Disassembly, step by step?

[northgeorgia]

There's a possibility I may be able to get a free C-band dish. It's pole mounted into the ground -- and I haven't seen it yet, but should be in decent shape.

Problem is... how do you start disassembling something like this? What should I undo first, second, etc... Location is probably four or five miles away.

Ideas?

 

[FTA4PA]

If only 4-5 miles away any way you can cut the pole and transport it without taking it apart?

 

[armadillo_115]

I'm new to this,but this is what I did:

***Assuming the dish is not mounted very high***

1)Remove the actuator motor from the POLE mount side 1st and gentle let the dish swing to the side..(You may need someone to help hold the dish,depending on the size and weight) Then remove the actuator motor from the dish side.(Remember how the washers were aligned on the bolts.
2)Undo the dish from the dish mounting ring and gently set it to the ground.
3)Undo the mounting ring from the pole.
4)Saw off the pole at ground level.
5) Load the pole, actuator, and mounting ring 1st.Then load the dish above and let it sit on an old tire.
6)Strap it down enough to hold it but don't warp the dish.
Almost forgot: I unhooked all the wiring and removed the feedhorn before starting.

It took me about 45 minutes to do everything except for cutting the pole.My reciprocating saw blade broke and I had to finish sawing it the next day.

NOW if you have to dismantle the dish as well... I've never done that.

Some of the old hands can jump in and correct anything that I may have done wrong.

EDIT: If possible,spray PB Blaster on all the bolts,nuts, etc. Those darn rusty fasteners are a PITA even after they have soaked a day!

 

[northgeorgia]

What do you use to cut a metal pole? I'm still not sure about how I'll be able to transport it yet.

 

[fred555]

I use a reciprocating saw AKA Sawzall:

 

[primestar31]

I would NOT saw off the pole at the ground level, if there's any chance you can pop it out of the ground. Either by digging it up and levering it out (with the help of some long boards), OR, if there's a nearby farmer, give him a few bucks to pop it out of the ground for you using a bucket-loader and a chain.

That'll save you even more money. Around here, I'd take the pole home, dig a new hole, plop it in (old cement) and all, and fill the rest of the hole with new mixed cement.

It all depends on just how much cement they originally used...

 

[FaT Air]

or an acetylene torch, AKA smoke wrench. then square it up and apply a triangle base to it. attach to a floating slab with matching bolt patern.
Other alternative is to pull it out of the ground, cement and all. (prime coverd that one.)

 

[fred555]

Or cut it, weld a plate to the bottom, bury j-bolts in a slab and have adjustability.
If you need to move to a new house or something, then its easy, just unbolt.
In right after Fat Air.

 

[armadillo_115]

The only thing holding my pole together was the rust at ground level.If I had not cut it,I would not have known how close it was to failing.All it needed was a larger pipe welded onto it.If it rusts out now it will have to go thru 1/2" of steel.I should only live so long.lol.

I do like Fred's J bolt set up !

 

[Jason S]

Both of my C-band dishes came from within 10 miles. When I recovered them, with help, we pulled the dish with polar mount off the pipe and set it onto a trailer and propped up everything on the dish plus and strapped everything, then drove slow to the house.

Should you have to cut off the pipe at ground level, here is another adjustable setup. It would to work well with a large slab, this is mounted on a small slab with integral cast piers under each bolt position.

 

[fred555]

I bury Ku dish poles in the ground, they are cheap and easy to find.
No big deal to cut of and throw away if you move.
A good quality C band pole, not so easy to find here, so
I don't bury them and like to have piece of mind of the adjustability and movability.

 

[bpalone]

One thing no one has mentioned. Take a camera and take several pictures of the assembled dish, also take pictures at different points in the disassembly process. They may prove quite valuable when you go to put all back together again.

If you are only 4 or 5 miles from it, and you have decent roads with low traffic volume, I would do my best to try and get it without a total disassembly.

Good luck with it.

 

[fred555]

Take a picture and show it to us so we can find out what type or brand of dish it is.
Do you know the brand/model yet?
Knowing that, someone here might have some super handy disassembly tips
for that particular model.

 

[mmewrench]

When I brought home my paraclypse, disassembly was not an option. I had to drop it like a tree with the sawzall. Luckily the metal pole will slowly bend and not break like a tree. In this way the four of us could bring it down gently and remove the dish from the mount once it was on the ground. Afterwards I made 4 small cuts down into stub and hammered it down below grade with a sledge for lawnmower clearance,

The dish itself came home in one piece on my trailer.

 

[Lone Cloud]

I cut my Birdview pole off at ground level when I got it. I used a circular saw with with a black metal cutting blade. I already had a three inch pole going from the ground to above my roof line. I thought the diameter difference would be noticeable with the Bv pole being 6 in diameter but It isn't obvious unless pointed out.

 

[. Raine]

When I picked up my 12' Conifer, I took off the dish panels + actuator and left the mount in one piece. It took three of us to lift the mount off of the pole, the mount on it is super heavy and huge. I took a bunch of pictures before and during the tear down like someone else mentioned doing and they were very helpful once I got it home. The pictures helped here on the forum too, I think it was Lone Gunman who spotted that the actuator had been mounted upside down, which saved me some grief!

The guy I got the dish from wanted to keep the pole to put a martin bird house on, so I didn't have to deal with that part of it and my 9' was new in boxes, so nothing helpful there. What brand/model/size dish is it?