Replacing a positioner arm, easy way??

[gizzer777]

Anyone know of an easy way to replace a positioner on my 8 footer? I am going to swap out my old positioner, which has begun getting a bit sloppy, in favor of a Superjack II with a longer arm.

I am not looking forward to doing a master reset on the 922 but cannot come up with an alternative...reprograming and fine tuning all the sats from scratch...uggh! It is worth the replacement due to accuracy considerations, especially with KU.

I will of course lose G1's position since the new Positioner's arm would have to be about the same length as where the existing one's arm stops to keep it close. Seems as though that is not worth the effort, but to go for a new install w/reset? I mean, I know about where G1 is just by my eye....still a mess though with C4 so close etc. Luckily I have lots of subs on G1!
TIA
Jeff

 

[bryansr]

When I replace an actuator arm, I move the dish to the lowest satellite. I measure the old actuator arm from the outer tube end to the mount hole on the inner tube. I would then hook two wires from the truck battery to the new actuator to run the new actuator arm out that measurement. This would always put me in the "ballpark". After this I could usually just fine tune each satellite in the least amount of time.
BryanSR

 

[dfergie]

Good Idea Bryan...

 

[gizzer777]

Will give your idea a shot!

When I replace an actuator arm, I move the dish to the lowest satellite. I measure the old actuator arm from the outer tube end to the mount hole on the inner tube. I would then hook two wires from the truck battery to the new actuator to run the new actuator arm out that measurement. This would always put me in the "ballpark". After this I could usually just fine tune each satellite in the least amount of time.
BryanSR

Thanks Bryan:

I think I will do exactly what you recommend. Once I get a few Sats dialed in, probably try the "other" save option(922) which is supposed to get you close to other programed sats.

As soon as the new wiper comes (late today), I am going to have a go as long as our weather holds! My old arm is now getting up to 3 clicks off from where it is supposed to go...will become a spare as soon as I have a look at it! It is undersized and 18", and been up for over 10 yrs...but still works!!! Also took the force of several 80 mph+ storms in its history!
Jeff

 

[bryansr]

I am VERY GLAD to see the interest being peaked in BUD again. I changed MANY Accuator arms in the 15+ years I serviced BUDS here in Central Georgia...... I ALMOST miss it. I RARELY even get a call, at all, from ANY of my MANY "BUD Friends".
It is a GOOD THING I didn't "QUIT MY DAY JOB" for the business I would be RIPPING & RUNNING to put up 6 pizza dishes a day just to feed my family. I let it be a nice part time business where I made MANY PEOPLE HAPPY and A LOT OF FRIENDS TOO.
I still help people with their pizza dishes correcting install errors and storm damage & such to help supplement the DAY JOB now and then. I just don't want to be a "SUB CONTRACTOR" where the major pizza dish companies rip you off claiming that your customers dropped so they don't have to pay you the little bit of commission they owe you.

 

[gizzer777]

me too!

I am VERY GLAD to see the interest being peaked in BUD again. I changed MANY Accuator arms in the 15+ years I serviced BUDS here in Central Georgia...... I ALMOST miss it. I RARELY even get a call, at all, from ANY of my MANY "BUD Friends".
It is a GOOD THING I didn't "QUIT MY DAY JOB" for the business I would be RIPPING & RUNNING to put up 6 pizza dishes a day just to feed my family. I let it be a nice part time business where I made MANY PEOPLE HAPPY and A LOT OF FRIENDS TOO.
I still help people with their pizza dishes correcting install errors and storm damage & such to help supplement the DAY JOB now and then. I just don't want to be a "SUB CONTRACTOR" where the major pizza dish companies rip you off claiming that your customers dropped so they don't have to pay you the little bit of commission they owe you.

Yep..i am also very happy not to be the only one left on the planet!!! I enjoy helping out folks and have also done some fine tuning for some of my pizza friends too! The installs out here are rush rush rush...usually with poor results but enough to get people up and running....used to be a day where trained sat dish installers were worth their weight in gold!!!!

had one friend where the installer gave up. I went outside for a quick look and he had the dish pointed INTO some neighbor's house! A little dish relocation and the pizza's were back in the Oven!! TRUE STORY!!!

Jeff