Ray - How do you mean? I removed the whole unit, took apart and re-thread the nylon rope, etc. but couldn't remove the mast at all?

Fog - All I had to do was remove the top nut on the bezel outside the fender. This was all that held the mast and nylon gear strip in place. When I turned on the radio, the mast just came right out. The new one (Hirschman - with the logo of the H with a flag) pulled in just as easily.

This forum saves the day again!

My power antenna got a small bend in it, and no amount of bending, greasing,waxing would make it fully retract. Was about to pull the whole unit to service, when a quick search found this thread (5 years old , but still relevant!)

I had a new mast, so I simply undid the top nut, turned on the radio, which popped the old antenna and gear strip right out. Put the new one in, turned off the radio, and tightened up the nut. Set a new record for my shorted p-car project ever. 3 minutes.

Thanks Pelican community!

On the other hand, when I replaced mine, I cracked the case...the entire inside of the case was corroded--no amount of WD40 or wax paper on the mast would have resurrected that one.

I did use a cheap manual for a little while--nice in that you can raise it up just a little bit and leave it there (and in raising it up about three inches higher than the roof, it was my "early warning device" that I was about to slam in to the still-rising garage door). I then replaced it with a $39 anodized black eBay unit. Replaced the radio with a new Alpine at the same time and powered the antenna through the radio so it gave the added bonus of not having the mast go up when I'm listening to a CD or my iPod.

Just replace it...