[TowerTalk] Thrust bearing versus rotator pin bolt

[Adam Shirley WJ4X]

When you tighten the unladen mast in the bearing it is unstressed, then 
when you load it with antennas, the thrust bearing comes into play.

What you're trying to do there doesn't make sense. You don't "Pull up" 
anything, the thrust bearing is "sharing" the load. Not taking it all on 
for itself, if that makes sense.

Also, anytime one of you choices is "Follow the instructions"... Take 
that route.

   73!
    -Adam
     WJ4X

Tom Singleton wrote:
> Hi all,
> 
> My Yaesu rotator (DXA1000) specifies that the mast be pinned 50mm 
> above the base.  I am also using a yaesu GS-65 thrust bearing.  The 
> retaining plates that they have with this rotor are very nice, by the way.
> 
> If I pin the mast using the supplied bolt per instructions, there is 
> precious little slack in the 9mm hole which allows the weight of the 
> mast to be taken off the rotator-none that I can tell in fact.  Does 
> the use of the pin bolt mean that the antenna/mast weight has to be 
> carried by the rotator and not by the thrust bearing?
> 
> Do you think it would be a good idea to drill a larger hole in the 
> mast so that there is noticeable room to pull the mast up off the pin 
> as I tighten the thrust bearing bolts?  Or should I follow the 
> rotator installation instructions, figuring that is how it is 
> engineered?  My understanding is that having the weight of the mast 
> and antenna (TA53M with 40M add-on 65lbs) would be better for the rotator.
> 
> Tom
> K8TOM
> 
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