The tower I dismantled earlier this summer had locks built into the nuts. Engaging the locks was automatic for the tightening procedure. You simply tightened the nuts with an impact wrench. The lock was nothing more than a piece of heavy steel wire (#12??) imbedded in the surface of the nut. The thread end of the wire looked like it had been cut with a pair of side cutters. (it was chisel shaped to gouge better) When they tightened the nuts during assembly, the wire gouged into the threads of the bolt. When we were taking the tower apart, we had to go along with a hammer and chisel and "unlock" the locks so we could loosen the nuts. It was almost impossible to get the nuts loose without disabling the locks.
Scott Scott Zimmerman Amateur Radio Call N3XCC 474 Barnett Rd Boswell, PA 15531 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jacob Suter" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, October 28, 2008 6:05 PM Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] Broken Rock MT. tower collapse > Was this from shearing or vibration? If they're merely vibrating off, I'd > have to say this is an application for "Loctite", blue grade. > > The nice part with the blue stuff is you can inspect the torque and/or > dismantle the tower later without having to use a torch. Higher grades of > Loctite are stronger but much harder to disassemble later. > > JS > >> -----Original Message----- >> From: [email protected] [mailto:Repeater- >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of wa5luy >> Sent: Tuesday, October 28, 2008 8:24 AM >> To: [email protected] >> Subject: [Repeater-Builder] Broken Rock MT. tower collapse >> >> Yesterday morning the one of the communications towers on Broken Rock >> Mt. in western Arkansas collapsed. This self supporting tower was over >> 200 feet tall and had cell service and the NOAA weather radio for our >> area. The tower collapsed with a wind of no more than 50 miles per hour >> and had survived hurricanes Gustov and Ike. >> >> Last year I found some large bolts, nuts, washers on the ground at a >> similar tower where our repeater in Hot Springs is located. We had a >> tower company inspect our tower and they found loose bolts and one leg >> connection with all but one bolt missing with no nut. >> >> I am mo expert but it appears to me by looking at the leg connection of >> the collapsed tower the same condition occurred. Both towers were less >> than 12 years old. Pictures can be seen at http://hsara.org/. Scroll >> below the map. >> >> The moral of this story is check those bolts and check them often. >> >> Wayne WA5LUY >> >> >> >> ------------------------------------ >> >> >> >> Yahoo! Groups Links >> >> >> > > ------------------------------------ > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com Version: 8.0.175 / Virus Database: 270.8.4/1752 - Release Date: 10/28/2008 10:04 AM
