> I have the opportunity to purchase a used Tailtwister at a very
> reasonable price. ...it is in good condition with the exception
> that the connector on the rotor motor housing has been distroyed.
Not unusual; the terminal strip connector was not really meant to be
exposed to the weather.
> This is an older model T2X (circa 1990) that does not have
> the circular connector but rather some type of terminal board
> (at least thats how he described it).
That is the type connector that the CDE rotors have used almost
since the beginning.
> I have a few questions for all you rotor buffs out there:
> 1. Is this type of T2X forward compatable with the current connector
> arrangement or will I have to replace it with the same (and evidently
> not a very good) connector?
Yes on the compatibility issue. Not only that, but any control box
from the HAM-M on up, including the one for the CD44 and CD45 can be
used. You can replace the terminal strip with the same type, or you
can replace it with a weatherproof Amphenol type connector, or you
can run a short stub of wire and put either an Amphenol connector or
a Jones type connector on it. The terminal strip and Amphenol
connectors are available from the Rotor Doctor. Check his page at:
http://www.rotordoc.com
> 2. When purchasing this type of rotor used is there anything special
> that I should be looking for that would indicate excessive wear or
> potentially faulty components?
In all the CDE type rotors, check for a broken brake wedge,
particularly if there was an array attached that was far bigger than
the rotor should have been handling. Check for chewed up teeth on the
inside of the bell housing. Check for a broken ring gear.
The Rotor Doc has nice replacement brake wedges and ring gears.
Possibly bell housings, too, but check with him.
Remember this when you take it apart to look: there are two types of
hams: those that have had ball bearings from HAM type rotors all over
the floor, and those that have never taken apart a HAM type rotor.
> 3. What would be a fair price for this rotor/control box?
> (I know this one depends on several factors).
A couple hundred, depending.
> 4. If I do decide to buy this rotor is there any preventive
> maintenance that I could do to it prior to installing on the tower?
Take it apart, pick up bearings from floor, clean races, bearings,
and retainers. Apply a light coating of grease on the races; none on
the bearings; it is very tempting to over grease. When reassembling,
note the relationship between the caul on the bell housing for the
pot drive. Note the dogs on the ring gear and the corresponding cauls
in the housing.
> 5. Finally, if you have used these rotors in the past I would like to
> hear your opinions on them.
Until you move up to the new heavy duty rotors such as the Create, or
the HDR-300, or beyond to prop pitches, it is the heaviest duty, most
reliable, most easily worked on rotor around.
It can be made to fit in Rohn 25, it will work on Rohn 45 and above.
It can be made to work on BX series tower. It will work in the larger
crank-ups. It can even work on tubular crank-ups if you can get a
lower mast adapter from Hy-Gain. There is a de-rating if you use the
lower mast adapter, however.
The HAM series rotors are ones that people love to hate, because they
do have their quirks, but they have been around forever and the
installed base is huge, with the concomitant knowledge base.
73, Rod N4SI
The DXer formerly known as N9AKE
(c) 5 November, 1996
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