My new-to-me 1997 Saab has an equally vintage cellphone antenna on the hatch window. It's kind of cute in a yuppiesque way, but I'd prefer to remove it. The base is a metal or plastic pad, maybe 2 cm square. I assume there's some kind of adhesive.
What are my best means of removal? Something that risks cracking the back glass is a non-starter. Something that makes a big mess wouldn't thrill me too much either.
Thanks.
Angle grinder! No BFH :(
No sure procedure.. I had a SAAB hatchback that the window shattered just in the sunlight.
IIFC, those antennae were mounted on an adhesive base. You might try working a razor blade or similar sharp object around the base, to see if you can loosen it enough to be able to remove it.
No guarantees at all.
SAABs were nice, before GM
I'd go visit a glass repair place and ask them what it costs for them to do it, assuming they replace the window for free if they break it. That'll give you an estimate on whether they think they can do it. You're probably less likely to succeed. Also, Get a quote on a new window. Compare that number to the psychological value of having it gone.
These kinds of projects tend to go much better the SECOND time you try. Even if you got accurate instructions here, it's still YOUR first time.
If you just can't stand it, find a window decal and hide it in the pattern.
Ed Treijs wrote in news:8fc1abcb-28e1-407c-bccd- snipped-for-privacy@l19g2000yqc.googlegroups.com:
Just get a single-edge razor-blade scraper (cheaply available at any hardware store), and carefully work your away around and through the adhesive pad until it comes off. Piece of cake.
I'd try heat as well, and possibly some monofilament fishing line if you have any handy. That's an old trick for removing glued-on badges from painted body panels, it might work equally well on items glued on glass. I wouldn't give it a full blast with a heat gun though due to the risk of stressing the glass; hair dryer is probably as aggressive as I'd go unless someone with lots of auto glass experience chimes in and states otherwise.
nate
Nate Nagel wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@news1.newsguy.com:
NO HEAT! Heat is not a great idea.
But fishing line /is/ a great idea. Saw it back-and-forth until it works its way through the adhesive pad.
Heat may not be the best idea.. My backlight blew out one day when the temperature came up. STILL, my SAAB was one hell of a car. Thank God I had one before GM had a hand in it.
GIYF
Try Googling cell antenna removal from glass
You'll get lots of hits saying to use WD-40 or Goof-Off to soften adhesive
Heat localized on tempered glass is NOT a good idea.
Fishing line works great, The hot stuff isn't mono line though. Grab some braided line. Use a couple dowel pieces to make a handle though. Trying to wrap braided line around your fingers can easily result in the loss of those fingers !!
I use 30 pound braid to remove windshields now. It's as fast as my regular cutter and doesn't hurt the glass. Oh and 30 pound braid looks about as thick as sewing thread !!!
What about soaking around the base with acetone using an eyedropper to soften or dissolve the adhesive. Let it soak for a while then gently working in a razor blade.
Thanks all. I had been thinking about pulling out a hair dryer, but that sounds like a bad idea. Especially now that it's gotten cold, and the car sits outside.
I'll poke around with a razor or the suggested fishing wire. It should be clear pretty quickly how it will work out.
I don't have acetone (nasty stuff, I understand). Using a lot of WD-40 or Goo Gone just to loosen the antenna counts in my book as making a big mess, so that's out. It may be required when cleaning up after a successful removal.
Next step would be to remove the matching base and wire inside the car.
A '97 Saab 900 is somewhat GM, somewhat Saab. I don't know whether I should blame Saab or GM for an alternator placement and bracket design that requires hours of work by a Saab specialist to extricate after one of the alternator-to-bracket bolts seize and get stripped by a previous owner. Otherwise, it's a nice car, and for its age shows just about no rust--galvanized underbody parts.
Mostly GM, I guess. My SAAB SAAB was pretty darn easy to work on.
This might be useful for getting old phone calls.
They can send me a telegram for that.
I had a spool of weed-whacker wire which had a semi-durable metal core. It got off the outside and inside plates. The outside had additional silicone sealant to work on, while the inside had strips of conductive material. Anyway, Goo Gone cleaned up everything a lot better than I expected.
I was worried that the sunshade screening/banding on the inside of the glass would be scraped off as well as the plate, but it came through unscathed. After pulling out the cable that ran from the antenna to the front of the car, I now understand why some panels don't attach properly--they were pulled away by the install "tech" breaking the fasteners.
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