Putting up a ranch spread tower

[Kansas Rust Buzzard]

Yea, I got a big new old stock Fairbury Ranch Spread Tower. It was just wired in bundles, never put together, counting it out, it appears all there but no bolts. It was for a 16ft Fairbury and finding one is like finding a 16lb gold nugget and even if I did, I already have a 16ft Aermotor and stub tower I want to pump with. I have never put up a big spread tower before, I assume I am going to have to bolt one side together on the ground to get my foot print measurement and then build from the ground up. I am not exactly sure how big it is, I think there is 38ft or so of ladder and their is another 9 foot or so from the platform up but the wide spread makes it use up a bit more ladder with the angle. I got a digger derrick that goes about 48ft but I can put a pole extension to get some more. I don't think I have ever even seen a ranch spread in real life, its not a real attractive tower but its different and it is what I got so I am going to be happy. If anyone has any comments, suggestions, ideas or experiences, I would appreciate anyone who is more knowledgeable than me on this and that includes about all of you. Thanks

[windybob]

Here's one we did a couple years ago. It was 50 ft, with I think an 11 foot diag spread. The boom was not long enough to do it right, so we built the bottom 20 ft in place, then assemble the rest on the ground, and lifted it up for the mating. that is the last one of those we will do with my truck.

50 ft 2 ed.jpg

[Kansas Rust Buzzard]

Looks like that is just a ton truck you got that set up on, I bet you could have used a little more truck on the ground that time! Do you remember what the width of the footprint was on that? THANKS

[windybob]

More than a 1 ton truck. About the same as an F-450. Only thing that happened for the worse, was we bent the shaft in the cylinder. However, had a new one of a larger diameter put back in.

The diagonal measurement of the anchors were around 11 or 12 feet. Don't remember exactly.

[Kansas Rust Buzzard]

Ouch, I know the core value alone on my cylinder is $800! I measured mine the best I can and it looks like my bottom angle irons are 12ft and there are four 10ft latter sections and a 10ft stub. The only reason I know its a ranch spread tower is that is what is stenciled on it.

[Dave Straub]

Dempster makes a wide base tower and is usually only 2" angle. They are flimsy and awkward to take down and put up. So I stay away from them. Their style B tower is much better.