[TowerTalk] installing monster masts in towers (and ? twothrustbearings?)

[Alan NV8A (ex. AB2OS)]

On 06/08/05 07:37 am David Robbins K1TTT tossed the following 
ingredients into the ever-growing pot of cybersoup:

>>     *Don't rely on the bearing's set screw to support any of the dead
>>weight of the mast/antenna/coax.

> Ummmm, it wouldn't be much of a 'thrust' bearing if the set screws couldn't
> hold the weight of the mast.

The thrust bearings I have seen are almost capable of supporting a heavy 
load, but they had no integral means of clamping the mast: there was a 
separate "collar" secured to the mast by set screws, and this collar 
then rested against the center part of the bearing.

In normal operation, wouldn't the rotator itself support most of the 
downward force?

Alan NV8A