Heq5 gears

[twintin]

Hi all, I've just acquired an heq5 with a very stiff dec motion. I've started to strip it down and the grease is as suspected very gooey and set like honey. My question is using astro baby's guide it notes plastic washers on the dec gear. This mount doesn't have any on the gear. Should it have? There is one on the bearing in the mount head but none on the shaft?

[Cornelius Varley]

I don't think mine has either. Never been a problem.

[twintin]

thanks for that just wasnt sure if it needed one or not as Astro Baby says on the guide that there is one. Suppose i can always make one if required.

[Bizibilder]

I suspect the plastic washers are simply spacers that may or may not be required to take up any "slack" caused by the manufacturing process.  All parts are machined to tolerances and these may add up until some assemblies will need a spacer to make up the "difference".

[Brian Nordstrom]

Mine has the spacer and I think your should as well , it gives a little clearance for smooth operation .

Plastic milk bottles make awesome spacers in mounts , nice and thin and very smooth in operation .

Brian.

[twintin]

I was thinking of making one as I can't see it doing any harm. I assumed they should have been there to provide a bit of clearance. Something to do on cold wet night! Especially now I've got it polar aligned !!!