[TowerTalk] Re: Thrust Bearing Usage

[kb9cry at comcast.net]

Rotators are designed to take the vertical load of the mast/antenna assembly.  You'll probably find folks are divided as to entire load on rotator or thrust bearing.  Personally what I do is to install the mast down onto the rotator.  Then I attach a heavy duty stainless steel pipe clamp onto the mast and slide it down tight onto the thrust bearing and secure it.  Then I install my antenna.  So both are sharing the loads.  Also, the thrust bearing side screws are only used to center the mast in the bearing; they are never used to hold the weight of the assembly.  To change out the rotator I'll either use a come-a-long inside of the tower and jack up the mast or use a scissors jack on the top plate and jack up against the antenna boom to mast plate.  Gd luck, Phil  KB9CRY