[TowerTalk] Using US Tower HDX-572MDPL Raising Fixture

[Bob Maser]

A 6 foot pry bar does the same thing.
Bob W6TR
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Al Williams" <alwilliams at olywa.net>
To: <towertalk at contesting.com>
Sent: Saturday, October 28, 2006 10:36 PM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Using US Tower HDX-572MDPL Raising Fixture


> Yes, it is normal.  The tower's center of gravity must lie outward from 
> the
> tower to beyond the hinge bolts for the gravity to exert force to tilt the
> tower over without external force.  I use an automobile floor jack under 
> the
> tower (away from the hinge legs) to apply the force to begin its tilting.
>
> You may have been lucky.  It is quite possible for the tilting winch 
> clutch
> to be in a free wheeling mode and not apply the braking that holds the 
> winch
> from winding out the cable.  That happened to me but I managed to grab the
> handle before it got too much momentum.  It is very important to test that
> the clutch is engaged before tilting the tower over (or else you will have
> to keep control of the handle until the tower is all the way tilted).  It
> might be possible to "snap the clutch mechanism to engage" by temporarily
> cranking the tower tilt back up a little.  I didn't think of that and so I
> tilted the tower all the way down by holding on to the handle.
>
> After that episode, I always tie a "safety" cable or rope between the 
> tower
> and the tilting fixture to stop the tower from tilting once it gets beyond
> the center of gravity a bit.  If the clutch is holding the tower, I then
> untie the safety rope.
>
> k7puc
>
> Ps  The center of gravity will also cause the tower to "fall into place"
> once the center of gravity passes inward from the hinge bolts when you are
> bringing the tower back to vertical.  You should be careful that your 
> hands
> and everything else is in the clear.
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Dr M J DiGirolamo" <DrD at 2020.com>
> Subject: [TowerTalk] Using US Tower HDX-572MDPL Raising Fixture
>> Some 10 days ago I used a crane to set my US Tower HDX-572MDPL to its
>> base.
>>
>> After removing all but the two hinging bolts, the tower did not want to
>> tilt on its own.  Tower was without a mast or antennas on it.  I ended up
>> using
>> both a crow and lever bar to encourage it to tilt over.  I'd estimate it
>> was as
>> much as 10 degrees off normal before there was enough lateral force
>> component
>> for the tower to lower on its own as I let the cable out.
>>
>> Questions:  Is this normal?  Are there those with experience who would
>> share how they deal with this situation?
>
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