The bolt holes are deep and would except a 1 1/2" long bolt, I have the
uneasy feeling that the threads are not deep enough and we hit bottom
long before the bolt is in and secure. I will be calling Hygain Monday
AM for sure.
I am off to Ace tomorrow and will have the rotor with me and hope we can
find the solution.
73 de
Ron W4LDE
On 3/20/2010 4:49 PM, Ray wrote:
> One thought, and I'm sure you probably have checked this: you are not
> hitting the threads on the rotator itself with the unthreaded body/shaft of
> the bolt? I think the T2X has bolts with at least a 1/2" body. If the body
> is longer, it would hit the threads and not go much further.
>
> Like other have suggested, check that you do have the correct bolts. MFJ
> sent the wrong nuts for the u bolt that holds one of their Hygain baluns.
> They were aware of the error and would have replaced them, but I had all
> ready replaced with the correct nuts and mounted the balun on the antenna
> which was 35ft. It was not worth the trouble of sending in two wrong nuts
> for replacement.
>
> Ray,
> N6VR
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: towertalk-bounces@contesting.com
> [mailto:towertalk-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Roger (K8RI)
> Sent: Saturday, March 20, 2010 12:39 PM
> To: w4lde@numail.org; Tower and HF antenna construction topics.
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Trouble mounting T-2X
>
>
>
> w4lde wrote:
>
>> 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.
>>
>>
> #1 question. Are you sure the thread size and count is the proper one?
> (IE 5/16 bolt IIRC and NF or NC thread) Are you sure the threads in the
> rotator body are proper and complete. As N6FD questioned, are you sure there
> are no shavings left in there. Double check to verify what the bolt size and
> number of threads *should* be. If necessary find some one with a thread
> gage and make sure what you have is what you want/
>
> If the bolt threads and body holes are the same size (and count, or threads
> per inch) the bolts should turn in freely, all the way by hand.
>
> It's not uncommon to find bolts with threads that are not full depth, or
> with the wrong threads per inch even when the bolts are the proper diameter
> and holes with only partial threads or threads that only go part way
> through. In the old housing the holes went all the way through with full
> threads. There are both National Fine and National coarse threads.
>
> If necessary you may need to run a finishing tap into the threaded holes in
> the base of the rotator. This is something that should be done with the
> rotator disassembled (you don't want metal shavings running around in there)
> and only as a last resort after you have proven the threads in the body have
> not been cut to full depth.
>
> 73 and good luck,
>
> Roger (K8RI)
>
>
>
>> 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.
>>
> The difference between NF and NC with 5/16 bolts is enough you should only
> be able to get a couple threads turned in before they'd bind. Now if one
> set of threads is metric and the other American then it would be possible
> to have a much closer match.
>
> When it comes to rethreading and particularly in cast Aluminum it's very
> easy to end up with too little thread left to have much if any holding
> strength.
>
>> It almost seems like the threads are not right for the mounting
>> bolts or the bolts are two long
>>
> The bolts should screw all the way into the casting unless they've changed
> the design.
>
>> 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
>> _______________________________________________
>>
>>
>>
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>>
>>
>>
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