I would like to add something to the list of maintenance items. The
reduction gear used
for the motorized winch on the US Towers is a worm drive unit. The lube
in these worm drive
gear boxes should be changed periodically. Because of the sliding
contact with the worm gears,
the lube becomes contaminated. I had never thought of the gearbox and
never changed the lube
on my US Tower HDX589 tower since I had it installed 12 years ago. It
was giving a high pitched
squeal and the case was getting hot. Anyway, I drained the old lube,
(looked like dirty motor oil
when you change the oil in your car) and filled the box up again, ran it
for awhile to flush out any
remaining crapola, drained it again, then put in fresh lube. Hub City,
says for our usage, they recommend
doing this every 5 years or sooner depending on how much we run the
gearbox. I plan to
change mine every two years now. Its easy to do.
73,
Bob
K6UJ
On 5/13/16 11:44 AM, Alan Swinger wrote:
Thanks all. - Alan
-----Original Message-----
From: Fred Hurd <fred.hurd@cox.net>
Sent: May 13, 2016 12:51 PM
To: K7LXC@aol.com
Cc: towertalk@contesting.com, awswinger@earthlink.net
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Tower maintenance person wanted - MN
Hello Awsinger - I totally agree with Steve (K7LXC) regrarding the need to
replace cables on a crank-up tower. I have used the same cables on my US Tower
TX-472 crank-up for well over ten years and they are in great shape because I
lubricate them twice a year with Pre-Lube 6 Preservative Cable Lubricant (which
you can buy from Steve).
You do need to grease the motor drive system periodically to keep smooth operation especially during
tower raising and also don’t forget the thrust bearing at the top of the tower. You
don’t need to replace the cables unless upon close inspection you see one or more of the
problems as indicated in Steve’s email.
Best 73, Fred (W4PKU)
On May 13, 2016, at 12:24 PM, K7LXC--- via TowerTalk <towertalk@contesting.com>
wrote:
I am also looking for someone who can change the cables on my US Tower
TX-472 MDPL in Charlottesville, VA sometime in the next few weeks. Will pay
a reasonable fee and tvl costs.
I guess the obvious question is why do you think the cables need
changing? In the crank-up chapter in my UP THE TOWER book, I list 3 reasons why
you would need to have them changed.
1. Excessive broken strands. With 7x19 cables such as the ones
typically used in crank-ups, that would be 6 broken strands.
2. Serious rust. Cancerous rust - not surface rust.
3. Damage. That would be a kink or flattened part of a cable.
In my over 25 years of tower work, I've only seen one crank-up tower
that I would have recommended on having a cable change.
Tower manufacturers are insurance driven enterprises. US Tower says
you need to change the cables and pulleys every 2 years. This is a 'weasel
clause' - that is, if you don't do that and something happens to your
crank-up, UST can weasel out of any responsibility. They are very risk averse.
This is NOT an exception to the LXC Prime Directive to "DO what the
manufacturer says." That's because UST is NOT the manufacturer of the wire
rope cables.
I doubt that your cables are in such serious shape that they need
replacing and I just wince at things people do or money they spend that they
don't have to.
Cheers,
Steve K7LXC
TOWER TECH -
Professional tower services for amateurs
US Tower factory authorized installer
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