[TowerTalk] Tilting large towers

[Rick Karlquist]

I purchased an "aluminum racing jack" at Harbor Freight (also
available at auto stores).  This model (about $60-$80) is
rated at 3,000 lbs and spec'ed at 3 inches minimum lift.
However, if you remove the roller and the circular "pan" from
it, you can get it down to 2 inches.  This is low enough to
get under the UST tower.

What I do with my HDX5106 is pump the jack up a little at a
time and alternately pay out a little winch cable.  You don't
want to get too much slack in the winch cable.  After the
jack is about 8 inches high, the tower starts to lean on its
own.

When raising the tower, I use the winch to get the tower
to the tipping point, and then slowly release the valve on
the jack for a "soft landing".  Considering that my tower
weighs around 4,000 lbs., I really appreciate this.

Hope you are able to visualize this.

Rick N6RK



>     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?
>
> 73,
>
> Mike DiGirolamo, W4XN
> Charlottesville, VA
>
> Regards,
> Norm W4QN
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