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Windmill tower moving

D

Dan-IA

Member
I have a neighbor that has a 40-foot or better windmill tower. Like one of those old 4-legged aeromotor windmills that used to pump water. Except the head is gone and there's no obvious evidence of the well below. Base is like 7 feet from one foot to the next.

Now I'd like to move this tower and re-erect it somewhere else. Is it possible to (slowly) lay down the tower using a cable or chain and likewise use a cable to pull it back upright? Or is it likely to collapse...and if so can I "beef it up" to give it the strength it needs to survive being laid down, moved a mile or so, and re-erected?

Or do I need to dismantle it? Thanks!
 
The very little bit I know is from forest fire towers -- Aeromotor built a ton of them, and it wasn't unusual for them to be moved around. Given the times windmills and lookout towers were most erected, I'll bet they're designed to be assembled and disassembled by a small crew of guys instead of using machinery.
 
I may self would take it apart and then put it back up that way. I think if you tried to lay it down some thing would end up broke and then you would just have a big pile of scrap iron
Hobby farm
 
we use a quad axle dump truck raise the box backup to it take two comealongs and pull tower to the box at the top let box down and go have moved three or four that way.[[[[[watch for low wires when moveing]]]]]]
 
Laid one down complete with head, moved it 50 miles and stood her right back up 2 years ago. 40' tower. We used a boom truck to lower it and a simple flatbed to haul it.
 
I met a guy in Lebanon, KY who found one on the ground and bent up from a windstorm. He straightened it out and erected it back of his house over a well and got the whold thing working. He had to make 3 new blades was all except for a bunch of new bolts.
 
I think I read someplace that Aeromotor is still in business in Chicago. If they are, I'll bet they can probably supply all the parts you might need to get the head working again. IMHO, dgging out the anchors is the worst part of moving a tower. The ones that we've moved have about 400 lbs of concrete that was poured around the base of each leg in a BIG hole. PIA to get out, bigger PIA to get 'em lined up when you put 'er back up. (My $0.02 worth. jal-SD)
 
The tower won't collapse if you let it down slow and don't drop it. They were built to with stand a lot of wind so they are pretty tough. We moved one (about 30ft) with a W9 hooked to a cable, laid it down on a flat bed bale wagon. Lifted the top end up from wagon with loader to get it past dead center then chained two of the legs to loader tractor and pulled it up with W9 and a cable. Is kind of touchy job but can be done.
 

Those towers make great ham radio towers. Find some hams who are used to taking down and putting up towers and will help you out.

KEH
 
It can be lowered down intact and then raised back up, so long as you're careful. We have done this with both a windmill tower and a TV antennae tower.
 
I have been told that when new a lot of them were assembled on the ground and raised with A frame and team of horses.
 
Dan I did it pretty much like Marlowe.Raised the rack on my 20 foot grain truck.Backed up to windmill.One cable over front top of rack over cab of truck to pull it over.Second cable on opposite side to ease it down.Lower rack chain er down.I hauled mine ten miles.Mark
 
Dan, Quite simple, Just call any local water well company and get them to lay the tower down for you.
I had a 30 ft tower laid down the other day, cost me $100 to get it done, I assisted in removing the mounting bolts near the ground and assisted in setting it on my trailer. It is just not worth it to try and do it on your own, their boom truck had all the height, winch power that was needed. with two winch lines it was down on my trailer in 40 minutes or so. Hope this helps.
Later,
John A.
 
If you have some walkboards you can take it apart a piece at the time. I have a 53 ft windmill and that is the way I put the tower up.
 
You can take it apart in sections each section is about 13'. With a boom truck it's real easy. Getting the boom truck may be the hard and/or expensive part. Yes, Aermotor still makes them in Texas. And under a different name in Brazil? The design hasn't changed since around 1914. Parts are still avaliable. Mine pumps water 24/7 to circulate the water in my pond and stood up in 90 mph winds last winter. Engineered without computers!!!
 
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