[TowerTalk] Dust/Rain Cover for Your Thrust Bearing

[Terry G. Glagowski]

To make a dust / rain cover for my thrust bearing, I used a plumber's pipe
component... a 2 inch to 3 inch converter made out of rubber which has a hose
clamp to keep it fastened to the 2 inch mast.
Terry / W1TR

-----Original Message-----

Message: 8
Date: Sat, 1 Nov 2008 21:21:56 -0700
From: "Dan Hearn" <n5ar at air-pipe.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Thrust bearing re-grease
To: "Doug Renwick" <ve5ra at sasktel.net>, <K7LXC at aol.com>,
	<w3ea at hotmail.com>,	<towertalk at contesting.com>,
<draxfelton at gmail.com>
Message-ID: <ACEGINBFNLHLHJAHIHCPKEFPFAAA.n5ar at air-pipe.com>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"

It is possible to make a dust/rain cover for your thrust bearing and install
it as I have done. Farm supply stores sell a feed dish for animals, which is
made of material similar to an auto tire sidewall. I cut a hole in the
center equal to the mast diameter. I cut a slit from one side from the mast
hole to the edge. The dish is very flexible and I was able to twist it
enough to get it into place. You can use tape, silicone rubber or what ever
to seal the slit. I have also made them where the dish was cut in half and
used a strip of aluminum under each slit with screws thru the rubber into
the aluminum. There is no reason not to cover the thrust bearing.

73, Dan, N5AR