[TowerTalk] rotor shelf

[Mark, N1LO]

Greetings Towertalkians,

 I began pre-assembling (on the ground) the top section of a Rohn 25 
tower I am installing soon. I am using standard sections with a flat 
top adaptor. I intend to install two rotor plates in the top section, 
one for a second thrust bearing (to aid with future rotor servicing) 
and one for the rotor itself.
 Big surprise when I found out that the rotor shelf/accessory shelf 
only fits in two places: 1) Joints between tower sections and 2) 
inside the top plate adaptor. In both cases, these are places where 
there is no bracing. I want to have my rotor about halfway down the 
section to give it a longer moment arm, and install the second 
bearing just above it. I don't want to waste 10 feet of good mast 
just to have the rotor down at the next section joint.
 After a little head scratching, I grabbed the hacksaw and made one 
triangular cutout in the center of each side of the shelf. This 
allowed the shelf to fit in the middle of the tower section, halfway 
between horizontal braces.
 Another surprise! the flange of the Rohn TB-3 is too large to fit in 
a location that is halfway between two horizontal braces. <jeez>
 More head scratching....
 Three more cutouts, one in each side of the shelf, off center, let 
me install the shelf just a few inches below a horizontal brace, and 
the TB-3 fits, as well. After drilling the hole pattern for it, of 
course.

 Has anyone else had this problem, and how did you solve it?

One more thing. The flat top adaptor (ordered from Texas Towers) 
apparently does not come with a set of bolts. Got to get an extra set.
 The U-bolts that came with the rotor shelves (and tower sections, 
for that matter) were thinly plated, not galvanized. They don't look 
like they could take exposure to the weather for long. I was thinking 
of replacing them with stainless versions.
 Will these parts benefit from cathodic protection from the existing 
galvanizing of the tower itself? Would I be wasting my money on 
replacements?

Thanks for your comments,

--...MARK_N1LO...--

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