Cranfield Posted June 22, 2016 Report Share Posted June 22, 2016 I have snapped off my motors aerial (standard manual aerial) by driving through a narrow hedge gap with it up. Its wing mounted down the side and costly to have a new one fitted. I will get it done eventually, but is there a quick DIY fix ? Looks are not important. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted June 22, 2016 Report Share Posted June 22, 2016 hello, try a metal coat hanger just bend to shape required Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon R Posted June 22, 2016 Report Share Posted June 22, 2016 +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted June 22, 2016 Report Share Posted June 22, 2016 These coat hanger ariels were all the rage in the 70s and 80s! The first TRUE squarials Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
39TDS Posted June 23, 2016 Report Share Posted June 23, 2016 Seriously? You never saw a coat hanger being used as an aerial? Swans were a particular favourite shape of mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennett Posted June 23, 2016 Report Share Posted June 23, 2016 We do this all the time at work, to replace snapped off tractor aerials. Good substitutes so far have been a bit of electric flex and a thin copper brazing rod Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted June 23, 2016 Report Share Posted June 23, 2016 hello, try a metal coat hanger just bend to shape required + 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
four-wheel-drive Posted June 23, 2016 Report Share Posted June 23, 2016 Those good old wire coat hangers are very useful things car radio aerials bend them in to hooks for hanging things up I used to straighten one out and poke it down the barrel of my airguns to get out a pellet that got stuck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted June 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2016 I tried a coat hanger, but the diameter of the hole left by the aerial is too large for the hanger wire to fit snugly, I have tried blue tack and insulation tape, but nothing makes it a firm fit. As it is, I doubt I would go a few miles and it would fall/blow out. I will try again doubling the wire at the hook end and see if that makes a tighter fit. Thanks for the comments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted June 23, 2016 Report Share Posted June 23, 2016 I tried a coat hanger, but the diameter of the hole left by the aerial is too large for the hanger wire to fit snugly, I have tried blue tack and insulation tape, but nothing makes it a firm fit. As it is, I doubt I would go a few miles and it would fall/blow out. I will try again doubling the wire at the hook end and see if that makes a tighter fit. Thanks for the comments. Sure you dont come from norfolk....we will make a engineer of you yet.....get yer knife out and cut a twig out of the hedge and whittle it down to a thin wedge and jam it in with the coathanger..should last at least a couple of years like that..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazzab Posted June 23, 2016 Report Share Posted June 23, 2016 Or just replace it. Should only be a case of whipping inner wing splash guard out and reaching up. Easy to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted June 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2016 Well, the rerun seems to have worked very well and I didn't realise how therapeutic whittling can be. It all seems so obvious as to be slightly embarrassing. Its always been a 2+ hour job at the garage (I have done this a few times before), so the labour alone is over £100. I have a Toyota Surf and apparently the access is difficult. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted June 23, 2016 Report Share Posted June 23, 2016 i hope your knife was legal.............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazzab Posted June 25, 2016 Report Share Posted June 25, 2016 Wow 2 hours... I've done countless on a huge range of cars never taken that long. Not even close. Oh well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amateur Posted June 25, 2016 Report Share Posted June 25, 2016 Wow 2 hours... I've done countless on a huge range of cars never taken that long. Not even close. Oh well. Aah, but there is a difference between time taken and time charged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted June 25, 2016 Report Share Posted June 25, 2016 Well, the rerun seems to have worked very well and I didn't realise how therapeutic whittling can be. It all seems so obvious as to be slightly embarrassing. Its always been a 2+ hour job at the garage (I have done this a few times before), so the labour alone is over £100. I have a Toyota Surf and apparently the access is difficult. hello, well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazzab Posted June 25, 2016 Report Share Posted June 25, 2016 Aah, but there is a difference between time taken and time charged. Haha bang on there mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
four-wheel-drive Posted June 25, 2016 Report Share Posted June 25, 2016 I would have said all that you need to do is bend a small hump in the part that you are putting in the hole and push it in it should bend to fit like if you put your finger into a pipe you can pull it out but if you bend your finger it will be stuck much like the people who do rock climbing do put there hand in a crack in the rock and bend there fingers it hurts your hand but it works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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