Toyota has made some of the best vehicles since its inception. They are a well-known brand that manufactures vehicles and vehicle parts at a cost-effective price.
Although the company is mainly a Japanese vehicle manufacturing company, it exports vehicles all over the world depending on the country’s demands.
Toyota Tundra is such a powerful and well-balanced pick-up truck that it has been in production for over two decades. The truck model has had several upgrades each year and the 3rd generation of this vehicle is coming out in 2022.
This article revolves around the problems and solutions you can face from a Toyota Tundra’s broken antenna.
Information Related to Toyota Tundra Antenna
Since the inception of this vehicle, a lot of its components and parts have either changed or upgraded but the antenna has remained the same. The reason for not changing the antenna is because it was considered a well-made part and antenna issues are quite rare.
The stock antenna works as the radio wave capturing unit that gives you access to AM or FM radio stations if you’re near them. Apart from that, the antenna is also responsible for enhancing your truck’s maps and direction tracking. The better the antenna, the better sound quality you will get.
What Causes Antenna Problems in A Toyota Tundra
Since the antenna is always exposed and directly outside your truck, the antenna can slowly break or malfunction due to regular abuse. Antennas are water-resistant but they are vulnerable to everything else. As the Toyota Tundra is also an off-road FWD vehicle, it’s certainly a lot to take for a small metal rod that catches radio signals.
Environmental Issues
Your daily environment will affect your antenna if it’s severe. Not only natural disasters but also keeping your antenna covered in snow or sand can harm it greatly. The antenna’s physical structure starts to lose integrity and slowly fails to protect the antenna.
Mud and Dirt
Toyota Tundra is a mixture of both a 4-seater car and a payload-carrying pick-up truck. This truck can off-road with superior precision once you add the aftermarket off-roading tires to it. The problem occurs from the dirt and mud that accumulates all around the antenna. If it’s not cleaned for a while, the antenna will start to fail in catching radio frequencies and lose lifespan.
Aging
It’s normal for stock antennas to last 3-5 years and give up. They are made of materials that rust after all, and the added age of the vehicle’s manufacturing date makes it reasonable to replace. An aged antenna will give off the weakest radio frequency and have the worst sound quality.
External Damage
Long antennas often get stuck in places and suffer external damage like getting hit by the garage door. Although it’s not possible to observe the damage with naked eyes, the antenna starts to break down. If it keeps getting hit by external objects continuously, it will break off from the middle.
Tools Needed to Remove a Broken Antenna
Broken antennas are a hassle and often require more work and tools compared to repairing a failed but intact antenna. Since you have to find a way to take out the broken inner part of the antenna as well as stick the upper part to it properly, it’s very bothersome in all honesty. The tools you’ll require for this repair are listed below:
- Super Glue
- Drill bits 3/32 and 1/16
- Computer cleaning canned air
- A cordless drill that’s small enough to hold bits without larger chunks
- Pliers
Steps To Remove Broken Toyota Tundra Antenna
A broken antenna means you won’t be able to enjoy your favorite radio shows while driving. In addition to that, you’ll have issues while trying to stabilize your truck’s GPS. Again, a broken antenna means you’ll have a painful time bringing out the broken part of the antenna. Anyways, here are the steps you have to follow to fix a broken Toyota Tundra antenna.
- Firstly, drill 1/4inch into the stud center properly using the 3/32 drill bit.
- Next, use the canned air to blow out all the inner dust particles and debris from the hole.
- Take the 1/16 drill bit and put a drop of super glue on its tip. Be careful not to drop more than mentioned above.
- Put the 1/16 drill bit into the stud center and wait for the glue to settle in.
- Twist and pull out the drill bit along with the glued stud. In case the bit gets stuck, using pliers is advised.
Either way, now that you’ve successfully removed the broken part of the antenna out, you can replace it with a new antenna.
Alternative Steps to Remove Broken Toyota Tundra Antenna
Toyota Tundra broken antennas can be removed in more than one way because of the flexibility of the vehicle. Depending on the tools that you have available or near you, you can try any one of the steps. The main objective of these steps is to save your money by fixing parts of your truck yourself.
- Remove the mud flap screws, all four of the 10mm screw bolts using a screwdriver.
- Remove the mud flap that is beneath the Toyota Tundra antenna.
- Unscrew the 7 10mm screws along the fender’s outer edge. It’s necessary to remove the front tire.
- Carefully remove the inner fender liner which can be located by seeing the plastic inserts that keep them in place. You can also identify them by seeing the inserts back which are square.
- Pull down the backside of the inner fender and remove the rest of the plastic inserts inside using a PVC collar.
- Now that you can remove the inner fender, you have the inner side of the antenna open for repair or replacement
- Pull out the broken part of the antenna and insert a new antenna of your choice that’s compatible with a Toyota Tundra.
Parting Words
Unless you’re too busy with life and have enough money to spend on simple vehicle repairs, you should try to follow the steps mentioned above for replacing a broken Toyota Tundra antenna. Your last resort should be taking the truck to the auto repair shop.
Toyota Tundra is a well-built V8 FWD pickup truck that is made for off-roading and carrying small to moderate payloads. The stock antenna of the truck is comparatively better than most other vehicles but problems will arise gradually. This article will help you tackle the problems you face from broken antennas in a Toyota Tundra.
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