Quick Release Predator Guard Question

Matt F. · Fri Mar 04, 2016 9:06 pm

I'm working with one of the quick release predator guards at the university colony I manage.
Question - the hole in the top of the guard for the rope/cable is off-axis in relation to the main square hole for the pole.
How does that work, since the winch cables run along one of the sides of the square pole, not along a corner.

robdaubs · Sat Mar 05, 2016 9:53 am

Yeah your right!It doesn't work that way.Once you make your guard you can notch a small piece out on the inside closest to the pole to allow the cable not to come in contact with the guard.

avesrun · Sat Mar 05, 2016 4:38 pm

Hey Matt. The guard should still work "as is". I just put the cable in the notch and rotate the guard as needed to mount it. Does yours work with a pin using the safety pin and hole in the pole, or does yours come with a bracket that you mount on the pole. I have and use both. I chose not to monkey with altering the guard. Depending on which side of the spool your cable/rope ends up after raising the setup there will be more or less tension on the guard which is downside of where the factory puts the notch.
TimG

Matt F. · Sat Mar 05, 2016 9:14 pm

Thanks for the replies Robdaubs and Tim.
Tim,
The top plate is riveted to the baffle, and it seems like no matter how it closes around square pole, that darn cable hole is 45 degrees off from where it should be, once the guard is closed, and latched shut.
I ended up cutting a slot, so the cable could run up through the top plate of the guard as it should.
Here's another drawing showing the slot I cut.
The purple line shows the seam where the guard comes together when hinged shut (which would work great if the winch cable ran along one of the corners of the square)

avesrun · Sun Mar 06, 2016 10:55 am

Interesting Matt. I'll have to check to see where the notch is on my two quick release guards tomorrow; they're both located at my satellite site. Either way, sounds like you're now a QR predator guard jedi as as well as trio jedi.

Another issue I have with the QR predator guards is the noise they make when it's windy; all the banging and clanging. I'm going to look at a way to combat that when I get a chance. I don't really want to mount anything inside the bottom of the guard that would give snakes something to prop their tail against. Some/most of the noise comes from where the guard rubs against the pole where the square hole meets the pole; so maybe I can add a thin layer of something around the pole or around the square hole in the guard to mitigate the scraping/rubbing of the guard against the pole. I know it doesn't really bother the martins; it's more of an annoyance to the landlord than anything else........Take care.
Tim

Matt F. · Sun Mar 06, 2016 5:39 pm

avesrun wrote:Either way, sounds like you're now a QR predator guard jedi as as well as trio jedi.

You give me way too much credit Tim!

If you think of it, that would be great if you take a look at how the guards' cable holes are configured next time you're at your satellite site.

avesrun · Tue Mar 15, 2016 10:34 pm

Hey Matt; checked both of my quick release guards and they have the slot in the correct spot unlike yourn. You probably could've sent it back but that probably seemed like a hassle for a quick fix. Were you able to reuse the protective material that protects the cable from rubbing against the guard? Do you have Martins home? Still waiting here but as of yesterday and today martins are a few counties south of me. Have a great season.
Tim