Antenna/ Shark Fin removal

[Whiskeybilt]

How do I get that mess off the roof? Anyone have a link to a video or anything? I am fine stuffing the antenna into the roof and closing it off. It's already been knocked loose and continues to get worse. I need that area cleared out, so I can put stuff up there.

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[armoredpig]

I'm fairly certain you'll have to drop the headliner to access the mounting hardware for the fin..

 

[Alistair]

I did it recently. I replaced the shark fin with a lower profile Ford Escape antenna that wouldn't connect to anything.

Dropping the headliner seems model specific. For my XL SuperCab I had to:

1) Remove the rear set backs (both sides)
- undo bolt behind child seat anchor below headrest
- yank seat back forward to disengage some plastic clip
- work the seatback left and right to disengage two metal clips at the base

2) Remove upper seat belt anchors (both sides)
- Pop the plastic cover off, top first then bottom
- T50 Torx bit and an impact driver to remove
- Reinstalled by hand to ~30 ft-lbs (roughly)

3) Remove upper plastic trim on C pillar (both sides)
- One plastic pin behind the seat back
- Lots of careful tugging and maneuvering

4) Remove garment hooks
- Surprisingly annoying because of the plastic bolt cover in the center
- I used a small flathead screwdriver to force the cover downward, which gouged them a lot
- Once the plastic bolt cover is off it's just a (T15?) bolt

5) Pull down headliner to access antenna
- I hated this part, lots of tugging and hoping nothing important would break
- I could hear the headliner creasing as I bent it downward
- Ultimately it looked fine when I got it back up, but it wasn't fun
- I don't *think* the headliner can set the side airbags off, but that's scary and I don't really know

6) Remove single torx bolt (T15?) holding shark fin in place
- The bolt and square metal nut come out from below

7) Unplug antenna connectors (I had two connectors)
- I had to get two hands and my head in the headliner to do this, not easy
- the antenna plugs have a little clip that needs to opened while you pull them apart
- you can reach the clip with a fingernail, probably easier than a tool

8) Remove antenna from above


Tips/notes:
- Make sure your hands are clean. I used nitrile gloves. The headliner picks up dirt easily
- When reinstalling, if one of the trim pieces is lined up correctly it will click in with minimal force
- If a trim piece isn't clicking in then something isn't lined up and will bend or break
- You get much more access above the headliner for hands/head/shoulders if you free it all the way forward of the B pillar
- To get the headliner back behind the B pillar trim is tricky. I did one side at a time and had to flex the sides of the headliner upward while pulling down in the middle, then slowly work the headliner back behind the B pillar trim (where the airbag is marked)

 

[Alistair]

Not sure if anyone is still planning to do this, but I decided I wanted my FM radio to work so I went back in and connected the Ford Escape antenna to the terminal connectors inthe ranger. This required a bit of hackery with the antenna terminals.

The Ford Escape antenna is part #DS7Z18936D. Stock photo attached.

I got it working with trial and error, so I don't know exactly what's what, but the important connections for FM radio to work are the blue wire and the black wire.

Those two wires need to connect on the Ranger to the terminal for the two black wires going into the black terminal connector (photo attached). I didn't do anything with the grey and purple wires going into the blue terminal connector.

I took the male end of the black terminal connector off of the Ranger antenna and reconnected the black and blue wires from the Escape antenna using the black terminal connector from the Ranger. Then the antenna plugged right in. So far everything is holding up well.

 

[Fawnbuster]

good job, how much extra clearance did you gain? I have an odd sized garage door, 6.5 feet not 7. That said i do not truly have 6.5 feet of clearance as the door itself is slightly taller than the opening, its a brand new door. The best i can gain if i rework the header is 1.5 more inches by removing a flat 2x4, but then i would need to figure out how to reinforce it so it does not sag again plus maintain the face inside so the door seals. I already replaced my oem antenna with a Cravenspeed 2 inch aluminum stubby, that gives me 3 solid inches of clearance right now, 3.25" to the hard bend of the weatherstripping and 3.5" to the face of the molding that has the weatherstripping attached. I am still trying to find a stubby or at least shorter antenna that has an adjustable set screw, they make them for uhf vhf coax type setups but cant find one for an fm that screws on. If Ford wouldve left the antenna on the fender I wouldnt have this issue to begin with. My struggle is i am going to level lift the truck in the next few weeks and THEN i have to drive it home and pull into the garage to see how much clearance i still have with the Hankook tires so i know what size tire and rim combo i can replace it with. I wish i could do it all at once and be done with it but i don't want to have to redo or return anything.

 

[Alistair]

It's about 2" from the roof to the top of the Escape antenna. That's probably 1.5" shorter than the top of the shark fin.

My FM reception seems fine. Not sure about AM, I don't think there are AM stations to pick up in my area. I don't use satellite so that's not connected. Data does not seem to be affected.

Edit: I also got a little 3D printed cap to replace the whip antenna. I can find a link if you're interested.

 

[RCMUSTANG]

It's about 2" from the roof to the top of the Escape antenna. That's probably 1.5" shorter than the top of the shark fin.

My FM reception seems fine. Not sure about AM, I don't think there are AM stations to pick up in my area. I don't use satellite so that's not connected. Data does not seem to be affected.

Edit: I also got a little 3D printed cap to replace the whip antenna. I can find a link if you're interested.

Did you have Sirius satellite? If I do the change I'm going to go with the Edge fin like I did on my Fusion, which was a direct swap, after I compare heights.

 

[Alistair]

Did you have Sirius satellite? If I do the change I'm going to go with the Edge fin like I did on my Fusion, which was a direct swap, after I compare heights.

No I've never used Sirius satellite in my truck. I'm not sure if the replacement antenna I used has it or not.

Whatever antenna you use you'll need to make sure that it fits the hole in the ranger roof and the gasket is flush all the way around to prevent water getting in.

 

[Rhino]

Saving this thread for later!

 

[P-38Ranger]

I have a carport with a low beam and the dealer watching my son and I measuring an already sold 2021 before I reordered a 2022

 

[Mirage775]

Did you have Sirius satellite? If I do the change I'm going to go with the Edge fin like I did on my Fusion, which was a direct swap, after I compare heights.

Did you ever compare heights between each antenna? I'd love to find an exact plug and play antenna, as I need a shorter one too, due to our ancient house attached garage entry height...

 

[RCMUSTANG]

Did you ever compare heights between each antenna? I'd love to find an exact plug and play antenna, as I need a shorter one too, due to our ancient house attached garage entry height...

No but they're pretty close to the same. Unfortunately the plugs were too different to swap.

 

[Mirage775]

No but they're pretty close to the same. Unfortunately the plugs were too different to swap.

Well, poop! Did you do the other one then, the one from the Escape? I ordered it the other day. I only want the FM radio to work too or we plug in our phone and listen to an app. I don't care about satellite radio working or not... I'm just assuming all the wires have to be hooked up?

 

[RCMUSTANG]

Well, poop! Did you do the other one then, the one from the Escape? I ordered it the other day. I only want the FM radio to work too or we plug in our phone and listen to an app. I don't care about satellite radio working or not... I'm just assuming all the wires have to be hooked up?

Nope. I just plugged in a tiny shorty stubby.

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