Finally took the step - Rowan Belt Mod + Skf Bearings

[Hailfire101]

Today I finally bit the bullet and ordered up a Rowan Belt Mod kit (and tool) along with 4 new SKF Bearings for my NEQ6. 

I'm both excited and nervous about fitting, but I've read the official instructions a few times and astro baby's guide, and a couple guides on here and on YouTube. 

Really hope it makes a difference... Or at least gets rid of that horrible slewing noise. 

I'll post updates on here when I begin to fit! 

[spillage]

Are you going to follow astrobaby's hypertune guide? The mount will be very quiet once done.

 

Mark.

[m.tweedy]

 

use this to help you. There are 14 episodes

 

[Hailfire101]

9 hours ago, spillage said:

Are you going to follow astrobaby's hypertune guide? The mount will be very quiet once done. 

I will indeed, depending what n how accurate my vernier is, I don't have a digital one... 

 

M. Tweedy, those are the videos I watched on YouTube.

[Hailfire101]

Bearings have arrived. Just waiting for the kid now.... DPD so could be anytime. Whish people wouldn't use DPD...

[jjosefsen]

Where did you purchase the Skf bearings?

[Hailfire101]

24 minutes ago, jjosefsen said:

Where did you purchase the Skf bearings?

RS components. 

[Hailfire101]

So, the kit just arrived. Time to make a start.

[Hailfire101]

Hit a huge issue, cannot remove the RA axis at all, its completely stuck. ?
Worried now.

[Hailfire101]

Wow, the RA axis was a complaint pain to get out. At one point I thought I had seized it all up. 

Anyway, I managed in the end. Now both axis have now cogs and belts fitted and gears all greased up. 

Having a rest now, football soon. Will do the rest tomorrow. 

[m.tweedy]

6 hours ago, Hailfire101 said:

RS components. 

Thats where i got mine

[Hailfire101]

I've put it all back together, and gone to test.
Nothing moves, sounds like its seized....  time to strip down again.

[Dr_Ju_ju]

Just release the belts\clutches & check that the mount moves freely in all directions. If not, then consider stripping down, but only after having a break....

[Hailfire101]

13 minutes ago, Dr_Ju_ju said:

Just release the belts\clutches & check that the mount moves freely in all directions. If not, then consider stripping down, but only after having a break....

Moves freely with all clutches off.... wondering if I've over tightened the worm gear or something. 
Having a rest now, quite stressful this. 

[Hailfire101]

I've undone the grub screws and the main bolts on the RA axis, and re-done them... I can now move the RA axis on the worm with plyers, I couldn't before.
I must have over cooked it on the grub screws. ?
Just having tea, then will do the DEC axis.

[Stub Mandrel]

I 'tuned' my DEC worm by carefully removing all backlash and... when used in anger it made a nasty noise and the mount stalled.

I retuned it, very carefully, with the scope in place (in the dark) by slowly backing off the worm and now all is well and backlash is much less, PHD2 reduced the DEC direction-change compensation to a third of its previous value.

[Dr_Ju_ju]

do the motors turn freely (minus belts) & also under power from the controller ? If so, you just need to start from a 'loose' position & then tighten up slowly

 

[Hailfire101]

I took the worn cover off, and manually tried to turn the worm with pliers and it didn't shift.

I've undone all the bolts and backed off the worm grub screw and the worm now moves freely and I can hear the motors turn too, so I know belts are sitting OK. 

I've now put the grub screws back in and basically just added small turns, and kept checking the worm turned OK. Kept doing this until the play on that axis had stopped. (I was getting a few degrees play). 

Just powered it up and did a pretend 3 star align. Now al moving, but RA looked a bit sluggish, so will back that off a little and it should be OK. 

I'll test it out properly with max speed in EQMOD later.... As the drivers have cocked up again and I can't be bothered faffing with that tonight after the stress of the worm gears today. Haha

[Hailfire101]

OK everything seems to be now moving as it should! 

Had an issue where the Dec moved the stopped.... But after a another small adjustment it was OK. 

Well... What can I say about the worm tuning? Its a very very fine line between a jammed and tight worm gear, and lots of play. Took a while but I've now got no play and it moves sweetly. 

Now.... Roll on tomorrow night, planet hunting! 

[Dr_Ju_ju]

My the clouds part for you..

[Hailfire101]

1 hour ago, Dr_Ju_ju said:

My the clouds part for you..

Tell me about it...
The day I get the whole setup out of the attic... and boom, 1st cloud and rain in 6 weeks! ?