[TowerTalk] Tower take down scheme - reply

[Gary Slagel]

Thanks to all for both the online and offline comments...  I done been convinced!  I found a small crane operator that can come out for $150 an hour and I think I can get my job down in a couple hours.  I was already planning on renting a trailer to get the thing back home but it'll be easier now because I can take V8 4runner to tow it rather then my little 6 cylinder pickup.
 
See you on the air!

Gary Slagel/N0SXX
Lakewood, CO
http://marina.fortunecity.com/sanpedro/351

--- On Wed, 7/16/08, Alfred Frugoli <ke1fo at arrl.net> wrote:

From: Alfred Frugoli <ke1fo at arrl.net>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Tower take down scheme - physics problem
To: "Gary Slagel" <gdslagel at yahoo.com>, "TowerTalk" <towertalk at contesting.com>
Date: Wednesday, July 16, 2008, 7:08 PM



Gary,

When my UST TX-472 was delivered (1300lbs or so) I had a local boom wrecker come out.  He was able to extend the boom of his rig into the back of the delivery truck, lift out the tower, move it over to the base, hold it in position while I inserted the pivot bolts and then stand it up so I could put in the first of the "anchor" bolts.  Small investment (at the time - 1994 or 5 - under $100) that made the project very safe and easy.

Good luck and be safe.

73 de Al, KE1FO

-----
Visit my amateur radio contesting blog at ke1fo.wordpress.com. 


On Wed, Jul 16, 2008 at 12:07 AM, Gary Slagel <gdslagel at yahoo.com> wrote:

Thought I'd run this through the group and see what you thought... too much math/physics for me to figure out.
 
I need to take down a Triex WT-51.  I'm traveling several hundred miles to do it and won't have much help available.  I'm thinking crank the tower down to its 21' nested position, back my pickup up to it, pull the hinged tower over onto the pickup tailgate and slowly pull the pickup forward letting the tower lean over, slowly kind of sliding down over the tailgate. 
 
Of course, its not as simple as that, as I'll need to rig something up to make it all slide smoothly and probably provide some extra support to the tower as it slides.  I can figure all that out but am wondering what kind of equivalent weight this will put on the tail end of the pickup.  The tower weighs in the range of 400lbs.... I think the pickup would handle up to 1500 lbs or so on the back end.  I'm thinking the lever action of the tower is going to apply much more the 400lbs to the pickup but no idea how much.  
 
Any thoughts on how feasible this is?  As I said, I know I've got to do some engineering to make process work but I'm just wondering if the pickup can handle it?
 
Thanks for input,
Gary
 
 
 


Gary Slagel/N0SXX
Lakewood, CO
http://marina.fortunecity.com/sanpedro/351



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