Heq5 Pro - How Should It Sit In The Mount?

[Pete1024]

Dear all,

Some advice if you would.  I have the above mount as shipped with the Skywatcher 200pds,it's brand new kit.  I am concerned that the mount doesn't sit in the tripod correctly.  The flange on the mount doesn't seem to sit in the tripod receptacle very well, basically it rocks because it seems to be binding on the powder-coating inside the tripod.  If I engage the centre screw which pulls the mount into the tripod & I really tighten it up it's sort of stable but the azimuth bolts are nearly impossible to turn.  If I slacken off the centre screw a bit the azimuth screws seem to rock the mount rather that rotate it.  Has anyone else got this kit? Have you experienced any similar issues?  I tried chatting with the supplier, they said try some light oil... I have tried this but it doesn't seem to help much.  Any advice greatly appreciated.

KR

Pete

[Owmuchonomy]

I just want to check that you have loosened off the two Azimuth bolts significantly before you have fitted the mount to the tripod thus giving plenty of clearance around the Az pin. Tighten the centre bolt first then the Az adjusters. If so, and it still doesn't fit then it sounds like a significant issue and the mount should be returned.

[Bizibilder]

Doesn't sound right to me.  The mount should drop in with a little clearance - it is left as cast, as is the top of the tripod so the clearances are quite large (by engineering standards).  If it is rocking it may be a "lump" on the base of the casting or top of the tripod?  If it is not something simple like that (it could be a warped casting) then I would suggest contacting your supplier for a replacement.

Just a thought - is the azimuth pin (the one that sticks up from the tripod) catching on something??  Check the space it goes in as well as there may be some casting "flash" in there that has not been cleaned out.

[Scott]

can you add a few pics to highlight the problem Pete? Not a problem I've heard of before 

[Pete1024]

Ta for the thoughts.  I have the Azimuth bolts wound almost all the way out just to make sure they're not fouling.  If you look at the attached (not great pictures) you can see the mount rocked forward & backwards in the tripod.  One can see if the shoulders of mount & tripod meet at the front but there is a gap at the back & vice-versa.  There doesn't appear to be any damage, it just doesn't fit snugly.  In fact I would say the tripod is not designed to work with this mount.  The supplier said that I should have the whole assembly (scope & weights) attached which I have done & it still seems wrong.  These photos are taken with just the mount but even so I would have thought this union should be pretty stable, I think either the bottom of the mount flange should sit on the floor of the receptacle or the shoulders should meet all the way around.

KR

Pete

[Pete1024]

Hmmm.... further to that last, I have been having a good feel around inside the casting of the tripod... it may be as Roger says, it's not very even in the bottom... seems almost like on one side it has a radius that shouldn't be there...

[Peter Drew]

The problem certainly seems to be in the azimuth pin/peg area, as already said a careful examination at this point to see if something is fouling would be the first thing to do.

[Bizibilder]

Try using something flat (a mirror or piece of glass would be good enough) to see if both surfaces are flat.  You will have to work round the base of the mount due to the "pin" but you should be able to see what is going on.

[kookoo_gr]

At my heq5 pro the only time i had this problem you show us at the pictures was once when i forgot to screw the big screw that goes from under the tripod and attaches to the mount head so that all the equipment is safe. it is not shown well at the photos you provide but if possible can you provide some extra photos? Also when you place the mount at the tripod do you meet any resistance even when the azimuth bolts are loosened? For my mount when i tightened this center screw then the azimuth bolts were too stiff to operate which can either lead to ruining the bolts, the mount threads or the pin at the tripod (at my tripod this pin has a deep mark carved from the use of the azimuth bolts). After many years of operation i decided to change the tripod to a berlebach and now i don't have this issue, the mount head moves way smoother that the factory tripod. My conclusion is that the factory tripod is poorly designed to work with the mount head.

[1parsec]

One other thing to check -

The azimuth pin has a chamfer on one side.  If it's 180 degrees out it stops the mount sitting flush.

You could also try taking the azimuth pin out completely and try fitting the mount to the tripod, just to check if the interference is to do with the pin or not.

[StevieDvd]

Based on the first picture it looks as if the azimuth pin is not the issue, and on the HEQ5 I recall the pin is part of the cast and not able to be taken off.

As has been said above make sure the 2 bolts are opened up and that the azimuth pin side is not obstructed and then tighten the main centre bolt to stop it rocking. Then move the azimuth bolts in to touch the azimuth pin on each side. See if that is tight enough for normal usage, though it needs to be loose enough for you to polar align of course.

The casting is not to a high tolerance and it looks like either the tripod face or mount face are a little uneven. 

[Pete1024]

Dear All,

Thank you all for taking the time to comment.  Basically it wasn't not right & once I'd sent a few photos the vendor agreed & picked up the mount & tripod.  I now have it back & I think it's a new tripod, certainly the main casting is new..  The mount drops in snugly & the surfaces mate nicely, the azimuth bolts work really smoothly.  Shame the weather is so Rubbish that I can't get out & use the damned thing... hey ho....

Thanks again

Pete