Hi all, I am so frustrated right now I can't even tell you. I have built cars before, and LOL I can't figure out wtf is going on here with a stupid antenna broken off on my '04 Excursion.

It broke off last winter in the car wash, it was the original one, all bendy and sorta thick, seeming made of plastic or something. Never paid much attention to it.

Well now, I have finally gotten around to replacing it. That's where the insanity has happened. Please, someone tell me what I'm missing...

In the below pics, you will see what I ordered, the OEM antenna base and mast.

You will see pics of the part numbers of the actual parts, they are the same. Then there is a pic of the antenna, it is NOT what I had on my Excursion, this new one is a thin little metal whip thing with a wire wrapped around it.

Then you will see a pic of the old antenna base (still on the truck) with the new base. They are NOT the same part numbers.

Then there's a pic of a side view of both of them, side by side in seemingly the only orientation that makes sense, with the new one with the rubber 'down' so to speak and the metal side up, just as the orientation of the one on the truck.

Last, you will see a close-up pic of the top of the new base and then a pic of the new antenna that is supposedly supposed to screw into the base.

WHAT IN THE NAME OF ALL THAT IS HOLY AM I MISSING HERE???

This is not possible, unless the base goes the other way around, which makes no sense. I have searched and searched online, every single site says the same part numbers for my '04 Excursion for the antenna mast and base. WHAT THE *****!?!?

Please help if you can, thanks. I will now go back to trying to not smash everything in sight with a hammer. Ha.

 

Tough to see through the bags, but the antenna mast in the bag appears identical to the antenna on my 2000 Ex. I am the original owner.

Are you sure that what broke off yours was the original--there no way to be certain, unless you are the original owner.

 

Well, mystery solved. I sent all those pictures to my brother to run it by him as well. He said "You know what that metal thing on the end where the antenna is supposed to screw in but can't, you know what that looks like? That looks like one of those stupid things that you put a slotted screwdriver in and can only turn one way."

I can't believe how stupid it is, but that's what it is/was. Was able to unscrew it through the bag (was still making sure I could return this crap), and yep, it's a cap that Ford made to screw into the top of the antenna mast. Why? Only God knows why, and He's not telling. It's in a sealed plastic f-ing bag, what in the heck could possibly get in there, plus that stupid screw cap thing cost money to make, what...the...f....

So, looked at stupid screw cap thing, compared it to end of antenna, yep it will screw in there.

Good God.

I would give almost anything to find the engineer who decided to put that cap thing in that antenna mast, and spend 15 minutes in a locked room with him. It's only 15 minutes because that's probably my physical limit of time for beating the ever living stuffing out of a person. Ha ha.

 

Glad you got it solved.