Greasing Crank-Ups

[K7LXC at aol.com]

In a message dated 96-04-13 14:42:46 EDT, you write:
> I've talked with Bruce
>at US Tower at different times about maintainence, but the only official
>suggestion is the every 3 year changing of the pulleys and cable. I told
>him that after smearing grease on the legs the tower elevated easier and
>much more smoothly. With the pulleys on one side of the tower it seems to
>give other side and end of the individual tower section a bit more of a
>surface area and "bind" than the end with the pulleys.

Hiya, Doc --

     Thanks for your comments.  I will eventually get around to doing my
research on the crankup grease job/maintenance question.  By the posts you've
received, it sounds like there are some interesting lubricants out there.
Your above comments regarding tower binding make sense too.  Thanks for the
info.

      As far as replacing the cables and pulleys every three years, YOU'VE
GOT TO BE KIDDING.  In most of the crankup towers I've seen and particularly
the motorized ones, these are jobs to be done at the factory or by a factory
tech ONLY.  Besides the obvious stringing problems, how do you get the
tensions correct?  With all of the idlers, jackscrews, etc, it has to be done
by a professional or factory type.  I wouldn't trust your average ham to do
any of that stuff.  What about the cable fittings?  How does the average
station owner put on those swaged fittings?  Most of them don't know how to
put a cable clamp on correctly.  Although the 3 year factory recommendation
is really a liability weasel clause, it is almost certainly an impractical
statement that almost no one can or will follow.  

>    Over the years I've destroyed crank ups by over loading them, poor
>maintainence and putting them in the paths of trees that later fell! I'm
>becoming an expert simply by making all the mistakes!

   Ouch!  Learning the hard way has its pros and cons to be sure.  At least
no one was injured during your education.  I hope that these posts will help
to keep people out of trouble by spreading good information that they can
use.

73 and see you in Seaside?       Steve    K7LXC