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Re: Replace mast pipe?

Posted: Thu May 13, 2021 3:36 pm
by windybob
There are guys here that use a gin pole to replace heads. I'm sure one of those guys will explain how that works. It bolts to the tower legs.

More info coming!

Re: Replace mast pipe?

Posted: Thu May 13, 2021 8:53 pm
by pcowley (RIP)
You might see if there if a local or close by bill board (sign) company that will take your motor down. I found that they were a whole lot cheaper.You would have to give them good instructions.

Re: Replace mast pipe?

Posted: Fri May 14, 2021 8:08 am
by windybob
That's right Paul. That's always maybe a good ace in the hole. Forgot about that.

Re: Replace mast pipe?

Posted: Fri May 14, 2021 5:57 pm
by Ron Stauffer
The mast pipe is the $150 part that keeps the other over $2000 parts up in the air. Most are worn so replace. If you do a crane, pick the head off the tower. After off, just loosen the clamps and remove the base bolts and slide old mast down and out. Then the new back up and in.

Did you get the mast with 3 post base and 3 post furl lever as they are different?

Ron Stauffer
Montrose CO

Re: Replace mast pipe?

Posted: Sun May 23, 2021 8:23 pm
by Billt
What are the diameters of the 602 and 702 mast pipes?

Re: Replace mast pipe?

Posted: Mon May 24, 2021 10:07 am
by Bryon
Depends on the size of the mill. Either way, they are the same.

Re: Replace mast pipe?

Posted: Mon May 24, 2021 11:40 am
by Billt
I have 2..1 good and ,1 bad. Used the bad one to rebuild fan and put good one on tower I hope to get up soon. Lucked out and they are both the same, just measured them. Both are for 8' mills

Re: Replace mast pipe?

Posted: Tue May 25, 2021 9:20 am
by Ron Stauffer
Be aware that the mast pipe base on a lot of 602s had a small ID for the pump rod that will only accept the 602 smooth shaft threaded end pump rod and not the bulb head 702 pump rod. Also early 602 mast did not have the cupped base for the motor as the early 602 motor had a flat bottom

Ron Stauffer
Montrose CO

Re: Replace mast pipe?

Posted: Tue May 25, 2021 4:42 pm
by Billt
Ron, mine is going to be just a spinner but I do have the original pump rod that came with it
Bill

Re: Replace mast pipe?

Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2021 9:33 pm
by LoTec
If you want to reuse old mastpipe, check how straight it is. It's very common for them to get bent.

After motor is off, take a hammer and tap the turntable cup up and remove it from mast. Lay a long straightedge along fat part of pipe, extending up next to skinny part. Straightedge should be parallel to skinny part of pipe. If it is not parallel, measure the variation. Check at several points around circumference of pipe. If any of your variations are more than 1/16" off I would take mast down and straighten it (torch & hydraulic press). Or... easier to replace it if you have a new one.

If new mast is for 4 leg tower, you'll have to swap bases. Probably need a torch, pipe wrenches and cheaters.

As Ron implied above, it is usually not that hard to replace the mast once the motor is off. Loosen all the clamps, vise grip the base to tower legs then remove base bolts, lower mast down the middle. The challenge is sometimes that when you are trying to install the new mast, the tower notches don't want to line up properly. If that happens you might have to loosen up or even remove some other tower bolts to get things to align.

An important caveat here: DO NOT TRY TO REMOVE THE MAST PIPE WHILE A GIN POLE IS ATTACHED TO TOWER, if your gin pole (like mine) depends on being clamped to the sturdily assembled stub tower. Don't ask how I know this...