I am trying to fix an aerial that is stuck in the up position. on a Series111 XJ6. I have opened up the winding case and found considerable amounts of rust, so expect the winding system is seized.
How do I take apart the motor/winding unit?

 

I would not waste time trying to fix it. Get a good used complete assembly from David at www.everydayxj.com

the entire antenna assembly needs to be removed starting by removing the passenger side tail lamp, then releasing the antenna from its brackets and chromed fasteners, then disconnecting the wires and relay in the spare tire compartment, then releasing the motor bolts and bracket, then pulling the motor, cable, and antenna behind the bumper through a removable rubber grommet. The entire thing comes out in one long assembly. Just follow the cable from the motor to the antenna or from the antenna to the motor.

 

I took one apart and fixed it. There's different aerial assemblies, so I don't know if yours is the same as mine. I think I have a write up on this site with pictures of the insides of one. Getting it out in a stuck "up" positions is probably going to the hardest part. You may need to disassemble it "in situ" in order to get the cable loose so you can retract it so as to be able to get the assembly out through the rear quarter.

The aerial goes up and down by winding a string trimmer like nylon line around a spool. A cog on the motor turns a sprocket to change the motion from circular to linear and also has a travel limiter. The line to extend or retract the aerial is nylon so it will not be rusted. And there is a fair amount of plastic parts in there. I wouldn't expect to find anything in there so rusted that it can't be freed up with some patient cleaning. Course, I don't know how rusty your is.

Look at this thread for pictures of the inside.

 

Hey Doug!
Great write up as always...
I'll just add that if you don't want to pull the mast through the body, the mast will separate from the motor pretty easily...
The tip of the antenna mast is actually a screw on nut.. You remove that, and then two screws at the very bottom of the mast. With some wiggling, the line will come out of the mast...
The very last section of the antenna mast is attached to the line... So that when you pull it out, the last section of the mast (where you unscrewed that nut) comes out with the line...
Now the motor and line are free from the mast and much easier to feed through the body...
A similar operation would be used if you were just replacing the mast, and the motor and line were OK.....
Cheers!
David
shop.EverydayXJ.com