problem with eq5 upgrade.

[dazzauk83]

Hello.

I seem to be having a wee problem with one of my motor drives. Although tracking certian objects seems okay depending on the position of the scope. But if my scope is pointing vertically

http://img806.imageshack.us/img806/9611/ra2j.jpg

I get this horrendous noise coming from the motor drive wheel so last night after I stripped down the mount. I found that the inner silver wheel drive is wobbly.

Just wondering if anyone has has this problem and if its possible to open it up and fix it. I have atrached an image (not of my motor drive) so you can get the gist of what I am on about. Cheers.

[Cornelius Varley]

Do you have a photo of your motor ? It might be able to see the problem more easily.

[dazzauk83]

It's the same as the one I posted. The inner silver wheel on the motor is wobbling. Just wondering if it's fixable.

[Helite]

Do you mean the silver part of the centre gear?

I just pulled mine open to have a look for you and if it is that centre part I am going to say its probably jiggered. I didn't take my motor off but pulled off the brass gear on the mount and it seems that the centre hub of the brass gear on the motor is part of the motor itself and should be fixed. Someone else may have taken one apart further and know better but from what I can see of mine it makes me think your motor is broken, best thing to do is pull the motor off and you will see the back end of the centre gear and maybe post another pic of what you find. Hope that helps some, let us know the outcome.

[dazzauk83]

Yep that's the part I am on about. It's loose. when I touch it , the part wobbles. The motor still runs. But I know my tracking is affected by this problem. I will try tomorrow night abd look at it.

When you said it could be broken. Any idea if it's fixable?

[Helite]

Yep that's the part I am on about. It's loose. when I touch it , the part wobbles. The motor still runs. But I know my tracking is affected by this problem. I will try tomorrow night abd look at it.

When you said it could be broken. Any idea if it's fixable?

No Idea if it can be fixed. The only way to see would be to remove the motor and have a look. If there is a noise I wouldn't use it at all until you have pulled it apart for a good look. If I get a chance tomorrow I may strip mine and look for you. I did try prying the centre gear off to look at the centre but it wasn't too keen on moving and I am not sure if its pressed on. Pull off the motor and maybe open the front plate off to see if the hub is fixed from behind, you may be able to get into it.

[Helite]

Forgot to ask, is this a new kit you have just fitted? 

[dazzauk83]

Thanks a lot mate. It is about under a year old. I applied a the upgrade kit to a standard EQ5 mount. When I get in from work I will take it off and look.

[dazzauk83]

So after i took the motor off the mount. I noticed that the shaft that goes inside the motor  had come loose off the two grub screws that hold it and the main motor wheel in place.

Because this is the first time i have taken this apart since i applied grease (which was a while ago). I don't know where the main motor wheel is meant to have a ever so slight wobble to it or that it is meant to be solid and in place.

In the first picture is how it looks at the moment. And in the 2nd picture is the main motor wheel i am on about which has a ever so slight movement to it.

[Peter Drew]

I'm sure it has no bearing on the problem that you posted but it does look like the grubscrew on the left side cog is not tightened down on to the flat surface that has been machined on the shaft. 

[dazzauk83]

Well i can only seem to tighten one of the grub screws to the flat edge. The other grub screw will only tighten on the edge of it. So i always put them tight on the other side.

I actually think i may have sorted my problem out. For some reason the shaft that goes into the motor had become loose. so i just tightened it as best as i could. There is still some very slight movement of the wheel though. Sound is much better. I have added a link to a video i just did on the dec axis movement.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkJI25NcCo0&feature=youtu.be

[Helite]

You will have a tiny bit of movement in the middle gear, just the tolerance of it I presume, my one is the same. Still sounds like some kind of grinding when you slew fast.

Good that you found the shaft was loose and not broken though. 

It doesn't look like its jumping teeth in the video causing the grinding. What I would check is that you don't have everything jammed up too tight, if you are it may be the reason for the shaft working its way loose because of too much pressure against it? I would try letting a little slack into it to see if the noise goes away, not too much though before it jumps and damages the teeth, just a "firm" fit.

[Helite]

Well i can only seem to tighten one of the grub screws to the flat edge. The other grub screw will only tighten on the edge of it. So i always put them tight on the other side.

Just re-read this, I would put one of the grub-screws on the flat and just nip up the one on the other side. The flat it there so it can be locked against.

[Helite]

Any solution on this yet?