A602

[CTXmiller]

I picked up an A602 with a trussed tripod 30’ tower. The tower was in great shape and was the reason for the purchase. The wheel is repairable as is the vane. It was already taken down and likely taken down decades ago with the gearbox, wheel and vane still attached.

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It is an old A602 with the oil flipper. Nothing special, just old. It looks like the date stamped on the end of shaft is either 8 16 or 9 18, but I’m inclined to go with 9 18 as it is followed by a “E” in proper orientation.

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The A602 casting on the gearbox is followed by a “.” So it is say “A602 .” I haven’t seen a “.” following the casting # and it is so well defined, it has to be intentional.

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The tail pin holes and tail pin are perfect. It has the two dotted pipe plug in the hub. The bad, the hub is cracked. I haven’t assessed the Babbitt condition.

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The platform was installed incorrectly as the clip wasn’t over the ladder. I would had hated to have to navigate that ladder to platform transition the way it was set up.

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The brake band plunger is clipped. It is something I haven’t seen, but others might have. The clipped corner should be rotated some from what is pictured.

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Flipper size comparison B602 v A602. The flipper is still greasy from this A602.

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Nothing special, just old…

[mtblah]

good find Michael , not much wear on any of the components . and your right about the trussed tower , it is special .

[Windcatcher530 Dan]

Very cool Micheal!!!

[Wayne]

I had a tower like that one time. Told a guy who thought he was an Aermotor expert, He told me it wasn't Aermotor as they made no 3 legged towers. I didn't argue. No Need.

[rockingjl]

looks it will be a fun project

[windybob]

The dot subject has been discussed at length before, with no real resolution. Probably a casting thing for holding lettering in place. I think there were maybe a couple dots on some cases. 1916, or 1918, it really don't matter much,. It is an early case. might look at the turntable area, should be flat instead of (chamfered) I believe. Those alien eye plugs are murder tight, and tough to get out.

you can get some idea on the snout bearing condition by mounting the head upright, and seeing how the opening is on the back of the hub area. If the circle is pretty much tha same all the way around, thats a good sign. If the hub is much closer to the top of the snout, and reaaly a wide gap at the bottom, that tells the oposite story. Plus you can shove the hub up and down to see if there is a lot of play.

[CTXmiller]

Thank you

[Ron Stauffer]

I dont know if these towers were too ridgid and didnt flex but I have seen a lot of plated repairs at the bottom of corner legs on them like yours.

Yes, it will have a flat bottom case if 16 or 18 BUT it will have a bottom drain plug if 16 and should have a side drain plug if 18.

The . case casting is older than the .. The patent listing dating verifies.

The Martian eyes plug usually can be loosened with two tight fitting steel pins and a crescent placed against the plug. If you have to bastardize, weld a nut fast just on the inside to the plug. This plug is the only one that bears credence to seating of the hub plug to mate the interior ID of the hub to contact the oil collector. These plugs should be stored similarly with the slotted pan head bolts found on these towers.

The reality assumption on all 602s and 702s should be that they need rebuilt and built up to not leak unless proven otherwise.

Ron Stauffer
Montrose CO

[CTXmiller]

Ron,

Thank you.

I repaired the bottom foot as it twisted and torn some at the bolt holes. It is fairly rigid and I straightened and/or replaced a few angle iron pieces. While I was doing that, I replaced some of the slotted head bolts with hex bolts. I like your reference to where these bolts should be stored.

It has the bottom drain plug. I didn’t know that a 1916 was bottom drain plug and a 1918 was the side plug and had assumed the 1916-1918 was just a first generation of the 602.

I haven’t determined what I’m going to do with this 602 as I bought it for the tower, but a disassembly of it will likely occur. The hub is broken (frozen water), frozen and the steel spacer washers at the hub/snoot likely rusted and expanded, pulling the hub about a 1/4” out.

[CTXmiller]

I disassembled the A602 to check the babbit and internals out of curiosity. Also cleaned up some parts as I was pleased with what I was seeing. The two eyed plug wasn’t too bad to remove. Thanks for the tip Ron.

The oil was brittle and cleaned up easily with a pressure washer. Being the oil was brittle, I’m guessing that it hasn’t had oil added in decades. The gearbox was hooked to the tower and had been laid down at some point in the past.

This is the 2nd early 602 that I’ve disassembled that had a clipped washer along with the spout washer. The other was also an A602.

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This is also the second early 602 (the other was a B602) that had a spiral oil feed on the main boss. Both were oil flippers. It was easier to see the spiral before it was cleaned up.

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The babbit is all good…the saddle, snoot and pitman arms.

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