whats the best grease for a HEQ5

[xtreemchaos]

ive nearly had my HEQ5 a year now since down sizing from my EQ6, and will be giving it a stripdown over the winter and a regrease, i use to do the same with the bigger mount but for life of me carnt remember which grease to use. please could anyone give me some advice as ive smoke coming out my ears  trying to remember. clear skys, charl.

[Alien 13]

I have a feeling you might get quite a few differing answers my own view is that the Skywatcher people are quite smart and their engineering solution to these mounts includes the original grease.

Alan

[xtreemchaos]

thanks Alan, i found that with old eq6 the original grease became stiff in the cold and caused tracking errors, might be different with the newer Heq5, thay could of used different grease, but thought id do a bit of imfo gathering and have the right grease ready if l have problems this winter, plus i like taking stuff to bits. charl.

[gajjer]

Have a look at Astro Baby's website. She does a really good description of a strip down. I think she recommended lithium grease which I got from a bicycle shop.

HTH

cheers

gaj

[Alien 13]

The problem with mounts is that they are not cycle or car wheel hubs and have to endure sometimes many months of inactivity without the grease creeping away from the bearing. There are probably better alternatives around something like the stuff used in old camera lenses that had to withstand sudden sheer forces but it has to be designed for these types of loading.

Alan 

[xtreemchaos]

thanks gaj, i have plenty of  lithium grease in the shed what i uset to use on motorcycle chains, but i find it a bit thick, the stuff i used before on the eq6 was in a white tube with a number on it, denoting the thickness i think, sorry to be a bit vague but have a terrible memory when it comes to numbers. yer mate astrobabys strip down imfo is top notch . charl.

[xtreemchaos]

thanks Alan, my mount is used allmost everyday or night with solar ect when clear, that pushes me more to do a stripdown, im worried that things will wear if not regreased, agreed mate that stuff thay use in cameras ect must be hard wearing and versatile. charl.

[Steve Ward]

No point in getting knicker-twisted over which grease to use , your "RA does 1 revolution per day" when in use , it's not a 500bhp V8 doing 170mph at 13,000 rpm ..... 

The manufacturer uses an appropriate lubricant , stick with similar ... or leave well alone , it's not going to "wear out" ... 

[xtreemchaos]

thanks Steve, similar is a bit vague mate, the reply im looking for is more pinpointy like name ,thickness ,size, because some greases dont go well with some metals mate. charl.

[Steve Ward]

In that case try this ... http://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/geoptik-equatorial-mount-grease-kit.html

[xtreemchaos]

thanks Steve, ill be getting some just incase it gets sticky this winter. clear skys charl. 

[xtreemchaos]

hay guys ive just remember what grease i used on the eq6 ,superlube synthetic. my memory is like the sea ,sometimes something good washes up. thanks everybody for your help. Steve im still going to try the stuff in your links, because having to types grease seams the better idea. clear skys charl.

[Martin AB Cohen]

I recommend a Lithium Grease with a wide temperature range.  You can purchase a 2-part Geoptik Grease from the likes of Rother Valley Optics or Astroshop.eu.  You get two 80ml tubs for about £18.  One is for the gears and the other is for the bearings and shaft.  I have just published a detailed strip-down and re-build video tutorial for the HEQ5 on YouTube. Here is the link:  

 

Edited August 30, 2020 by Martin AB Cohen