Aerials into rams

[Gav836]

I need a bit of help from those of you that have used car aerials as rams please, I know this has been covered before but I cannot find the right topic with it in at present. Can one of you nice helpful people on here please explain how to pull one apart to cut it down to the right size as I'd rather not ruin one in the process as I didn't order any spares

[JC]

Sean is the man for that Gav. 

[alpinefocus]

Gav,

I can post pics when i get home if you want?

I currently use 4 stage rams for my dump trailer.

Aerials have spring inserts at 1 end that gives it the stiffness.

[Gav836]

Gav,

I can post pics when i get home if you want?

I currently use 4 stage rams for my dump trailer.

Aerials have spring inserts at 1 end that gives it the stiffness.

That would be a big help please Dan, the ones for my trailer need to be 5 stage so there shouldn't be too much difference. Thanks

[Tractorman810]

what do you want to know mate?? can do one when i get home and take a few pics for you if you want, its pretty simple to do ,just need to work out the lenght you want, allowing for the fixing pints ect, and you cut the lower end of the largest section first, so you keep the rounded in top, then re-drill the hole thats on the bit you cut of, this is actually the stop for the next section you insert with the 2 small brass plate

[alpinefocus]

Here is a quick method of making multi stage aerials into hyd rams.

1st slect an aerial that has at least 1 more section than you require as the small end might not be big enough to drill a hole through.  i use a 6 stage aerial for a 4 stage ram.

2nd Find out how much room you have in the closed postion

3rd mark the master ram 5mm (roughly) less than the room need room as you have to pin the small end to the moving part

[alpinefocus]

4th Cut the sections up using a dremmal or other, it leaves a cleaner edge

5th dissamble aerial, keeping all the brass inserts

[alpinefocus]

6th using a small hammer and pointed punch, i use a round needle file ground up. dimple the cut end of your aerial.  only to mark to allow the drill to centralize

7th using a 1.25mm ish drill, drill through the dimpled ram right through. i use a small pillar drill so the holes are 180 dregees to each other and you better control

[alpinefocus]

deburr all holes inside and out and cut ends

places inserts into freashly drilled holes

slide over the the next aerial section

[alpinefocus]

a 35mm master section gives about 85mm extension

[JC]

Brilliant explanation!

Where is the best place to find aerials?

[Gav836]

Thanks for all your help Sean and Dan, I know what I'm doing now

Brilliant explanation!

Where is the best place to find aerials?

I bought all mine from Maplin Jason, could probably get them cheaper elsewhere but I wanted 50 in one go so found it easier

[alpinefocus]

Ebay, just put in chrome aerials into search.

i bought 100 off him last time so amount dont seem be problem

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/10-X-CHROME-NEW-TELESCOPIC-SWIVEL-AERIALS-NO-RESERVE_W0QQitemZ110161876815QQihZ001QQcategoryZ72404QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I use this guy all the time.

[alpinefocus]

Thanks for all your help Sean and Dan, I know what I'm doing now

I bought all mine from Maplin Jason, could probably get them cheaper elsewhere but I wanted 50 in one go so found it easier

I did use maplins but found that this guy on ebay was really good

[JC]

Cheers. 

[Gav836]

Someones a quick mover, click on the link and I see someone has got there before me, no idea who though

[Deerepower]

thanks for sharring how to make the rams and the pictures, it will help me out in the future

[FB]

Someones a quick mover, click on the link and I see someone has got there before me, no idea who though

i wonder who :....and whats he planning ;D ;D

[MODELFARMER]

I could land someone a contract of making up to a hundred of these

[TM190]

Had ago, tho I dont need them 

And still didn't do it right  :D