protecting my stubby

[Sidewaze Samm]

Today I've put the zed to bed for the next two or three months (translate: I've put the car cover on). I'll be visiting periodically to make sure battery is ok and to turn it over etc, but one issue that cropped up last winter annoys me.

The cover is generic and not Z4-specific, but works fine (now I've attached a front-to-back strap to stop it blowing off in gales), however it struggles to accomodate the antenna. Luckily I have a stubby and not a whippy, but even so there is quite a bit of tension in the cover over the stubby, to the extent that the tip of the stubby bends slightly.

I've been trying to think of something that can fit over the stubby and that is substantial enough to withstand the pressure and has no sharp edges to damage the cover - or the zed! Something the size of a tall cup from a vending machine would be good, though with somewhat more structural integrity.

Any suggestions?

 

[mmm-five]

Take the aerial off and store it in the car?

 

[BumpyZ4]

Take the aerial off and store it in the car?

 

[Sidewaze Samm]

Take the aerial off and store it in the car?

Nah... too much faffing about, especially if I just fancy going for a spin in some mid-winter sun. Really just need something to pop over the aerial as the cover goes on. It's not under tension all the time - depends on how the cover adjusts itself to prevailing winds.

 

[jock156]

It’s literally 30 seconds to unscrew it

 

[NS66]

Take the aerial off and store it in the car?

Nah... too much faffing about, especially if I just fancy going for a spin in some mid-winter sun. Really just need something to pop over the aerial as the cover goes on. It's not under tension all the time - depends on how the cover adjusts itself to prevailing winds.

10 seconds if that !!!
and that includes opening and shutting the boot.

 

[MikeyH]

A childrens' plastic drinks cup (Sainsburys?) with something soft around the rim to stop it hurting the paintwork. But yes have to agree with the others, take it off.

 

[enuff_zed]

Take the aerial off and store it in the car?

Nah... too much faffing about, especially if I just fancy going for a spin in some mid-winter sun. Really just need something to pop over the aerial as the cover goes on. It's not under tension all the time - depends on how the cover adjusts itself to prevailing winds.

Honestly? I'm with all the others here.
Don't follow how unscrewing the aerial can be more faff than removing the cover?

 

[ronk]

A Tennis Ball

Drill a hole in it - not too big and it will wedge onto the lower part of the aerial before the inner of the ball meets the tip of the aerial - the tip won’t bend after that !

 

[NS66]

why not cut a 5cm circle in the cover so the stubby pokes through!!!!

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[B21]

Just take the stubby off…. end off

 

[rdm05z4]

The best option as stated is to remove and store in the car. But if you do cut a hole in the cover, you can glue rubber Gromets to keep it from ripping. Us humans use things called condoms to protect our stubby!!! :rofl: With the title topic "protecting my stubby" just could not let it pass.

 

[mmm-five]

How about engineering the f**k out of it and using a hinge with neodymium magnets, so you can flick it up & down as you need.

Maybe take it even further and invent some method of retracting it into the wing on ignition off?

 

[patriot66]

Today I've put the zed to bed for the next two or three months (translate: I've put the car cover on). I'll be visiting periodically to make sure battery is ok and to turn it over etc, but one issue that cropped up last winter annoys me.

The cover is generic and not Z4-specific, but works fine (now I've attached a front-to-back strap to stop it blowing off in gales), however it struggles to accomodate the antenna. Luckily I have a stubby and not a whippy, but even so there is quite a bit of tension in the cover over the stubby, to the extent that the tip of the stubby bends slightly.

I've been trying to think of something that can fit over the stubby and that is substantial enough to withstand the pressure and has no sharp edges to damage the cover - or the zed! Something the size of a tall cup from a vending machine would be good, though with somewhat more structural integrity.

Any suggestions?

I have one of these over my outside tap in the winter. Think mine's from Aldi but this one is on Amazon. It's polystyrene with a sponge foam edge which wouldn't mark the paint

 

[Mr Tidy]

How has this thread got so long? :roll:

Just unscrew it!

 

[MikeyH]

How about engineering the f**k out of it and using a hinge with neodymium magnets, so you can flick it up & down as you need.

Maybe take it even further and invent some method of retracting it into the wing on ignition off?

Sounds ace but what the hell is a ‘neodymium magnet ‘?

 

[MikeyH]

Perhaps if you turned the car upside down and put the cover over the underside, now the top, there wouldn’t be a problem as now the aerial is underneath and now protected. Job done

 

[mmm-five]

How about engineering the f**k out of it and using a hinge with neodymium magnets, so you can flick it up & down as you need.

Maybe take it even further and invent some method of retracting it into the wing on ignition off?

Sounds ace but what the hell is a ‘neodymium magnet ‘?

It's a very strong rare-earth magnet, so you only need a small one to do the work of an old iron one. Can be bought online, or can also be found (in strange shapes) in HDDs.

It's what they use (in much larger sizes) for 'scrap fishing' in canals to lift out 100kg loads.

Just don't let them snap together as they'll shatter, or get your skin caught between two as you'll draw blood.

 

[Sidewaze Samm]

Yes, unscrewing it is the obvious option. But it is very tight and I have tried - but I daren't try any harder. What I meant by saying faffing around really - probably should have been more specific.
But thanks for the suggestions and I'll look at the tap cover, though suspect it's a bit on the large side. I've only got a small one

 

[enuff_zed]

Yes, unscrewing it is the obvious option. But it is very tight and I have tried - but I daren't try any harder. What I meant by saying faffing around really - probably should have been more specific.
But thanks for the suggestions and I'll look at the tap cover, though suspect it's a bit on the large side. I've only got a small one

Ah fair enough.
Could have saved two pages of people saying unscrew it. oke: