Thunderbolt head reconstruction

[Trey]

I'm thinking of redoing my Thunderbolt to where it can rotate all the way around when I get a new rotator motor for it. All my skids have sucked and have not worked. Now I am asking you guys what you think I need to do about this tipping over problem. What can I do to my Thunderbolt to keep it from tipping over while rotating?

[JasonC]

Haha, I feel your pain Best thing to do is lower it. Make the rotator standpipe flange directly screw on the first section of standpipe that barely sticks up above that blower. That extra length of standpipe really makes it unstable.

[Trey]

Hell that is something I forgot. Its technically not a Thunderbolt just the head of one.

[Trey]

N/A

[JasonC]

Why not just slap another section of standpipe on the end and screw in an endcap with mounting flange on the end. Then, you can just bolt it to whatever and wont look all ungainly and goofy bolted to 4 pallets (which I don't think will work at all, not much holding the pallets together plus). Put in a T-pipe section in between the mounting plate and standpipe if you wanna pipe in air from somewhere.

[Trey]

N/A

[kx250rider]

If it's not going to be moved regularly, you could just use one pallet or any base, and run guy wires from the head to 3 or 4 secured eyebolts about 5 feet away from, and around, the base. You could dig 3 holes about 12" diameter and about 15" deep, sink an eyed J-bolt in cement in each one and run the guy wires. That would probably be safe.

To try to make it mobile would be tough, unless you get an old fullsize pickup truck or a big old utility trailer and weld a base to the frame.

Charles

[Trey]

With this thing being just the horn/rotator, there isn't going to be anything for a few cables to grab on to since it will be rotating.

[kx250rider]

Isn't there a square plate on the bottom of the rotator box on yours? That's where the guy wires would go if you have it. If not, you'd have to do some engineering and come up with some kind of base. OR, you could see if somebody has an extra rotator box with the plate on it.

Charles

[Trey]

Yeah it has the mounting plate. I believe I see what you are saying now. Get a section of standpipe and mount it to the T-bolt head with a flange on the bottom and bolt the flange to something like concrete or something followed by guy wires?