Help needed with 70's prado aerial

[94PRADO]

Has anybody replaced a radio aerial on a 70 series prado, any advice? cause im stuck.

Cheers
Nick

[kbushnz]

Yup replaced it a few times now.
What you stuck on exactly?

[94PRADO]

Had a good play this afternoon, learnt a bit but no luck yet.
Whats the easiest way to get at it? Ive removed the window washer bottle and gone in from there, removed the bracket inside the guard that holds the aerial, havent cut the original cable yet though.
There must be a few clips behind the dash as I cant pull the cable through so whats the easiest way to get the new cable through also?
Ive got a new aerial with a 1.4m long cord, found a way to get the ends in the right places but it seems to be about 5cm to short. If i can get it to follow the cable original it may reach. However its harder than it sounds

Cheers for any help
Nick

[mfrsr]

it's a shit of a thing to get at, isn't it? I took the driver's door off my LJ71, couldn't get the vicegrips into it from behind the washerbottle.

You'll need to take the dash cluster out as it's clipped in about 3 places to various bits.

And only cut the plug off the cable at the stereo end, tape the new plug to the old cable, then pull it out thru the hole in the guard. makes it a damn sight easier than trying to get it thru the holes.

i don't know if all the 70 series prados are the same but i wouldn't have thought there'd be much difference

[kbushnz]

Well its a bit#h to re run the wires.
First time I did it I ended up removing the battery trays and pulling down the inner guard.
Then you can just reach around and get to the base.
Undid it and pulled it up thru the guard, cut the wire there and spliced it into my replacement aerial.
Dont forget to have the attachment nuts on the wire first.
Then fitted aerial.
Left the rest of the run as factory.
As said before, the wire comes into the truck above the fan in the passengers foot well.
Its right up inside and can only just be seen. The wire goes up behind the dash.
You can remove the glove box inner and get to it, and also the dash around the radio.
I now have cut away most of my inner guard so getting to it is much easier.
Have fun, but your arms will end up looking like you have been attacked by a cat.

[94PRADO]

Thanks kbushnz but it sounds as though yours is on the oppisite side of the truck, mines drivers side.

I looked into getting the dash cluster off, i could only find 2 screws that looked like it was holding it on, consulted workshop manuals that said I had to take the steering wheel off first so gave up on that, sounds like to much hard work. Are there clips that hold the cluster on? Feels pretty solid.
Also looked at going through the door, I can get at the aerial fine, its just getting the new cable through the holes that im struggling with now, however im definatly open to more suggestions as to how to get at it

Cheers for your help
Nick

[kbushnz]

Is yours auto or manual.
If auto you could run a new wire in thru the blank grommet on the fire wall where the clutch would go thru?

[94PRADO]

Yep auto, Ive looked at that and its most likely going to be the easiest option, however the cable was a few cm too short when I measured it up. Got an extension on the way now so hopefully should have it sorted when that arrives,
Cheers

[mfrsr]

fwiw to find the rest of the screws, open the door, squat down next to the truck and look up at it. under the bottom edge of surfaces, basically they're designed to have all the mountings hidden from the driver's view.