What is the recommended resolution for installing a Rick White Righting Pole (say that 4 times real fast) on a cat with a center beam running between the fore and aft X-bars.
I dont know that the center beam would come into play. However, after using my pole on the I-20, I found that the rivets simply did not have the strength they needed for the enormous loads....sooooo..with some patience I used 1/4" bolts with nylock nuts...isolated with plastic washers to impead the alum/stainless problem. If you tape a wrench on the end of your hot stick, that should work.
When using the pole, DO NOT LET the pole bottom out against the Dolphine striker, that creats a large fulcrum and can pull the rivets right out...and quick!
Hope this helps....
Well, I am doing my own now. I figured out a way around the universal joint strength issue. I made a universal joint out of 3/16" spectra and 4' of poly tube. The spectra is your universal pivot point. The line is run inside of the tube to give it stiffness and form. One end of the line is tied to the middle of the front X-bar. The other is anchored internally 75% up into the pole.
By using tied spectra, instead of rivets, strength is not an issue. Buy anchoring the universal joint deep into the pole, it creates more of a mechanical advantage. The poly tube keeps the joint nice and straight.