Counterweight slipping?!

[Fordos Moon]

Some of you will be aware I've just got an HEQ5. On setting up the counterweight slips down the rod to the bolt every time I swing the mount to the vertical position but i cant tighten the screw any more? What am I doing wrong?

[daz]

The weights have little 'collar' inside them which has a hole for the screw to go through... Its possible that the collar has twisted and the screw tip is not making contact with the shaft fully?

[Pete Presland]

if its broken, you could always use a couple of jubilee clips to hold it in place

[Fordos Moon]

I think it's because the rod is greasy, assume it should be? Thanks guys for quick response!

[Bizibilder]

The rod should be dry. if its not the plastic sleeve then check (with the weight off the rod) that the bolt is actually long enough to reach into the bore of the weight. Alternativly is the bolt fully threaded all the way to the top (black knob end)? - if not it will go "tight" before it has screwed in far enough to grip. Another possibility - is the hole in the weight threaded all the way through? If not the bolt will go "tight" before it grips.

[Fordos Moon]

Plastic sleeve?

[Fordos Moon]

Is that the plastic sleeve on the end of the bolt and if so should I remove it? Thanks for your help!

[Bizibilder]

There should be a thin plastic sleeve inside the hole in the counterweight - it has a wall thickness of about 1mm.

[Fordos Moon]

Ah yes that's in place

[Bizibilder]

Just realised - Does the bolt have a plastic end piece? If so this is there to prevent the bolt from raising a burr on the weight rod. If the surface of the rod were to become burred it may become difficult to slide the weights on and off the rod.

[Fordos Moon]

Yep it does. I can't figure it out. Might have to use the old jubilee clip trick.

[Bizibilder]

Something is not right - the weight should clamp securely to the rod. Can you post a picture? It may help.

[Fordos Moon]

[Bizibilder]

That all looks pretty normal to me - thanks for the pics! The only thing I can think of is that you may simply not be doing the lock screw up tight enough? It does need to be pretty firmly done.

(I'm assuming the weight shaft is locked? There is a locking lever at the top of the first picture, if this is loose the whole shaft can move in and out of the mount.)

[Fordos Moon]

Yep it's locked, thanks for your time. I think maybe I got grease on the rod from undoing the bolt at the bottom so will give it a good clean in the morning, try again and let you know!

[VigdisVZ]

At the start I had mine slipping, but now I just tighten it for king and country, that works for me.