WARNING - Bendy EQ6 Altitude Bolts

[laser_jock99]

Nice mod, I don't have access to any of that kind of equipment but it gives me a good idea on how aggressively the lug could be built up. It also been 25+ years since I went near a mill (are there any left in the UK outside of industrial museums?)

Given the amount of scope & mount mods that I'm doing- I toying with the idea of getting a lathe/mill/drill machine for the workshop.

[johnp51]

I did not know there was problem when I bought my NEQ6, I polar aligned the mount, added the telescope and weights, and the alignment was just out, so I adjusted it, it was not until I checked the alignment a few weeks later, and was out slightly, that I went to adjust the mount again, I found the bolts would not even move, then next day, I stripped it all down, and that's when I found the bent bolt, as I had only have the mount for 12 weeks, I rang the agent where I had got the mount from, the replaced the bolts, for the same ones, it was not until I found this site, and read astro baby problems, that it was such a common problem, any way I have bought new bolts from astrodevelopements, they are expensive but look the business, all I have got to wait for now is a clear night to polar align my mount

[ajohnson]

I have installed a fix. I made a card template to fit the factory lug and used this to cut / file a steel face plate with a 5mm angle at the top (sorry didn't take a photo before installing) but it's basically a shallow L shaped plate. The whole is stuck to the lug using Milliput (epoxy putty), so far it's holding well. It has placed the lower altitude bolt at more of a right angle to the "pushing" surface and altitude adjustment is now a whole lot smoother (i.e the bolt no longer appears to bind which had me scared still I'd strip the thread). On the downside there is now barely enough room to remove the polar scope cap with the mount at 52 degrees due to the position of the bolt (Astro Developments upgrade bolt), I don't have access to a grinder but if it proves to be a problem I think I can probably remove a few mm from the bolt with a file or stone to provide clearance but so far building the lug up with the extra angle is working nicely.

[laser_jock99]

On the downside there is now barely enough room to remove the polar scope cap with the mount at 52 degrees due to the position of the bolt (Astro Developments upgrade bolt), I don't have access to a grinder but if it proves to be a problem I think I can probably remove a few mm from the bolt with a file or stone to provide clearance but so far building the lug up with the extra angle is working nicely.

The lack of clearance between the polar scope and the adjuster bolt is always an issue. In the end I replaced the fancy ratcheting bolt on the observatory mount with just a plain hex head bolt. I keep a 17mm spanner handy in case it ever needs a tweak.

[ajohnson]

The lack of clearance between the polar scope and the adjuster bolt is always an issue. In the end I replaced the fancy ratcheting bolt on the observatory mount with just a plain hex head bolt. I keep a 17mm spanner handy in case it ever needs a tweak.

I have an appropriately named field tripod (even with a 12" Scope) so I frequently need to tweak the mount at set-up, it's not so bad on my patio but excursions around Shropshire to dark sites require some mobility and flexibility and if I can find out who now owns some of the land I used to shoot on in Powys I know some excellent dark sites! It's a lot of kit to move but the Land Rover handles it.

[spudlet]

I replaced my bent EQ4 bolts a few years ago but I also have a CG5-GT. I didn't even think to check if these were of a similarly poor quality, having a quick look at the mount now they look to be the same but thought it worth asking here for sure - are these factory supplied bolts the same on this mount? Sorry if this has been already asked, I scanned trough the 8 pages but didn't find a match!