Cheap Mounts

[toetoe]

I had to take my EQ mount back to the shop as the thread stripped inside the Polar Axis adjustment section of the mount. I now have a scope to look at and not to look through until they get me a new one. I guess something like this was bound to happen with a lower end mount like this. Any one else had this problem.??

[asimov]

Are you talking the EQ3 mount Peter? And do you mean the hex screws on the worm back-lash adjustment that got stripped? Cast aluminium is pretty easy to strip out if the bolt gets cross-threaded or over torqued...

[dhumpie]

Yeah you must be very careful not to overtighten anything. Those aluminium mounts are hopeless in that regards....

Darren

[toetoe]

I may be wrong in my discription, i am sure it is the Polar axis, for tilt up and down. There is a leaver about 3" long that you turn to losing or tighten, the thread inside this section stripped. I am always gentle when doing thing up, i guess being poor quality these thing happen.

[xstream]

Peter, if your mount is going to be awhile you may borrow the spare mount form here if you wish.

[toetoe]

Thanks John, just waiting for a phone call so i know what's going on with it. If need be i will give you a ring. Tnx again.

[p medcraft]

Yes, I had exactly the same problem with the LXD55 mount (EQ4). adjusting the polar axis whilst the mount is loaded seems more than it can bare. I had mine fixed by Roger Davis at Binocular and Telescope Sevice Center in Melbourne. He re threaded using a helicoil???. The aluminium is very porous and in my mount was so soft...well butter springs to mind.

[toetoe]

I just had a phone call saying that my new mount is ready to be picked up. I do hope this one will last a lot longer than the first one. I am loking forward to viewing once again. Next job to do is to collimate, that should be fun. :scared2:

[asimov]

Good luck, & happy collimating.

[johnno]

Hi All,
Sorry to hear about the mount problems,I have the cheaper eq2,and have allways put my hand under the front of the scope and taken the weight when adjusting the elevation screw,either up or down,in fact I take the weight right off,so the screw moves in or out, without any resistance at all.
Regards.John

[toetoe]

Good tip John. :thumbsup: