[TowerTalk] Loose rotor bolts

Bill Coleman aa4lr at arrl.net
Fri Nov 23 10:10:19 EST 2007


On Oct 29, 2007, at 1:33 AM, Dick Green WC1M wrote:

> I've had mixed results with Hy-Gain rotor bolts. The bolts loosened  
> up on
> one of my Ham-IV rotors that's mast-mounted on an AB-577, but stayed  
> tight
> on another identical setup and on an identically-mounted Tailtwister  
> on
> another AB-577. I later moved the Tailtwister to a standard in-tower
> mounting and it appears to be fine. I used Loctite on the Ham-IV that
> slipped and haven't had a problem with it since. I'm not convinced the
> Loctite is necessary if you use lock-washers and really tighten the  
> bolts
> down as hard as you can without stripping them. Checking the rotor  
> bolts at
> least once a year is a good idea.

You know, if bolt-loosening is a serious problem, then why not use the  
same technology used to hold aircraft bolts in place? Use drilled  
bolts, and safety-wire them?

With the four bolts on an antenna rotator, it would only take two  
pieces of safety wire, and then it becomes impossible for the bolts to  
turn and fall out.

For the record, my ancient Ham-M rotator was up for four years with  
washers and spring lockwashers, and didn't loosen up a bit. (I've had  
it off twice since that time, which was only two years ago)

Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL        Mail: aa4lr at arrl.net
Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
             -- Wilbur Wright, 1901



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