Working on a old C Band dish is this bar necessary?

[saboken]

Upon further inspection of this 10" dish I found a bar that's broken loose does it need to be repaired when I replace the position actuator? Or was to lock the dish in place?

 

[primestar31]

Upon further inspection of this 10" dish I found a bar that's broken loose does it need to be repaired when I replace the position actuator? Or was to lock the dish in place?

Looks like it was a cobble-job to lock the dish into place. Likely the actuator is bad. I'd remove it, and rehab the dish. HOWEVER, you'd best have the dish propped onto something, just in case when the bar is removed, the actuator snaps in half or otherwise lets go.

 

[iBoston]

I agree, i think it was a way for the person to lock it down to a particular Satellite. I also agree with the cobble-job, i see that kinda stuff all the time at my place..

 

[Cham]

It's to lock the dish in place if the actuator is removed or broken. It looks bent so it may not be strong enough to work.
Have you done a string-test on that dish yet?