Raising the antenna.

[Gregorym]

Hi everyone.
How do I raise my antenna on my 2000 Sunline Solaris? I think I'm missing a crank handle.
Thanks.
Gregory.

 

[johnmanna]

hi Gregory Yes you should have a crank handle .you could try an rv dealer or amazon im not sure if they are all the same .Wait to see if John B answers you hes grat at this stuff good luck

 

[JohnGB]

Hi Gregory,

See this post which has pictures of many of the parts of the Wineguard Batwing style crank up antenna. You may be able to see what you may are missing.

https://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f71/winegard-antenna-repair-17639.html


Also, if you post a pic of what yours's looks like inside, we may be able to see what you are missing also.

A heads up, if you have not raised the antenna in a good number of years, they gears get dried out with dirt etc. in them up on the roof and they go up and down real hard. Hard enough that you can break the plastic crank inside or the gears on the roof. Suggest once you find the parts you are missing, to spray the gears on the roof liberally with liquid silicone spray, before, you start raising the antenna. And as you start to raise it, go up a little, than back down, then up a little further, then back down and so on all the way up to work the lube into the gear set on the roof. The post I linked shows where to lube the roof parts.

Hope this helps,

John

 

[Gregorym]

I tried to use vise grips but it wouldn't move and didn't want to break the shaft.

 

[JohnGB]

I tried to use vise grips but it wouldn't move and didn't want to break the shaft.

Here are a few things to try, I'm assuming your have the same Wineguard antenna as in these pics. Confirm yours is or these instructions will not work.

I'm not sure if your antenna head rotation direction knob is still with your camper. It may have went missing with the crank. Here is mine and it shows when facing the knob, which way you turn the crank and shaft to raise or lower the antenna. If yours is stuck, for sure you want to make sure you are cranking it up and not down.

To raise the antenna, while facing the crank/shaft, turn the shaft clockwise. To lower, turn CCW.

Rather then use the vise grips on the shaft, try a socket to fit the hex shaft and ratchet wrench. It will help turn the shaft more even and central and not be side loaded bending which may happen with the vise grips.

And, if you are turning the correct direction and it will not go up, try this. Have a helper be inside with the socket wrench. You go up on the roof and after spraying the gears well with liquid silicone, lift the antenna arms with mild pressure while the person inside turns the shaft slowly. By lifting the arms, it takes some of the stress off the gears and may break the dirt bind free.

If that does not work, you may have to remove the hex shaft and the worm gear out the top, then lift the arms to get the binding cleared up.

You unscrew the black plug on the top.

Then you will need to turn the hex shaft and unscrew the worm up and out of the top. With the black nut off, the worm shaft should turn and unscrew up and out while the arms stay put. You might have to wiggle the arms a bit to get the worm to move pending how dirt stuck the worm is to the gear on the arms.

Then figure out why the arms will not move.

Hope this helps and let is know how it goes.

John

 

[Gregorym]

Thank you.

 

[mainah-SUN]

If you don't have a crank handle there maybe a good reason why! Don't over do it with a new if it turns hard give up and find out why good shape they turn easy!