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I concur with what Phil has reported. I hypothesize there lays a problem with the teflon tensioning pad on top of the drawtube - it is either deformed or cracked. White scoring/abrasion marks are evident in the sandblast chrome finish to the drawtube at the top under the teflon pad. No attempt was made to remove the focuser from the PTA to check, and nor were the 3 factory lacquer sealed tensioner grub screws tampered with.
The teflon pad would seem to be thrusting the drawtube to some extent. It would appear that the trailing section of the teflon pad (that closest to the OTA) is pitched DOWN (and the leading edge vice-versa), allowing free outward travel (and slipping under weight despite the lock screw being ALMOST cinched locked), but binding inward travel.
I believe this to be a simple fix or replacement. If it were my telescope, I would attempt this myself, but it is not, so that is not my call.
I DON'T think the remedied pinion cradle in the casting has any effect on this whatsoever, but Takahashi may have forgotten to re-adjust the 3 tensioning grub screws AFTER their QC remedial work. I believe the onus lies squarely with Takahashi.
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