HEQ5 Counterweight Shaft

[biondi]

Hi all,

Does anyone know what size the three grub-screws are that you tighten/loosen to remove the counterweight shaft? I've managed to loosen them but can't seem to tighten them back up, oddly. Just want to check I'm using the right tool...

Cheers,

Matt

[biondi]

I can't seem to edit my posts so want to clarify my problem. The grub-screws had fallen inside which was why I couldn't tighten them After taking off the screw-on declination 'thing' that the counterweight rod screws into I found them inside.

The problem I'm having is this (it was fine before I started mucking about trying to replace the rod with a longer one, now back to the original rod as the new one's toe saver wasn't coming off so going back) - the counterweight shaft just falls out when I loosen the dec lock lever, what should keep it in? As the rod is the same width all the way along it (apart form the toe-saver) I don't quite get how it worked previously!

Thanks,

Matt

[JamesF]

It's not clear to me how the counterweight bar is held in place either, but doesn't it go in from the top?

James

[Cornelius Varley]

The counterweight shaft is held in place by a nut on the top of the shaft.

[biondi]

Hi, thanks Peter - do you (or does anyone else) have any web based documentation for how this is all put together? I've attached an image of my counterweight rod, you can see the toe-saver on one end but on the other end (which goes into the mount) there's just a male thread. Obviously this doesn't screw into the mount as it wouldn't be able to come out again.. There's nothing to stop it just falling out when I loosen the dec lever..

cheers,

Matt

[biondi]

Ok, so just to update on this in case anyone has the same problem The end with the male thread screws onto a nut. When I took the rod out initially this obviously came off and had fallen into a gap near the far end (near where the actual OTA goes).

[Cornelius Varley]

Google astrobaby. The site hasa step by step guide to stripping down a Heq5 pro.

http://www.astro-baby.com/