Why antagonize? Thin film of silicone goop on gasket, clean things up nicely on ALL mating parts first.  What am I not understanding here? 

   On Saturday, July 1, 2023 at 12:48:34 PM PDT, Jim Felder <jim.felder@gmail.com> wrote:  
 
 I was reminded of the drop problem when I was installing my antenna. "Drip
point placed directly over the electrical heart of the car? Of course it
is!!"

Jim

On Sat, Jul 1, 2023 at 2:01 PM Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>
wrote:

> My memory often gets hazy but I seem to recall that all the OEM style
> antennas had that tube long enough to reach that cross member, it is needed
> for support. The antennas that did not use that would twist up the hole in
> the cowl just from wind load. A right sized grommet from the hardware store
> can provide the needed support. Also be sure the wire has a drip loop on
> the outside so water does not follow it into the van, strategically dropped
> above the fuse box.
>
> Dennis
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com> On Behalf Of
> Richard Koerner
> Sent: Saturday, July 1, 2023 1:39 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Thoughts on antenna replacement
>
>  I once had the privilege of designing rides for Walt Disney, at EPCOT.
> The overall motto there was:  If in doubt, make it stout.  These guys are
> 100% on top of reliability and maintenance.
> I also worked for McDonnell/Douglas, now Boeing.  Same thing....one jet
> falls out of the sky....huge ramifications.
> I also have worked designing stuff in the Medical Device world....again,
> same thing....it's gotta work each and every time.  Huge liability and
> company-crushing if not so.  Human lives are at stake.
>
> And I am sort of familiar with consumer products, like computer printers
> and whatnot.  At this point, the standards are significantly lowered.  And
> even with a car....heck...you've got some kind of warranty, right?  And it
> clearly states the terms on that warranty.  So you buy it.  But don't
> expect those poor designers to provide something that you didn't pay for.
> They will do the best they can.  The rest is up to you.
>
>
>
>
>
>    On Saturday, July 1, 2023 at 09:36:55 AM PDT, Richard Koerner <
> rjkinpb@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>
>  I think so.  When car manufacturers go to work, they design and build
> stuff to last for 10 years, for airplanes design life is typically 30
> years.  If it's not absolutely required for function, why spend the money?
> So, they don't.  We on the other hand almost 40 years later, have to deal
> with it.  It's like I previously posted about electrical connections and
> necessary protection.
>
>    On Saturday, July 1, 2023 at 09:21:45 AM PDT, Jim Felder <
> jim.felder@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>  I have a related question to that grommet and the hole it was made for.
> Is there any reason to caulk or otherwise seal the hole once the grommet is
> removed and the antenna is installed?
>
> Jim
>
> On Sat, Jul 1, 2023 at 10:56 AM Eric Caron <ericcaron96@comcast.net>
> wrote:
>
> > Hi folks,
> >
> > The first time I did this replacement Ken Wilford, from Vanagain,
> > talked me through it.  It was either on the phone or over this list.
> >
> >        I’m pretty sure you will find all busses have the lower access
> >grommet, but I was told to take care of it as it was not easily
> >replaced,  at least that is my memory version.
> > All my busses had the inset version.  I was replacing them do to being
> >damaged.  Most of the time mine live pushed down.  I have a small
> >rubber  band that keeps it just a little up so I don’t have to use the
> >special key  to lift it up.
> > The one I purchased from Ken is still solid after 10 years.
> >
> > Eric Caron
> >
> >
> > > On Jul 1, 2023, at 9:27 AM, Jim Felder <jim.felder@gmail.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > Mine came from bus depot. It came packaged with no branding other
> > > than
> > the word “Antenna.” Quality seemed ok, what you would expect nowadays.
> > >
> > > I wondered myself if there was always a plugged lower hole for a
> > > fully
> > retractable antenna in all models. I don’t know. I know I had to
