[Towertalk] TR44 rotor slips.

[WB9UWA Jim Shaffer]

Hi All,

Perhaps someone would confirm what I think I am seeing.
I am using a TR44 rotor that was upgraded to Ham M by adding
bearings to the race. It served me in the 80's with a TA33 on it
which stripped the ring gear. Shortly after this, the ring gear was
replaced by a stainless steel ring gear.
Now to the present:
I am using this rotor on my roof mounted 2m EME array consisting
of 4, 20 foot boom yagis mounted 5 feet to the H frame from the reflectors.
It is off balance and front heavy so is normally tied down when not in use.
Last night a surprise winter storm brought substantial winds and I was
surprized
to have found the array turned about 45 degrees. I  was further surprized
that
the meter tracked the position, so I returned it to its parked direction. At
noon
with the winds still up, I found that it had returned to a 45 degree off
direction.
I have never seen the wind turn this rotor before even though it does not
have
a brake. Is this normal for this rotor and should I be concerned for damage
to
the rotor or this the rotor just doing me a favor by directing the array
into a less
damaging direction?

73, Jim Shaffer, WB9UWA.