been snapped off. Thus I have the replacement one from the dealer, complete with gear-toothed plastic tail and replacement retaining nut (picture of that included). The retaining nut is the part I'm having the problem with. I read my Haynes manual and the removal section for the power antenna is telling me nothing useful. It looks like a tool similar to snap ring removal pliers would be the trick for removing this nut. I talked to a guy in the service department of the dealership and he says there's actually no special tool for removing the nut, just a hammer in combination with a pointed chisel or pick tool. I've tried hitting the thing with Liquid Wrench and using a hammer in combination with pick, trying to unscrew the thing. I looked at the thread direction on the replacement nut and the direction of the threats is intuitive, counter-clockwise as they ascend (as you might notice in the picture). This has given me no luck thus far, and i've hit it pretty hard, going back and forth from one of the two divets to the other, always striking in the counter-clockwise direction. Thus far I have been unable to loosen or remove the retaining nut, and I feel like there must be something I'm missing. Do any of you know what it is? Is there some part of the removal process I haven't figured out, or is my method of removing the retaining nut at fault? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdjdc Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 The dealer was incorrect, there is an antenna socket set. It has sockets with little teeth that fit into the two depressions in the nut. I have actually used a pair of needle nose pliers sticking the ends into the notches. Took forever to get the retaining nut off. I would go to advance and see if they have the sockets. I think the kit has two different sockets in it. Good Luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbhrps Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 What you are doing is the correct way to go about removing it. I, too, have used needle nosed pliers to remove the nut, but went one step further. Insert the needle nosed pliers tips into the 2 notches, and then turn the pliers using an adjustable wrench at the pliers pivot point. It'll give you more torque on the nut. If that doesn't work, I'd use a dremel tool grinder to put flat spots on two sides of the nut that would allow an adjustable wrench to get some purchase on. Good Luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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