Swapping out antenna base

[Clancaster23]

I want to swap out my grayed out antenna base with a new one but wondered if it's a lot of work getting in there or is it a easy swap? On my black truck, this thing just sticks out and it annoys me every time I look at it. I have tried everything to get it back to black but nothing works for long. I just want to take it off and put a fresh new one on. Also will take off the long antenna and put on a shorty. So how do I get to the base?

 

[Ram_Fish1]

I want to swap out my grayed out antenna base with a new one but wondered if it's a lot of work getting in there or is it a easy swap? On my black truck, this thing just sticks out and it annoys me every time I look at it. I have tried everything to get it back to black but nothing works for long. I just want to take it off and put a fresh new one on. Also will take off the long antenna and put on a shorty. So how do I get to the base?

Did this last year on my black ram, did a few pics and tips when I did it. See my old post
http://www.ramforum.com/index.php?threads/99502/


Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk

 

[muddy12]

The base on my antenna was faded really badly as well. Rather than replacing it, I just masked it off, and sprayed it with plasti-dip. I also swapped out the stock antenna for a shorter flexible on at the same time. Whole thing took maybe 10minutes.
Sprayed base,


Short antenna,




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[clay282]

I'm glad ya'll posted something about antennas. We have a monthly unlimited wash package at a really good drive through car wash here, so I wash mine weekly. My last truck was a 2011 Silverado and none of the car washes ever had a problem with the tall metal antenna and I drove that truck through all the time. With this Ram... they always stop me before I drive onto the track to go through and they unscrew the antenna and hand it to me. When I get out I have to screw it back on. I asked them if they did that to all the trucks and the guy said the Ram's seem to get broken easy so they just take them off.

I don't know if anyone else has run into this but I have been looking and shorter antenna's and wondered if they were tuff enough to stay on AND do they still pull in signals as good as the tall ones?

 

[Clancaster23]

Wow, didn't think it'd be that easy. As for the stubby antennas, I have hear some don't get very good reception and I do still use my fm radio so as clay asked, which ones are know for getting good reception?

 

[NCRaineman]

Wow, didn't think it'd be that easy. As for the stubby antennas, I have hear some don't get very good reception and I do still use my fm radio so as clay asked, which ones are know for getting good reception?

How far are you from where your favorite station broadcasts? I'm about 60 miles as the crow flies and I still get the FM stations pretty clear with my little 3" stubby antenna. Though with bluetooth and MP3s on my phone I don't have any need to even bother with the radio anymore... not enough song variety and too many commercials for my liking anyways.

 

[Clancaster23]

Probably about the same. And for me, if it doesn't get the best reception, I'll just turn the XM on and be done with it.

 

[TXFireMedic]

I'm glad ya'll posted something about antennas. We have a monthly unlimited wash package at a really good drive through car wash here, so I wash mine weekly. My last truck was a 2011 Silverado and none of the car washes ever had a problem with the tall metal antenna and I drove that truck through all the time. With this Ram... they always stop me before I drive onto the track to go through and they unscrew the antenna and hand it to me. When I get out I have to screw it back on. I asked them if they did that to all the trucks and the guy said the Ram's seem to get broken easy so they just take them off.

I don't know if anyone else has run into this but I have been looking and shorter antenna's and wondered if they were tuff enough to stay on AND do they still pull in signals as good as the tall ones?

I had to buy another stubby antenna, because it got broke off during the auto car wash I go to.

 

[NCRaineman]

I had to buy another stubby antenna, because it got broke off during the auto car wash I go to.

I prefer to wash by hand, but don't always have the time to... so I'll run mine through the touchless wash at the local Sheetz on occasion. The water pressure and air-dryer pounded the heck out of the stock antenna but my stubby is so short they don't bother it. I would never take my truck through any wash that had brushes, they're notoriously bad for the paint.

 

[rotwiler]

My base was gray from age and took like 5 minutes to replace with new one. I have a cheap antenna wrench, removed top screw, pretty much is all that's needed to do. I had a short antenna already, so left it on so wouldn't fall into fender. Been using a cheap antenna from China and works great, was like $2.50 shipped. I tried many different antennas and this one had closest reception to stock.

 

[Clancaster23]

Anybody know what size thread the screw on the end of the antenna is? I'm guessing it's a 6mm. I ordered me a stubby for mine and it came with two different size screws but neither is the same thread as the factory antenna. I got a 5-5 and a 3-5. The 5 ends fit in the antenna but not in the hole in the antenna on the truck.