> > replace the antenna in the 1990 Carat I bought new, but the details of
> > that replacement are lost in the mists of time.
> > >
> > > Jim
> > >
> > > Sent from my iPhone
> > >
> > >> On Jun 30, 2023, at 10:05 PM, Karl Ploessl <karl.ploessl@gmail.com>
> > wrote:
> > >>
> > >> Busdepot and others will have it:
> > >> https://ww/
> > >> w.busdepot.com%2Ffm09vh&data=05%7C01%7C%7C10412ff181fb46f2449308db7
> > >> a5a2f39%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C63823829999543
> > >> 1645%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLC
> > >> JBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=V96Ad6tdZxoBhycn
> > >> SLO7EbISL%2B2mjMiaPyt%2FJLg99os%3D&reserved=0
> > >>
> > >>> On Fri, Jun 30, 2023 at 11:00 PM Jeff Palmer
> > >>> <w.jeff.palmer@icloud.com
> > >
> > >>> wrote:
> > >>>
> > >>> Is this the same for all years do you think? Would be interested
> > >>> in knowing where you got the antenna (P mail is fine!)
> > >>>
> > >>> Thanks
> > >>> Jeff
> > >>>
> > >>> Sent from my iPhone
> > >>>
> > >>>> On Jun 30, 2023, at 9:30 PM, Roger Whittaker
> > >>>> <rogerwhitt1@gmail.com>
> > >>> wrote:
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Awesome tip for those seeking advice
> > >>>>
> > >>>>> On Fri, Jun 30, 2023 at 5:43 PM Jim Felder
> > >>>>> <jim.felder@gmail.com>
> > >>> wrote:
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>> I recently ordered a fully retractable antenna for my 1983
> > >>>>> westy. The others I have had over the years did not retract
> > >>>>> fully. They tore my
> > car
> > >>>>> cover and got bent doing this and that, and I decided to go
> > retractable.
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>> For those who have never fooled with such, think of the
> > >>>>> difference as
> > >>> this:
> > >>>>> if you consider the mount through the front of the car, the
> > >>>>> sheet
> > >>> metalwith
> > >>>>> the hole that the antennainstalls through as "ground level," the
> > >>> standard
> > >>>>> antenna lives 100% above ground. Beneath the sheet metal, under
> > >>>>> the
> > >>> dash,
> > >>>>> there is nothing but the cable to the radio. Everything
> > >>>>> telescopes
> > into
> > >>> the
> > >>>>> six or eight inches of aerial protruding above the mounting point.
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>> The fully retractable antenna, on the other hand, lives "below
> > >>>>> ground level." That is, everything telescopes into a tube that
> > >>>>> hangs down
> > from
> > >>> the
> > >>>>> mounting point, all stored within the underdash area of the car.
> > Almost
> > >>>>> nothing sticks out on top.
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>> The problem you will encounter making this switch is that there
> > >>>>> is
> > not
> > >>>>> enough room to fit the underground part of the aerial between
> > >>>>> the big
> > >>> front
> > >>>>> stiffener (that runs behind the grill on the interior of the
> > >>>>> car) and
> > >>> the
> > >>>>> sheet metal it protrudes up through. But not to worry! VW, even
> > >>>>> on my
> > >>> old
> > >>>>> 1983, put a rectangular rubber grommet in place in a hole in the
> > >>>>> top
> > of
> > >>> the
> > >>>>> big front stiffener, exactly below the hole in the front sheet
> metal.
> > >>> Ths
> > >>>>> hole allows the antenna to extend down through the rectangular
> > >>>>> hole,
> > >>> once
> > >>>>> the plug is removed, and give the "underground" part of the
> > >>>>> aerial a
> > >>> place
> > >>>>> to live.
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>> Probably everybody but me knew that the rubber grommet and the
> > >>>>> hole
> > was
> > >>>>> there to allow the installation of a fully retractable antenna,
> > >>>>> but
> > in
> > >>> case
> > >>>>> not, I'm letting you know how it is possible to install one.
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>> Jim
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>> --
> > >>>> roger whittaker 604.414.6266
> > >>>>
> > >>>> ----------------------------------------------------------
> > >>>> PR MARINE SURVEYORS &
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> > >>>
> >
> >
>
>
>