Skytee-II (minor) Design Flaw...

[ibraidwo]

I posted this in a short review I did the other day, but thought I would add it here (in the right place)...

I discovered what I think is a design flaw. On the standard vixen style saddle/clamp that the Skytee-II comes with I found that the locking bolt was very tough to turn (on the upper mounting point) and I quickly identified the cause - basically the barrel of the saddle locking bolt was rubbing tight against the Skytee-II saddle mounting platform. It scored the platform quite deeply.

I rectified this by finding 2 large outer diameter washers and fitting them between the Skytee-II saddle point and the saddle itself.

I'd be interested to know if anyone else has seen this problem and what they did to solve it.

(I appreciate that one answer is to buy replacement ADM saddles/clamps, however at £60 each it's an expensive fix)

Many thanks in advance

Ian

[John]

The standard clamps do have their share of problems. On the one I had on loan, the thread of the clamp tightening screw was starting to strip after just a few uses and the whole clamp became insecure.

I really wanted to like the Skytee II but having to replace the clamps is quite an expensive modification when the originals should have been up to the task.

[brantuk]

I've just done this upgrade with a pair of brand new ADM clamps - literally fitted yesterday afternoon. What you say explains the scrunching I can hear when I turn the upper axis. Think I'll be stripping it down over the weekend to rectify the problem. Thanks for the heads up.

[ibraidwo]

Brantuk, we may be talking cross-purposes...

The scrunching occurred only when tightening the knurled saddle clamp screw. When I took the saddle off, there was a scoring on the black area where the clamp fits onto (not inside - I haven't taken mine apart yet).

If it's happening on yours, you would have seen this when swapping the saddles over.

The problem you mention may be worth a check though!

[brantuk]

Ahhh yes - I misunderstood your op. I think mine might be to do with the fixing screws rather than knurled knobs - different problem.

[moriniboy]

Yep I have used this washer mod on my saddles as well.

The axis scrunching seems to come from the axis locking handle, I think its the short aluminium puck (located behind the locking lever) which remains in contact with the internals.

If this occurs on mine I usually find that i have not released the locking lever fully.

By the way do not grease the puck as it relies on metal to metal contact to lock the axis, hence the occasional squeaking.

[Pingster]

I have a skytee. Its a fantastic mount thanks to the slow mo. But at the same time bits of it keep clashing into other shkney bits causing me aesthetics agony! Graa, who on earth design this thing. 

[A McEwan]

I may be confused here, but what are the shkney bits?