Antenna Mast - Repair Tips For When Bent/Stuck

Bent/Stuck Antenna
Mast Repair

Antenna masts sometimes get bent by car washes, garage doors, low-hanging tree branches, and even flying litter. (Wind load will not bend the mast.) Most bent masts can be straightened, however, as long as they're not kinked. Have an assistant turn on the radio, then stop the mast with your hands when it's about half way up. Rotate all the segments to determine which are bent. If one of the lower segments is bent, pull the other segments up so you're only bending one at a time. Lower the antenna until the center of the bend is even with the antenna nut, then push or pull the mast as needed to straighten it. Rotate the mast and work the segments up and down by hand to check your progress. If the mast is straight, but still won't extend fully, it's probably full of gunk. Remove the mast and soak it in solvent. work the segments up and down to clean them. Rewash the mast with a grease-cutting cleaner (Fantastic, 409, Simple Green, etc.). Reinstall the mast without lubrication. (Lubricants help some antennas for a while, but in the long run they just attract dirt.)