10ft BUD - Removal by Myself - Can it Be Done

[DJH]

Hey guys. I found a nice 10 footer (except for lots of rusty bolts) but unfortunately I'm going to probably have to take it down by myself. Based on the pictures below, can someone weigh in on how I can take this one apart? I know that they all don't come apart the same way, but hopefully the premise is still the same. I went out to the site the middle of this week and sprayed a lot of PBbuster on every single nut and bolt. I plan to do the same tomorrow, and then disassemble the dish this weekend. The pictures below were taken before the PBbuster was sprayed.

As far as the steps to disassembly, I was thinking of taking the actuator off first and swing it as low to the ground as I could, and then remove the three LNB mounting poles. From there I thought I'd remove the bottom two panels as one, then the top two, then the polar mount.

I definitely won't have help in getting this done, so any help in disassembling this particular model dish (which I didn't see written anywhere) would be appreciated. Hopefully someone has seen this one. I've got all the tools I need, just need some guidance on how to disassemble piece by piece.

Thanks,
DJH

 

[sergei]

First go out and buy a couple cans of "PB Blaster" because you'll need it with the amount of rust you have. Like you posted take the actuator off first and what I've done is to take the 4 bolts holding the dish to the mount out and remove the dish, remove the arms after I have it on the ground, then take the mount off the pole. If you've got a trailer or truck haul the dish section home in one piece. Done it by myself many times.

 

[upnatm]

Sounds like you're on the right track with the LNB and it's support arms first, after
the actuator. Don't be shy to break the old bolts, it's best to replace them all anyways.

+350 million people in the States, and all you need is an extra pair of hands. Doing this
job on your own may result in a damaged dish or some pulled muscles.
If you're careful and take your time, you should be able to manage by yourself. The
segments are light, but can be awkward.

Personally, I'd take the higher pieces first and work my way down, but do what
makes you comfortable.

Bring your oilcan along and give the polar axis bushings a shot, before you start
flopping the dish from side to side. They're likely bone dry and need a squirt!

About the dish, it looks very similar to my 7.5' "Star-Trak", except mine is a 3 piece
where yours has 4 petals. Same method of screen-to-rib attachment too.
That polar mount is pretty much identical to mine, with the offset polar mount.
You might want to shop around for a few spare actuators, that one might need
parts. Spare parts is good, if you can store them.

How far away from this location are you moving the dish? If the move is generally east
or west, you won't need to disturb the elevation or dec. offset adjusters. Any great
distance north or south, will then call for some tweaking.

Hope this helps. Good luck, and stay safe.

 

[Anole]

less work

You may choose in the end to take the dish apart into four pizza slices.
They'll fit in the back of a pickup truck easily that way.

But here's an alternate idea...
Leave the scalar and LNB suppport arms attached to the full dish.
Remove it from the mount. Just a few bolts.
Place the dish face up onto your trailer, and bring it home whole.
See pictures in my signature for moving two dishes that way.

You will need help with this approach, so get some!

 

[DK_Sat]

Looking at the photos that is 10 ft SAMI , I like the way Sami made there polar mounts with a 24" arm you can track the hole arc just like having a H-H mount.


http://www.samidish.com/SAMIINST1.pdf

http://www.samidish.com/SAMIINST2.pdf

 

[DJH]

Guys...thanks so much for your responses. Very good info. I'm headed over tomorrow to take it down. It's about 10 minutes away from my house....

 

[Anole]

Guess you can, 'cause Sergei says he did it by himself:

In my case the largest has only been one 10 footers at a time in the bed of my 94 Toyota pickup, but the big different is I never take the dishes apart and to make it easier on me I always take the mount off since I'm doing it by myself.

 

[DJH]

Dish is Now off the Pole

Well guys, I was able to get the dish down by myself. I found out that it is indeed a SAMI. The logo was faded out on the feedhorn cover.

I have a dilemma though with getting the dish home. Right now it's on its face. If you look at the pictures, you'll see the front and back plates the hold all four sections together in the middle. When I have the dish on its face, I can get to all the rib bolts themselves but when I try to turn the nuts on the back rib plate, it just turns the whole not and bolt because of the rust. I've sprayed with PBblaster a lot, but I really need to get to both sides. On the other side the bolt head is flat. I'm not sure what to do at this point. I want to get this thing apart. Taking it home in whole is not an option for me. I was thinking I could crawl under the dish and take out the screws for the mesh on one of the panels, which would then allow me to get to the nut and flat head bolt. Once I get one rib panel free, the other three would be a piece of cake. Should I go this route or is there another way?

Thanks,

DJH

 

[toucan-man]

I've used a hacksaw in such situations to saw the nut until it can be broken apart. Mild steel nuts and bolts are pretty soft, if not quite butter.

 

[T4Runner]

In a word.... VICEGRIP PLIERS. Two of these will clamp and hold onto the bolt and nut and you'll be able to twist it off. Buy some from your local hardware.. you'll use them again!

 

[mjac]

If power is available to ya, grind the bolt or nuts off. Alternatively, if you can get a pair of vice grips on either the bolt head or nut, then jam or bind the grips with something (wire) and wrench on the other.
Good luck.

 

[turbosat]

Might not be fun, but it can be done, with a little caution. I've set all mine without help, but luckily the ground played a part in helping lift that 10 dish onto the mount, once I had it set on the pole (sloping terrain where my 10' sami is located).
If I can assemble and dis-assemble a 12 footer alone, the ten foot should be a breeze lol.

 

[toucan-man]

Might not be fun, but it can be done, with a little caution. I've set all mine without help, but luckily the ground played a part in helping lift that 10 dish onto the mount, once I had it set on the pole (sloping terrain where my 10' sami is located).

I thought about building a little ramp, and rolling the reflector up to mount level. But a friend came over and I didn't get to try out that idea.

 

[guacharaca]

small hand held Makita grinder can zap any bolt off quickly

 

[Anole]

I had available wrenches, screwdrivers, PB Blaster, a Sawzall, and a hand grinder with a cut-off wheel.
Surprisingly, the last item in that list was the most versatile. :up

 

[sergei]

Guess you can, 'cause Sergei says he did it by himself:

Now if a guy who's well over 60, retired and handicapped can take down 10' dishes without help, it can be done. Like I posted before I'm taking a 10' Winegard down that's on a 10 foot pole this week and I'll post some pictures of it in the Toyota bed.
And as far as tools go I have a can of Blaster and small sockets just in case, but the main tools have been two different size adjustable wrench which have taken care of all the dishes that I've taken down.

 

[Bongu]

Adjustable wrenches and zip ties will hold the bolt in place while you try turning it. Just try to zip the adjustable to one of the supports or you end up messing up the panel.

 

[toucan-man]

But, but, but --- they look like carriage bolts in the photo. I assume they are spinning in the hole of the plate, that's happened to me, where you couldn't twist the nut either to remove it or shear the bolt off, because vise-grips won't grab onto the rounded end. The grinder sounds like the best idea offered so far.

 

[Anole]

Harbor Freight has a sale (through the end of the month?), and one item is a 3-pack of vice grip pliers for $7.
Three sizes, curved jaw perfect for grabbing a bolt head or nut, quick release, rubber padded handles.
I was with a buddy the other day, and didn't realize 'till we were away from there, what he'd bought.
Cheap tools, for sure, but very handy.

 

[DJH]

Well guys...thanks for all the responses. A hacksaw did the trick. I was able to get my hacksaw under the nut, saw it about halfway, and then pried it off with some vise grips. Now that I've got one panel out, I'll do the same with the other three since they're now easy to get to, and take the rest home. Thanks again guys.