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Old November 6th 08, 12:05 AM posted to rec.radio.amateur.antenna
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Default American Tower parts - Be prepared for GRIEF

Jim wrote:
FYI:


I bought some new parts for my Rohn 25 from OldTowerGuy on Ebay,


Rohn changed their name to Frankfort Tower Industries, went bankrupt,
and sold the assets to Radian Communication Services in 2003.

Don't be surprised if new "Rohn" stuff is a different than old "Rohn"
stuff.

--
Jim Pennino

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Old November 7th 08, 12:15 AM posted to rec.radio.amateur.antenna
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Default American Tower parts - Be prepared for GRIEF

You really need to make sure things are all aligned and fit before pouring
the footing. Even then a 3# sledge can come in handy. It's good you at
least had parts that "could" fit.

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Old November 7th 08, 01:26 AM posted to rec.radio.amateur.antenna
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Default American Tower parts - Be prepared for GRIEF

Dear JB;

Don't know if you are familiar with a hinged tower base, but the only
way this one would "hinge" is to remove all 4 bolts. Try that with
a 60 foot tower on the hinge. Yes, I tried everything with two
sections and it was a total nightmare, impossible to work as
advertised. I sent digital pictures to the factory, have not heard
back a peep. I had to use a scissors jack, baseball bat and large axe
just to get the hinge pins inside the tower legs, along with lots of
heavy silicone grease, thent he holes would not line up...






On Fri, 07 Nov 2008 00:15:21 GMT, "JB" wrote:

You really need to make sure things are all aligned and fit before pouring
the footing. Even then a 3# sledge can come in handy. It's good you at
least had parts that "could" fit.


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Old November 7th 08, 06:41 PM posted to rec.radio.amateur.antenna
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Default American Tower parts - Be prepared for GRIEF


"Jim" wrote in message
...
Dear JB;

Don't know if you are familiar with a hinged tower base, but the only
way this one would "hinge" is to remove all 4 bolts. Try that with
a 60 foot tower on the hinge. Yes, I tried everything with two
sections and it was a total nightmare, impossible to work as
advertised. I sent digital pictures to the factory, have not heard
back a peep. I had to use a scissors jack, baseball bat and large axe
just to get the hinge pins inside the tower legs, along with lots of
heavy silicone grease, thent he holes would not line up...


Proves my point about checking things out before trying to put it up.

You bought it on Ebay from OldTowerGuy? The name says "let the
buyer beware" In that case, at least you got a "tower". Did you check
how bad the rust was before putting it up?

We have all been burned at some time in our lives. I took a 327 Chevy
block to be rebuilt, and they put me off for over a year. After much
cajoling and even hitting them with a lawsuit just to get (some) of the
parts back, I dropped the suit and they (local mob I guess) sicked
the cops on me and I was followed around and pulled over constantly
and threatened all over town until I joined the service just to get away.
I figured that if I was going to be shot at, I might as well go to war and
get paid for it.

I guess the shop was a front for political contributions or something.

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Old November 7th 08, 01:21 AM posted to rec.radio.amateur.antenna
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Default American Tower parts - Be prepared for GRIEF

Thanks for that information. Perhaps the American Tower parts is
made for the "New" Rohn, as the tower sections I am using are
brand new old stock I bought about 30 years ago and put in storage
for when I wanted to upgrade the towers. Ike took care of my
Rohn 25, so anyway, the problem is quality control at the American
Tower factory not the Rohn changes. Either their manufacturing jigs
are a joke, or the welder was hungover the day they fabricated this
hinged base, but I know they deliberately knew it was bad, as the
hinge bolts and securing bolts are 1/2" to take the load. They
shipped the thing with 3/8" bolts to allow slack in several
directions, and even that would not work. In order to get the hinge
to work, get this, you have to remove ALL 4 BOLTS. Try that with
a 60 foot tower bolted to the hinge.

Also, the hinge plate was warped, and the pins that go into the legs
of the Rohn ware off in two directions, the holes were axially
rotated so the bolts would not line up, and they would go too far into
the leg so the holes would not line up vertically. It's hard to
describe, but you would have to see this to believe it. I had to use
a automotive scissors jack and gobs of heavy silicone grease, and a
baseball bat and large heavy axe to just get the pins on the hinge to
go into the legs of the Rohn. Two of the legs holes could be made to
line up, the third one was impossible, off in two directions.

Then, the tower people tried to say it was ROHN's fault.... he he. I
sent them digital pictures and have not heard back from them, but
looks like I will have problems getting my money back.

The galvanize was very thick and thorough, heavy plates, it's just
they the parts don't fit together, no after assembly testing, no
quality control, although there was a big red sticker on the thing.
This one really slipped through the cracks. We will see if they stand
behind their products or not. My son just graduated from law school,
would be a good first case for him... he he...

The "Old" Rohn products were excellent, I assembled many a tower over
the years and never had any matching problems. Now I'm going to use
a HAZER with this, my last tower...



Jim



On Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:05:01 GMT, wrote:

Jim wrote:
FYI:


I bought some new parts for my Rohn 25 from OldTowerGuy on Ebay,


Rohn changed their name to Frankfort Tower Industries, went bankrupt,
and sold the assets to Radian Communication Services in 2003.

Don't be surprised if new "Rohn" stuff is a different than old "Rohn"
stuff.




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Old November 7th 08, 03:01 AM posted to rec.radio.amateur.antenna
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Default American Tower parts - Be prepared for GRIEF

And now Radian has been sold...


wrote in message
...
Jim wrote:
FYI:


I bought some new parts for my Rohn 25 from OldTowerGuy on Ebay,


Rohn changed their name to Frankfort Tower Industries, went bankrupt,
and sold the assets to Radian Communication Services in 2003.

Don't be surprised if new "Rohn" stuff is a different than old "Rohn"
stuff.

--
Jim Pennino

Remove .spam.sux to reply.



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