Focuser slippage

[Knighty2112]

Hi all. Just noticed today doing a little solar viewing that my 2" Crayford focuser on my ST120 is slipping, and not really under a heavy load, so want to make sure I tighten up the correct screws to tighten the focuser up. I am summing that similar to stock rack and pinion focuser  that it is the four silver screws in a square below the large focuser screw that I need to tighten to stop this slippage right and not any other ones?

 

[Knighty2112]

OK. Just found the answer on FLO's site. Cheers FLO!  

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/blog/adjusting-skywatcher-equinox-focuser-tension.html

[xtreemchaos]

that ok mate, its the giggle clamp  hex screw in the center charl.

[ronin]

As you have found out it is the hex screws that tighten it up. The silver ones are I believe to hold the upper and lower sctions together. You "may" want to take it apart as there might be grease on the friction wheel and/or plate in which case you would need to take the two bits apart, clean friction plate and the wheel then reassemble. When assembled the focusers are simply greased and that over time spreads. Especially as the focuser is black and you are outside in the sun. The unit will warm up and grease will spread a little by evaporation and so gets to places it would be better if it didn't.

[Knighty2112]

36 minutes ago, xtreemchaos said:

that ok mate, its the giggle clamp  hex screw in the center charl.

Thanks Charl. Is that the technical term for it, or just yours mate! Hehe!  

[Knighty2112]

31 minutes ago, ronin said:

As you have found out it is the hex screws that tighten it up. The silver ones are I believe to hold the upper and lower sctions together. You "may" want to take it apart as there might be grease on the friction wheel and/or plate in which case you would need to take the two bits apart, clean friction plate and the wheel then reassemble. When assembled the focusers are simply greased and that over time spreads. Especially as the focuser is black and you are outside in the sun. The unit will warm up and grease will spread a little by evaporation and so gets to places it would be better if it didn't.

Yes, it could have been the heat too. However if I rembere when I got it the focus was a little stiffer to move. Now I've tweaked it slightly a fraction it seems to be back like it was new. I'll hold off stripping it down and see how it performs before I consider any cleaning off of any grease.  

[xtreemchaos]

na just my term , cos when its adjusted right it makes me happy mate, it from my days when i built custom motor bikes. charl.