[TowerTalk] Rotor Removal

[Brahmangou at aol.com]

Keeping in mind that none of my arrays are over 300 lb. The last few times  
I changed out a rotor, it went pretty easy.
1 loosen the set screws on the thrust bearing
2 loosen the mast clamp on the rotor
3 this depends on the rotor being removed, but usually I use an 18" snap on 
 pry bar to raise the mast about 1/2"
4 Slip the hook from a ratchet strap into the bottom of the mast. If it is  
particularly heavy, slip in two
5 ease off of pry bay and let mast rest on hooks.
6 attach other end of ratchet straps to top plate and ratchet it up as  
necessary
7 tighten set screws in thrust bearing, then remove old rotor
 
Most times you only need to raise the mast a few inches to gain clearance  
for removal and replacement. If it is more, many of the other suggestions 
sound  like they would work fine. Dragging a come along or chain fall up a 
tower is  awkward at best and I'd like to avoid it if possible. My ratchet 
straps are  rated for 1000lbs each.
73,
AB5GU Marty 
 
 
 
 
 
In a message dated 5/25/2010 2:12:47 P.M. Central Daylight Time,  
krgoodwin at comcast.net writes:

I used  an old TB3 and some angle iron (actually unused tower braces 
cut to the  necessary length) to tie a TB3 to the tower legs with 
u-bolt clamps. I  drilled the holes in the 'angle iron' for the 
u-bolts in place after  affixing the TB3 to the mast and the other 
ends of the 'angle iron'.   I placed the TB3 onto the mast as the 
crane was lowering the mast into the  upper thrust bearing on the top 
platform and down into the rotator on the  lower platform.  With the 
lower thrust bearing in place, it should  take some of the load normal 
the axis of the mast off of the  rotator.  Of course, I have yet to 
utilize the configuration but I  assumed all I needed was some means 
of keeping the mast secure when raised  above the rotator with the 
upper thrust bearing on the top platform taking  the dead weight of 
the mast/antenna and with the lower thrust bearing  keeping the mast 
vertical when removing the rotator.  I am not even  sure if I need to 
raise the mast at all since the rotator clamp assembly  on the T2X can 
be disassembled allowing to pull the rotator out to side  with the 
mast in place.  (The mast is not resting on the rotator but  borne by 
the upper thrust bearing.)   I have pictures of what I  call the K4TD 
Memorial Thrust Bearing since Rick told me I needed more  than just 
one thrust bearing for keeping forces normal to the mast axis  off of 
the rotator.  This arrangement also keep me from having to  build a 
third platform.  Everything but the 3-element 40 meter beam  came thru 
Hurricane Ike with no problems.  Ken  K5RG

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