Ioptron CEM40 saddle removal to inspect DEC housing and gear?

[oymd]

Hello everyone

Can someone please advise how to remove the saddle off the CEM40? Mine is the first iteration, the basic CEM40.

I have been experiencing very erratic guiding recently, so I tensioned the belts on both RA and DEC. Also fine tuned the DEC backlash.

The RA slewing sounds smooth and excellent, but the DEC sounds horrible, as if something is grinding inside!

Opening the RA assembly is fairly easy, but for the life of me I could not remove the saddle to open and inspect the DEC gear assembly?

I removed the small plate protecting the wires, and the FOUR large central bolts holding the saddle, but it would not budge. Its as if the 4 bolts served no purpose?

What am I missing?

Many thanks

[scotty38]

I cannot answer your question but if you adjusted the DEC belt and it's now making a horrible noise wouldn't you be better off readjusting that first?

[oymd]

1 hour ago, scotty38 said:

I cannot answer your question but if you adjusted the DEC belt and it's now making a horrible noise wouldn't you be better off readjusting that first?

I did. I slackened the belt and it sounded better. 
 

My summary above is a gross underrepresentation of my issues with my DEC.

The DEC always sounded bad, but I was worried about doing any physical damage and was afraid to open up the mount.
 

My main mount is my AZ-EQ6Pro, and the CEM40 was meant as a backup for a mobile setup.
 

it’s only last week that I decided enough is enough, and I need to find out what is wrong with the mount mechanics, and decided to open it up.  

[oymd]

Here is what it sounds like. 
 

Noise got louder after tensioning the DEC belt, but it always sounded like that, just lower volume. 
 

https://youtube.com/shorts/-mzB7F8gJv0?feature=share