AZEQ6 latitude bolt

[david_taurus83]

Morning all.

As titled, has anybody replaced or know of a method to replace the latitude bolt with a shorter one? Even if it was a hex head that could be adjusted with a spanner? It limits the available orientation and movements of the filterwheel on my short refractor. I have scary thoughts of the filterwheel or cables catching it while I'm indoors issuing goto commands or during a flip.

 

David

[teoria_del_big_bang]

I think we all know exactly what you mean, I have the same worries with my HEQ5.

Unless you move far I guess once set this needs very little movement and as currently most of my sessions are in my back garden I do plan to try to get a good quality grub screw that is just the right length or slightly longer then I can easily adjust with an allen key and then nothing much at all protruding.

Not got round to looking for one yet though.

Steve

[almcl]

We are talking about this one, right?

If so, then it's possible to undo the Allen bolt at the bottom and get the pivot off.  I did this to insert some extra washers in a failed attempt to reduce the enormous amount of play. 

Not sure what the thread size is though, but be interested to see how you get on.

[david_taurus83]

40 minutes ago, almcl said:

We are talking about this one, right?

If so, then it's possible to undo the Allen bolt at the bottom and get the pivot off.  I did this to insert some extra washers in a failed attempt to reduce the enormous amount of play. 

Not sure what the thread size is though, but be interested to see how you get on.

Yes! The top bit is too long if using a filterwheel and it's pointed down. A better design would have been a non rising spindle. Where it threaded through the bottom and was fixed in the centre and pushed/pulled the RA down and up. I'm hoping to replace it with a simple bolt that just sits above the housing. Can adjust with a spanner if needed. I set up from the same spot in my garden so doesn't need much adjusting each time.

[Dr_Ju_ju]

To get around any problems with filter wheel clash, I've mounted the scope (ED80) & imaging train on a longer dovetail bar, with everything hanging 'out the back', and then have an old counter weight fitted to the front of the bar, to even everything out & achieve balance....

[david_taurus83]

I've got a 14" dovetail fitted already but by the time you slide it down enough there's not much room at the front left for hard fixing a counterweight. I'd rather not add weight tbh. Reason for fitting a longer bar was so I could move it up and remove the ankle weight I had on the dew shield! ?

[Jkulin]

I got around the problem by selling the mount, it drove me up the wall ?

[david_taurus83]

13 hours ago, Jkulin said:

I got around the problem by selling the mount, it drove me up the wall ?

You sold it because of the latitude bolt or because you couldn't get on with it in general?

[Jkulin]

2 hours ago, david_taurus83 said:

You sold it because of the latitude bolt or because you couldn't get on with it in general?

Hi David, just generally I felt the backlash was unacceptable, the adjuster was a pain the neck with shorter scopes that were quite far forward for balance, the maximum weight limits weren't enough for future OTA's and I wanted better guiding, don't get me wrong for the price they offer good value for money, but I jut wanted better than it could offer, even with a hypertune.

[saac]

I would have thought it may be possible to replace the stock bolt with a custom bolt with finer pitch , that  would reduce the backlash.

Jim 

[david_taurus83]

31 minutes ago, Jkulin said:

Hi David, just generally I felt the backlash was unacceptable, the adjuster was a pain the neck with shorter scopes that were quite far forward for balance, the maximum weight limits weren't enough for future OTA's and I wanted better guiding, don't get me wrong for the price they offer good value for money, but I jut wanted better than it could offer, even with a hypertune.

That's fair enough. All very good points. Despite its price, which is good value, they are still a "budget" mount. Mine guides below 1" almost every night (he says?) but I'm imaging at 2.3" per pixel. It's got a few weeks warranty left yet so I won't start tweaking until then.