[TowerTalk] Winch cable for a LM354

[AI2C - Norm Styer]

Well, I just changed out the cable on my 29-year old LM-354 for the first 
time yesterday. This tower was new in 1977 and made by Tri-Ex at Visalia on 
the West Coast. The original tower raising cable from 1977 was 1/4-inch  7 x 
19 SS aircraft cable. Although the original cable had a fair coat of rust 
from the old steel boom-to-mast plate on the TB-6EM that bleed down through 
the tower, the 29-year old SS looked 'original' inside. I replaced it with 
zinc coated '7x19 constr' cable by Cooper (Made in China) from Home Depot. 
The working load limit is specified at 1400 pounds.

The old (like new on the winch drum) SS cable and new cable are exactly the 
same thickness between two metal bars.

I am at a loss as to where the 3/16-inch cable size is required.

I went through my 1977 purchase file, shipping list, and specs on the tower 
and the only cable size noted was 3/16-inch 24-foot cable shipped for use 
with 'Fulton Load-Lok' Winch Model 945A on the tilt-over fixture.  There is 
no reference to the tower raising cable size in any of the Tri-Ex material.

The new 1/4-inch stuff looks great in all the pulleys. I pulled all pulley 
wheels and checked for wear and lubed them - they spin like a top; I found 
no looseness or binding.

There's some Cable 101 info at:

http://www.bergencable.com/technology/technology_cable101.html

Should I worry?

Should I spring for some SS at $2.05 per foot at Home Depot?

Best Regards, Norm Styer - AI2C

May The Morse Come To You  !!!

NNNN

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bob Maser" <bmaser at tampabay.rr.com>
To: "Bob Maser" <bmaser at tampabay.rr.com>; <KJ6Y at aol.com>; <K7LXC at aol.com>; 
<towertalk at contesting.com>; <k2qmf at juno.com>; <n2tu at roadrunner.com>
Sent: Wednesday, November 01, 2006 8:44 PM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Winch cable for a LM354


> BTW, the specs on the LM 354 Tri-ex tower specifies 3/16" x 7 x 19 
> aircraft
> cable NOT 1/4".  Look it up in Google under LM 354 Tower Specs.  It is the
> first hit on Google.
>
> Bob
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Bob Maser" <bmaser at tampabay.rr.com>
> To: <KJ6Y at aol.com>; <K7LXC at aol.com>; <towertalk at contesting.com>;
> <k2qmf at juno.com>; <n2tu at roadrunner.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, November 01, 2006 8:31 PM
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Winch cable for a LM354
>
>
>> Why does the LM354 use 1/4" when the LM470 use 3/16"?  I've recabled 3 of
>> these LM470 towers and the cable replaced was 3/16".  SS cable is weaker
>> and
>> costs over 40% more.
>>
>> Bob W6TR
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: <KJ6Y at aol.com>
>> To: <K7LXC at aol.com>; <towertalk at contesting.com>; <k2qmf at juno.com>;
>> <n2tu at roadrunner.com>
>> Sent: Wednesday, November 01, 2006 7:46 PM
>> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Winch cable for a LM354
>>
>>
>>> LM-354 uses 1/4 in cable.  Stainless is OK.
>>>
>>> Skip,  KJ6Y
>>> _Communications Service  Co_ (http://members.aol.com/kj6y/skip.html)
>>> 818-887-3569
>>>
>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>
> _______________________________________________