Antenna Replacement

jwalton · 07-30-2006, 12:08 PM

I'm trying to replace the existing Braund antenna on my 89 Excella. Have purchased an new Wineguard. I can't seem to release the old antenna from the roof. I've got the head off, the shaft out, and I've drilled out the rivets but there appears to be another fastener or coupling (spring loaded) that I can't find.

Any one had some experience with this?

JohnBrooke · 07-30-2006, 02:52 PM

Hola jwalton,

Sorry I have no experience but I want to remove the Braund Antenna from my 1973 Argosy. I have not been able to figure out how to do this. You are in the midst of this project. Would you please let me know how you accomplished it when it is out?

Muchas gracias,

John Brooke

jwalton · 07-30-2006, 03:02 PM

I was able to get it off by applying some gentle heat. I used a propane torch but I recommend a hair dryer. The mastic is very strong after aging, and it needed some persuasion. The next problem is lifting the old mastic which I found worked better if I used a dull chisel and preheated the mastic and aluminum skin around it.

I'll use some flat putty tape to set the new plate (per dealer instructions)and seal it with MONO. The new plate uses self tap screws. I may switch to aluminum rivets for better performance in the thins skin.

Jwalton

nickcrowhurst · 07-30-2006, 03:05 PM

I've dismantled one of these, and I don't remember anything that would hold it in place after the dismantling you have carried out. Have you slid a knife blade all the way round and across under the top plate in case some hidden Vulkem is still attaching the plate to the roof? Just a thought.
Nick.
on edit- too late, by three minutes! I'm glad you sorted it.

jwalton · 08-31-2006, 07:39 PM

Re your Braund antenna
It really was not too difficult. You remove the handle inside and then drop the decorative plate coveing the hole in the ceiling. Mine was screwed on but some may be riveted. Drill out the rivets slowly and carefully. At that point , the shaft dropped out on my unit because I had already taken the worm gear off the head, but I thiink it doesnt matter if it stays with the head. I propped a ladder up on the awning cover padded with a towel. I kept most of my weight on the ladderwith one foot , and removed one shoe to lean over and stand on the roof with the other. Hopefully you an fins a bulkhead. My Braund was riveted, so I drilled out all the rivets. The head is now free to peel off, but the original mastic on mine was a kind of polysifide which is really strong. I applied some heat with a torch.... a hair dryer is a better bet since the torch is too hot and damages the clear coat. I was able to get under the flange with a paint scraper and sloowly work it off. The airstream dealer said they do much the same thing! Be careful the paint scraper doesn't cut the aluminum skin. follw the directions for the replacement. The wiring in every airstream is not the same so you have to do some tracing to see which is the bedroom and exterior coax. I shoted the cable outlets and used my mulitmeter to check for continuity.

ticki2 · 08-31-2006, 08:16 PM

Has the new antenna improved reception?

jwalton · 08-31-2006, 08:28 PM

Reception is much better...but you have to remember to turn it on because the winegaurd is a powered antenna. The braund was just a booster. We were at a rally a while back an a neighbour with a new (to him) trailer figured his antenna was blocked by the steel buildings around him. I checked behind the curtains and found the switch was off. We got virtually every station in the Hamilton/Toronto Ontario area that weekend. The proof of improved signal for us will be when we travel north of Superior this coming week. We will likely only get our national CBC programming on repeater stations. The signals were poor to non-existant on our last trip. We have been using rabbit ears mounted outside the trailer and fed into the cable connection for the past year.