Towertalk
[Top] [All Lists]

[TowerTalk] Trouble mounting T-2X

To: TowerTalk <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: [TowerTalk] Trouble mounting T-2X
From: w4lde <w4lde@numail.org>
Reply-to: w4lde@numail.org, "Tower and HF antenna construction topics." <towertalk@contesting.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Mar 2010 11:01:44 -0400
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
Started to mount a new T-2X purchased on 3/3/10 yesterday.  Made up all 
of the plugs and checked the rotor out on the ground at the tower.  
Rotor worked properly on the ground

Dropped the tower and tilted it over so we could install the rotor body 
and mast.  We checked the bolts and the tower mounting plate for the 
correct mounting and they aligned OK.  The rotor plate is heavy duty 3/8 
to 1/2" thick and welded in place.

I had only insert the mounting bolts in the body a few turns before 
taking it outside and didn't notice anything unusual.  Used some anti 
seize lube' on the bolts.

My helper (brother) did notice that the rotor body bolt holes seemed a 
little out of the pattern and very close to one edge, however, when 
aligning the body to the rotor plate they look almost dead on.  So we 
proceeded, then the trouble started.

The mounting bolts turned in hand tight about a 1/4 of the way in, not 
free at all and got to the point (1/4 way) that we decided to use my 
small ratchet set.

Not even 1/2 way in the bolts started to seize and we were very 
reluctant to proceed.  I checked the depth of the holes in the body and 
they are free in equal to the length of the bolts.

We backed out the bolts and lowered the rotor to the ground and again 
tired to insert and screw in the bolts while free of any mounting plate 
with the same results.  It almost seems like the threads are not right 
for the mounting bolts or the bolts are two long but we didn't want to 
over tighten. The bolts were in a plastic package so I assume they were 
the correct ones supplied by the factory.

Looks like we did slightly bend one bolt head and not sure when that 
occurred but I can always get a new bolt locally.

Any ideas?  Your input and help will be appreciated.

73 de
Ron W4LDE
_______________________________________________



_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>