Help-Overhead antenna won't roll up

[teeznu]

OHA-has always worked just perfect. Rolls up and Rolls down with ease. Except last night. I rolled it down the other day allowing the antenna to rest on the top of the motor home. I can always hear it as it hits and rests on the roof. I don't "crank" it down hard, just let it rest. So, last night I went to roll it up. Handle wouldn't turn at ceiling. So I got up on the roof while DW worked the roll up handle. I merely assisted trying to help the antenna come up. Antenna was very tight to the roof. I could clearly see the exposed gears so took some silicone and sprayed a good amount on them, thinking that might free it up. All to no avail. SUGGESTIONS ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

[whjco]

I removed mine entirely and replaced it with an omni-directional dome type antenna. It has excellent gain and I don't have to worry about aiming the antenna or leaving the antenna elevated.

[TakingThe5th]

My batwing instructions tell me to lube it every year. Shame on me.

[wa8yxm]

Re Rollup/Crankup... Yup, I've alsways gotten Cranky about it too :).

[RoyB]

First time i have heard them called a ROLL UP Antenna haha... We have always called them a CRANK UP BATWING ANTENNA....

When we crank ours down we always rotate the BATWING to sit on its docking piece of metal when down. This keeps the BATWING antenna from moving around when down and touching the trailer roof area...

Roy Ken

[Bill_Satellite]

teeznu wrote:
OHA-has always worked just perfect. Rolls up and Rolls down with ease. Except last night. I rolled it down the other day allowing the antenna to rest on the top of the motor home. I can always hear it as it hits and rests on the roof. I don't "crank" it down hard, just let it rest. So, last night I went to roll it up. Handle wouldn't turn at ceiling. So I got up on the roof while DW worked the roll up handle. I merely assisted trying to help the antenna come up. Antenna was very tight to the roof. I could clearly see the exposed gears so took some silicone and sprayed a good amount on them, thinking that might free it up. All to no avail. SUGGESTIONS ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

As mentioned, dry silicone spray in the gears on the roof while the DW cranks it up and down (never WD-40). Should make it like new again. Do this once or twice a year and you should not have any further problems.

[teeznu]

D E Bishop: Your suggestion was very helpful. On the roof where the antenna housing/mount is located, there are two "cotter" type pins with a round "keeper ring" attached at one end. Removed the two round keeper rings, tapped the two cotter pins out and the antenna "mast" with gear slid out of the housing. With a LED flash light I inspected the worm gear (plastic) and determined it was fine. DW rotated the worm gear from inside the MH. Re-installed the antenna and mast in the upright most position. (antenna straight up and down) Had DW rotate the antenna some 120 degrees. Rotation worked as it always does. Had DW position (inside the MH the white plastic pointing device) to the position in order to lower the antenna. As she rotated the white plastic handle antenna began to lower toward the roof as normal.
Thus-apparently,,,,some how the antenna on the roof got in a "bind" of the two gears. By releasing the tension i.e. separating the two gears and then reassembly, all worked fine again.
Thank you for your suggestion it all worked great.
Thanks for the other posters who made suggestion as well.
Stephen

[Dutch_12078]

I once had a small piece of a branch get wedged between the segment gear and the worm gear, stopping the antenna from cranking up. I had to disassemble the rotary housing to clean it out.

[D_E_Bishop]

That's a toughy, I think I would pull the pins on the two square masts and pull them out of the housing on the roof and the gear should come at the same time. Inspect the gear for damage, if the masts and gears are OK, then try turning the crank from inside. If the crank turns and the worm gear turns too and it looks ok, try reinstalling the masts and gear in the roof housing. If it still won't raise, I'd suggest getting the Winegard installation instructions and start taking the thing apart.

They are really very simple, there is the aluminum housing on the roof(I wouldn't remove it), the masts and gear, the crank and worm gear shaft and the two interior plastic plates to show which direction the antenna is pointed, oh yeah, the crank arm.

None of this is or should be difficult to disassemble and check for damage. On the highest point of the housing is a large hex nut that will need to be removed in order to remove the worm gear shaft. This nut also centers the end of the shaft.

It is such a simple device I think there is a problem with the plastic gear on the lower mast arm. It is plastic and it can break.

Good luck and for future edification, let us know what the problem was.

[Sam_Spade]

Spray some of that silicone on the other moving parts, like the shaft that is supposed to slide (just guessing that is the way it works).

[mobilefleet]

possibly the small allen screw that holds the crank handle inside has gotten loose and is just spinning on the shaft. Tighten the allen screw