Removing the antenna

[Robsama]

I had the Jeep up in VT over the weekend and found some awesome roads to play on. However, now she needs to be cleaned and I was just going to bring her through the local wash on my lunch break. I tried to remove the radio antenna this morning in fear that it might break in the wash but it wouldn't budge. Doesn't it just screw in? Should I be able to just use a pair of pliers to get it out?

 

[RageOfFury]

No touchless car washes in your area? I would NEVER in a million years go through a non-touchless car wash. Those brushes are full of dirt and rocks from previous cars that will scratch your vehicle to hell. Plus way too many moving parts in there. Something breaks and bye bye KJ.

Touchless FTW!

 

[mag03kj]

Ya i had one pull my cb coax off lol and they paid for it!!

 

[yellocoyote]

I'm sure some people would rather not go through the hassle of having things fixed.

Agree - touchless FTW! Mine goes through the touchless automatic (if I don't wash it) because of the cb antenna and roof rack. I can imagine what kind of fun could be had if I went through one of those other car washes.

 

[Atrus]

I take mine through the auto washes and just remove the firestik as I am sure it wouldn't survive.

I have branches rubbing on it and salt/stones kicked up on it from other cars every day. The dirty brushes are the least harmful thing that my KJ's encountered.

 

[kb0nly]

I take it to the manual car wash, high pressure soap, high pressure rinse, drive off.... How hard is that? Takes like ten minutes tops.

We have a touchless auto in the same location, it does "ok" if you want to spend the $6, but it doesn't do crap for plastered bugs, i end up having to wash them off myself anyway so might as well use the manual car wash bay.

 

[Robsama]

I have to agree with kb0nly. I've never been through a touchless wash in any vehicle that was worth my money. I might as well just wait for it to rain and drive down the highway, it would get my KJ cleaner than a touchless.

 

[yellocoyote]

I must have a pretty good one here then. It even removes the windshield film.

 

[ThunderbirdJunkie]

The biggest question is, why aren't you just going to the coin-op spray bays with the nice foaming brush?

 

[peterenegade]

speaking of antenna's, does anyone know how to get an aftermarket on for a renegade liberty - i have tried 7 auto stores, turns out the jeep threads are twice the size of any replacement antenna made - its starting to drive me nuts having that factory antenna so long it looks like it could get a signal from mars swinging around all

 

[jnaut]

It shouldn't get ripped off. I've been through the car wash many a times with t on and it hasn't been ripped off.
Not even trail riding has ripped it off.

But to answer your question, yes, a pair of pliers or a wrench should get it off.

I go through a carwash which literally winds itself around my antenna, and the first time it happened, I nearly had a heart attack. Been going there for almost five years, antenna is still on strong. However jeep put that antenna on, it obviously takes more than a carwash to rip it off.

 

[jnaut]

The biggest question is, why aren't you just going to the coin-op spray bays with the nice foaming brush?

Because at that point, you might as well do it in your driveway. Which is how I wash my Jeep 95% of the time. But in the winter or when the dirt is really bad, I'll run it through the bay wash.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

Weather won't stop me, washed it lightning before...

 

[Robsama]

Yeah, what jnaut said. It's probably gonna rain this weekend anyway and I don't have the time to wash it by hand. By the time I get out of work it's dark and I don't have a lit area to wash it in. Also it's still pretty cold here after the sun goes down and my outside faucets are still winterized. Since I need to get gas anyway and the local station has a wash attached to it and offers a $2 coupon with a fill-up...win/win right?

Plus, I'm sure there's a nice amount of dirt on the bottom which I won't get if I do it myself in the dark and cold.

 

[yellocoyote]

Because at that point, you might as well do it in your driveway. Which is how I wash my Jeep 95% of the time. But in the winter or when the dirt is really bad, I'll run it through the bay wash.

x2

There's something to be said for automatic washes in 20-degree winter weather.

 

[tjkj2002]

Weather won't stop me, washed it lightning before...

X2.............

Even washed mine in a blizzard where it was -30 degrees with 50+mph winds(every setting had hot water),took about 3 hours before I could feel my hands again but my KJ get's washed every sunday no matter what.

 

[yellocoyote]

Mine gets washed once a week in the wintertime for road salt relief... if it's exceptionally cold, it's washed by the automatic bay... if it's tolerable (above freezing), then I use the coin-op bay... it's gotta be above 50 for me to do it by hand.

Yeah, I can be a wuss.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

As long as the water isn't frozen, I'll wash it. If it's froze....wait till the afternoon..

 

[tjkj2002]

Mine gets washed once a week in the wintertime for road salt relief... if it's exceptionally cold, it's washed by the automatic bay... if it's tolerable (above freezing), then I use the coin-op bay... it's gotta be above 50 for me to do it by hand.

Yeah, I can be a wuss.

I never hand wash,the worst thing you can do to your paint.

 

[yellocoyote]

Why?