[TowerTalk] Mast slipping

[K7LXC at aol.com]

In a message dated 4/22/2007 8:43:23 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
towertalk-request at contesting.com writes:

>  About a year ago I had a conversation with the m2 people  about their 
rotator 
clamp slipping on my Monstr's mast.  What follows  is my memory of the 
conversation:

>  1. It is better to  have the clamp slip than to harm the rotator.  (Note: 
the 
wind  banging repeatedly on the gearing can weaken the gears?)

>  2.  The specified braking torque has not been measured (or  calculated?).

>  3. Pinning voids the warranty.  I would  assume that using a different 
mfrs 
clamp would also void the  warranty.

>  4. They recommended a clamp bolt tightening  sequence that should be 
followed.  Unfortunately I wasn't able to get  a firm answer on what torque 
to tighten the nuts to.  The sequence to  follow is:

>  a) bolt the rotator to the mounting plate but  leave the bolt/nuts not 
tightened
b) with the bolts to holding  the rotator to the mounting plate loose, 
tighten the bolt/nut pair of the  clamp that is nearest the bottom.
c) tighten the next (middle)  bolt/nut pair of the clamp
d) tighten the top bolt/nut pair of the  clamp
e) repeat steps b,c,d several times
f) now lastly,  tighten the bolt/nuts of step a

>  I did get an answer of 40  ft/lbs from the m2 person but I think that was 
just pulled out of the  air.
 
    Very interesting but not useful. It doesn't do  anything about the 
significant design flaws of the Orion mast clamp that ARE  the problems. None of the 
above will keep the mast from slipping. 
 
Cheers,
Steve      K7LXC
TOWER TECH 



 



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