[Towertalk] Rotor Removal from tower: Is there an easier way?

[Joe Giacobello, K2XX]

Dale, Rick, Paul and Geoff:

First of all, many thanks for your helpful replies.

Because I didn't provide sufficient detail, all of you assumed that I 
was going to try to remove the rotor with the tower in the vertical 
position.  However, I had planned on tilting it into the horizontal 
position.  (BTW, the antennas on the tower are a four element quad and a 
two meter vertical.)  Nevertheless,  your replies confirmed that there 
is no really easy solution.

It looks like the best way to  get the rotor out is to tilt the tower, 
loosen the rotor mast clamp plates, remove the pin (bolt) that prevents 
pin-wheeling, and unbolt the thrust bearing.  I can then drive my pickup 
truck under the mast and while standing on a step ladder in the bed, 
slide the mast up enough (I suspect a little silicone is going to come 
in handy here.) to give me room to take the rotor out.  I may wait till 
spring for this project and just grit my teeth for the rest of the 
winter as I continually adjust the rotor direction when the wind blows, 
which is almost always here.

Happy holidays and, again, many thanks for your help.

73, Joe

Paul Playford wrote:

>I added a winch to the top of my LM-470 so I can raise the mast up far
>enough to allow easy removal of my T2X (or lower the mast down far enough to
>work on the antennas).  I also installed a U bolt on the mast a couple of
>inches above the top of the rotator to fasten the winch cable to.  I run
>stacked 4 element monobanders that make the winch almost a necessity.  The
>winch and mounting is very similar to the one US Tower sells.
>
>Also, my thrust bearing carries the weight of the mast and antennas.  I have
>found that by suspending the rotator from the mast (rather than having the
>weight of the mast on the rotator) the brake wedge does not stick.
>
>I still tear up the gears in the T2X, probably because I reverse the antenna
>before it comes to a full stop.  I am working on a Rotormapic (recent QST
>article) that the software author has included a "rotation reverse delay" at
>my request.  Never had the gear problem with my old Ham-M, probably because
>the motor doesn't have enough torque to strip them when I hit the reverse to
>soon.
>
>de Paul, W8AEF
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Joe Giacobello, K2XX" <k2xx@swva.net>
>To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
>Sent: Thursday, December 19, 2002 5:43 PM
>Subject: [Towertalk] Rotor Removal from tower: Is there an easier way?
>
>
>  
>
>>Well, it looks like the brake on my T2X has finally thrown in the towel.
>> I have ordered a repair kit from Champion.  However, my main concern is
>>getting the rotor out with the minimum amount of surgery.
>>
>>My tower is an LM-470 and I can do all the work at ladder level.  The
>>rotor is mounted on a rotor mounting plate a few feet below the top of
>>the tower.  As I see it, my only option is to either loosen the set
>>screws on the thrust bearing or unbolt the bearing from its mounting
>>plate and pull the mast out just far enough to allow me to pass the
>>unbolted rotor out the first clear opening in the tower framework.  Are
>>there any other options?  (I have a terrible habit of missing the
>>    
>>
>obvious.)
>  
>
>>Also, does anyone have any pointers for replacing the brake?
>>
>>73 and Tnx for your help.
>>
>>
>>Joe
>>
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>>
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