I'm no engineer, but whether the torque bar actually does work better is a
matter of how the guy wire is installed.
The old style Rohn guy brackets were designed in a way that almost
necessitated the use of a torque bar. If the bar was installed and tightened
into place
the was almost no flexibility at the joint...hence the stiffening effect.
Without the bar there is more play, somewhat more flex at the joint.
The remedy to the increase in flexibility is to 'fill' up the gap which was
created by the removal of the bar. The shackle or thimble which loops around
the bracket
bolt has play on either side if the bar is not used. The solution is to add
heavy duty spacer washers on either side of the thimble or shackle to fill the
space and firm the joint.
Rohn did this when they redesigned the brackets in the 90s. Beside going to
just one bolt at the joint, they put a heavy D ring sandwiched between spacer
washers to firm up the joint. The thimble is connected to this D ring without
benefit of a torque bar.
Whether the torque bars add to the 'diameter' of the tower or provide some
other benefit I don't know. I do know that without adding the spacer washers
the joint is sloppier if there is no torque bar. This sloppiness from the
loose
joint would increase the ability of the tower to twist more than if the joint
was tight either from the bar being in place or from the addition of the
spacer washers.
Bill K4XS
_______________________________________________
See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless Weather
Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any questions
and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
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