[TowerTalk] Lifting a mast off the rotator

[Jim Thomson]

Date: Sun, 24 Apr 2016 20:05:13 -0700
From: Grant Saviers <grants2 at pacbell.net>
To: Les Kalmus <w2lk at bk-lk.com>, TOWERTALK at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] [Bulk]  Lifting a mast off the rotator
Les,

On a used 2800 I acquired the prior owner had secured a cut off box end 
wrench on the center bolt with a screw through the wrench handle and 
threaded into the Orion plate about 2" out from the bolt, oriented so 
the split mast clamp clears the wrench.   Now I know why he did that.

Grant KZ1W

##  slick idea,  but it wont work if the optional m2  self centering 1/2 inch thick,
triangular chunk of AL is used.  When the self centering device is use, a really
long  1/4-20  SS bolt is provided.... to get from top of  self centering block....
all the way through the block, then to the threads in the steel base plate. 

##  I have 2 of the OR-2800  rotors.... and the  self centering block is  only required
if a 2 inch mast is used.   And even then, its  really not required  with a 2 inch mast. 

##  The self centering block is  pyramid shaped, and the entire block  fits inside a 
2 inch mast.  Dunno if it will still fit inside a 2 inch mast, that has a .375 wall thickness. 

##  If a 2 inch mast used, the clamp would normally be adjusted so its just a bit bigger
than 2 inch.   If  2 x thrust bearings are used, the self centering device is def not required.

##  I would not use it.  Instead use the  shorter   1/4-20  bolt.... but use  some  blue  loctite
on the threads.    Purple locite is slightly weaker than blue loctite..and will also work. Or at
least use a SS  split ring lockwasher on top of a SS fllatwasher,  below the bolt head. 

##  the scissor jack is a good  idea.  The simple  bottle jacks  will also work, but have a limited
amount of vertical lift distance.   Cheap, and available from   1/2  to 20 ton.  The issue with bottle jacks is:
you can precisely control the lifting function..... but when u go to let it down, it comes down quickly.

Jim  VE7RF