Securing Dish Movement

[JFOK]

Hi All,

Back in the day (1991) when I had my 9 foot Radio Shack dish, I secured it from moving on the pole by drilling a small hole through the mount and pole. I then placed a shear pin in the newly drilled hole. I figured this would reinforce the holding power the factory polar mount screws had. If the force against the dish became too strong, the shear pin would sacrifice itself. Well in 11 years of Connecticut seasonal changes...gusty thunderstorms to raging blizzards, that dish never moved on its mount. I was thinking of performing the same procedure this spring on my current dish set up.
Do any of you follow this practice ?

John

 

[Claude Greiner]

Isn't that no different than using a self tapping screw?

 

[AceB]

Having played with a few different dishes on diseqc motors and polar mounts it's something I've thought of doing once everything has been fined tuned. The conclusion I reached in the end was not to do because I'd rather a dish move round the pole due to extreme wind than be warped or broken due to it being unable to 'give' somewhere.

 

[Claude Greiner]

But you should have the dish tightened dish enough where it should never move on the mast

 

[JFOK]

But you should have the dish tightened dish enough where it should never move on the mast

Claude & AceB,

I've always thought that no matter how tight you make those polar mount bolts, there is always going to be some possibility of slippage especially in high winds accompanied by a driving rain. My idea was to add a measure of "secureness" to the dish and then if the wind became too high, the shear pin would give way to prevent any damage to the dish. Don't know if a self tapping screw would act the same way.

John

 

[Claude Greiner]

I have only seen 2 dishes break due to wind. Both of those dishes where on the 10th or 15th floor of an office building.

 

[Lone Gunman]

IMHO 4 bolts clamping the polar mount to the post is enough, which is what two of my 10 footers have. I've had my Winegard system since 1988 and NEVER had it move on the post, that I knew about and it's had Ku capability since around 1990 or so.

 

[JFOK]

Hi Lone Gunman,

The reason I brought this whole matter up is that yesterday I noticed a drop in quality on Anik F1. So I went out to my dish and saw that it had moved just a hair...enough for me to lose the HD channels on that satellite. I re-adjusted the dish and those channels came back with a good strong signal. I then thought about what I had done back in 1991 with my dish and wondered if I'd have to do the same with this dish. As my Dad used to say, "we'll see."
Thanks to all for your input.

John

 

[wagonman76]

Mine has 3 bolts top and 3 bolts bottom of the mount. But unless I loosen them all, I can't turn it without fear of bending or breaking something. I don't think it would ever move with them all tightened down. Never has moved in the 17 years I've had it, and Michigan has some fierce straight line windstorms.

I myself wouldn't want to pin it, just in case I wanted to fine tune it later. Also a pin can still move at least on a pole mount. I'd much rather use a blob of JB weld or something along those lines, spanning both parts, so I'd know at a glance if something moved.

 

[Titanium]

Always hated doing service calls on dishes with through bolts. If the dish required even a minute adjustment, it would no longer line-up.

If I was experiencing mount rotation on the pole, I personally would not through-bolt or weld (yes ,I have had to grind off weld tacks). Instead of drilling through and pinning, drill 2 or three over sized holes in the pole cap at a 90 degree angle to existing snug bolts and weld on additional nuts to add opposing bolts.

 

[JFOK]

Hi Brian,

Well that's another way to attack this situation, it does make sense. Not sure if I want to go that route however, since I'm not a welder. Think I'll leave things as they are for now.
Thanks anyway for your input...much appreciated.

John

 

[Titanium]

Before I had a welding set-up I hired a local guy who does on-site construction vehicle maintenance. For $25-35 plus materials he would stop by when working in the area and do minor repairs, brackets etc.

Keep an eye out at Harbor Freight. As door busters, they offer 120v small wire feed welding units for less than $100 (includes wire, brush and a face/eye shield). Nice to have around for simple maintenance even if you have never welded.