[TowerTalk] Anyone using the Fulton KW3000 worm drive?

[Steve Jones]

Guys-

I'm confused...I see this thread about Fulton winches, which is type I have
on my US Tower HDX-589 to tilt over the tower.  But then I see comments
about winches that will be used to raise the tower.  Are you all talking
about tilt-over winches or winches to raise and lower an already vertical
crank-up tower?

73,

Steve
N6SJ


-----Original Message-----
From: TowerTalk [mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Rick
Karlquist
Sent: Monday, January 07, 2013 12:53 PM
To: Fredric T. Serota
Cc: towertalk at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Anyone using the Fulton KW3000 worm drive?

I replaced a K2550 with a W3000.  When cranking up, there is a considerable
increase in effort due to the friction of the worm drive.  The additional
2:1 gear reduction of the W3000 approximately cancels this out.  Cranking
down is probably less effort than the K2550, since there is no break to fool
with.  I found it necessary to heavily lubricate the winch, smothering the
moving parts in grease.  Unfortunately, it is difficult to get the grease to
really penetrate.  The last time I used the W3000, it started squeeking on
the way up.  This is apparently due to the worm bushing spinning.  The winch
gets fairly hot in use; I don't think it is designed for the kind of duty
cycle involved with raising a tower.  I plan on replacing it with a boat
lift winch (see:
http://www.w4abc.com/drive.html).  These winches make the W3000 look like a
toy.  In your case, the W3000 may be oversize for your tower (since it came
with a K1550) and it may work out for you better than it has for me.

Rick N6RK


Fredric T. Serota wrote:
> I replaced the K1550 on my US towers 55 ft crank over a few years ago 
> with a K2550. Now it needs repair or replacement and I was thinking or 
> using the KW3000 as an upgrade and because the handle would be in a 
> much more convenient location, off the back of the tilt over fixture. 
> (The 2550 handle rubs the side of the tilt over fixture and is wearing 
> the paint and baring the metal. Anyone have any experience with this 
> winch and it suitability as a replacement?
>
> Fred, K3BHX
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