Rotators, cages and bearings

[Basil]

Just got a 60 foot Versatower up and looking to mount some aerials. The rotator cage has a lower flat platform within it, with three bolt holes trinangularly spaced 14 mm holes presumably for mounting a rotator, and a 2.5 inch central hole. Above that, about halfway to the top of the cage is a tubular sleeve with captive nuts for 3 locking bolts. A circa 2 inch OD tube is a sliding fit within. At the top is a round disc with a tubular lined central hole, again circa 2 inch ID, with a single captive nut for a pinch bolt.

Now, I have just picked up a Prosistel PS2051 rotator. Is the rotator expected to turn the stub mast withing these short, plain galvanized steel tubes, that are part of the cage, and the "thrust bearings" I hear spoken of just take the vertical loading? Or can / should you fit bearings effectivel around the stub mast, to reduce the side loadings when the stub is turned and reduce rotator rotational loading? Or does the Prosistel PS2051 have the ability to take substantial vertical thrust loadings WITHOUT a thrust bearing at all? I have a decent home machine shop and can weld all materials here as well, so even major mods are no problem. I have never seen any rotator arrangements close up to see what's the norm though. Aerials will probably be a 3 element SteppIR Yagi or clone and a lightweight 13 element 2 meter Yagi.

Thanks.

[bigpimp347]

i have the strumech tower and said rocket top/rotator cage ha shad many holes drilled for different rotators.
i use the emotator and then a scaffold tube through the top sleeve looking thing, the bolt in there i expect is keep the pole steady as there's not enough room for a bearing and i don't have a top bearing and not seen one on a strumech.
but what i did do was got a alloy tube, thin walled and split it so it fitted around the scaffold so this thickened out the scaffold inside the top of the tower, loads of grease this now acts as a bush, it turns the beam round ok and has no tight areas or wobble..

but i would love to know if they are meant to have a top bearing or not..as mine doesn't.

[NoiseBoy]

Just got a 60 foot Versatower up and looking to mount some aerials. The rotator cage has a lower flat platform within it, with three bolt holes trinangularly spaced 14 mm holes presumably for mounting a rotator, and a 2.5 inch central hole. Above that, about halfway to the top of the cage is a tubular sleeve with captive nuts for 3 locking bolts. A circa 2 inch OD tube is a sliding fit within. At the top is a round disc with a tubular lined central hole, again circa 2 inch ID, with a single captive nut for a pinch bolt.

Now, I have just picked up a Prosistel PS2051 rotator. Is the rotator expected to turn the stub mast withing these short, plain galvanized steel tubes, that are part of the cage, and the "thrust bearings" I hear spoken of just take the vertical loading? Or can / should you fit bearings effectivel around the stub mast, to reduce the side loadings when the stub is turned and reduce rotator rotational loading? Or does the Prosistel PS2051 have the ability to take substantial vertical thrust loadings WITHOUT a thrust bearing at all? I have a decent home machine shop and can weld all materials here as well, so even major mods are no problem. I have never seen any rotator arrangements close up to see what's the norm though. Aerials will probably be a 3 element SteppIR Yagi or clone and a lightweight 13 element 2 meter Yagi.

Thanks.

We run the PST2051 on both of our towers. One of which has a thrust bearing on the top just because it was already there, the other doesnt. The one without a bearing holds a heavy 6 element log periodic for 20-10m with no problems. Alignment is very critical so we had to file the holes in the plate to allow adjustment of the rotator position. Also the welding on the mast clamp brackets can be shoddy and we had to pack it out with small slips of metal plate to get the pole centralised. The 2051 is more than capable of holding a SteppIR without any extra support if you set it up properly.

Also check to make sure none of the bolts are grabbing the stub mast and that the mast isn't touching the tubular sleeves. A bit of grease just in case wouldn't hurt.

P.s. We quite often stand on the rotator to get better access to the beam, its tough. The only problem we have had recently with both rotators (after many years of service) is that the potentiometers in the bases suffer from lack of use and had to be cleaned up (we will be replacing them). So if yours is new be sure to turn it from end stop to end stop every now and again. If its second hand pull out the put and squirt in some switch cleaner/lubricant and run the pot around its full tracks. Its a 10 turn unit. There are vids online of how to do it.

[Anthony123]

I have a 'Strumech P60 Versatower ' and inside the rotator cage i have a 'Ham IV rotator', Its more than 25 years old and still going strong, Just regular maintanence...

I also have a YAESU GS-065 , Its a medium Weight Thrust Bearing mounted on the top of the rotator cage, The bearing has been in use daily for more than 2 years now without any problems at all .. Although i did pack it full of heavy bearing grease before i installed it as there was hardly and grease in there from new, Just a thin smear... On top of it all is a Force 12 ' C3SS 'multi-band yagi for 14-18-21-24-28 mhz and it all turns without any problems..

Every year i inspect all the antenna gear including the tower for signs of deterioration or problems... I re-grease what needs doing and repair what needs fixing if any..