My aerial just started to make grindy noises and hesitate a bit going up and down. (Just like me when I hit 40 ;) )

 

What should I clean / lube it with? WD40? 3in1? Does it matter?

 

Thanks - Gio

WD-40 I think is the lubricant of choice, though my cursed aerial still doesn't like going down for me....

 

MUST....RESIST...SMUTTY....JOKES.....

I successfully use WD40.

Geoff.

WD40 works for mine;)

Originally posted by Gio

(Just like me when I hit 40 ;) )

 

Sounds like another dodgy Jap import:D

WD-40 didn't fix mine, im going to repace the antenna at weekend, you can get a part from halfords i think that does the job

Originally posted by MikeGroves

WD-40 didn't fix mine, im going to repace the antenna at weekend, you can get a part from halfords i think that does the job

 

 

Mike replaced my mast about 2 years ago,cost £30 ish from Nissan.

 

Halfords?

Thanks Guys,

 

I will try a gentle application of WD40 and if that fails, toddle off to Halfords.

 

Cheers - Gio

I bought a new mast for mine from Courtesy. $29 less than £20

here's a easy cure for your sticking arial, get some wet and dry about 800 grit and polish the antenna up with it to clean all the crap off it. then get some pledge or type polish and polish it up.

try a feew times to make sure you get all crap off and that should cure ur arial unless its got a kink in it.

Syko will this give better reception.

Eeek ! I would recommend wirewool rather than wet'n'dry, but there you go.

 

Following my same theory as locks I think you should use a dry lubricant (WD40 isn't really a lubricant) so I would suggest some of the PTFE spray stuff that Hairsy was on about a couple of weeks ago. Available from Maplin, Screwfix and probably Harrys too.

 

 

 

Originally posted by syko

here's a easy cure for your sticking arial, get some wet and dry about 800 grit and polish the antenna up with it to clean all the crap off it. then get some pledge or type polish and polish it up.

try a feew times to make sure you get all crap off and that should cure ur arial unless its got a kink in it.

Thanks for the good advice guys, here's the report.

 

A quick spritz with WD40 made it better but still not quite as smoooooth as it could be.

 

Off to Harry's and ask them for some of that PTFE stuff. PFY says no we don't do that - suggests a tin of white grease (!). I persist and eventually he asks someone with more than one brain cell who says that'll be upstairs in the cycle department.

 

Up we go, chat to bloke with mountain bike and bigger beer gut than mine and he says what you mean is GT85. Black/red tin with red top. Just like WD40 but with PTFE so it leaves a thin lube layer as well as cleaning. Says it works a treat for squeaky door hinges as well!

 

Just gave mine a few blasts and rub down (kitchen towel only) and works a treat. Glidey glidey.

 

I was suprised how many up/downs were needed (gentle squirt of the tin each time) before black gunk stopped coming out at the junctions every time the aerial came back up again. But eventually, it comes up clean.

 

The moral of this story is that if you have something that needs to go up and down smoothly is look after it, keep it clean and exercise it regularly.

 

:D - Gio