Weasner's Meade ETX-105 User Feedback

ETX-105 FEEDBACK

Last updated: 28 August 2005

This page is for user comments and information specific to the new Meade ETX-105EC and ETX-105AT. Comments on accessories and feedback items appropriate to other ETX models are posted on other pages. If you have any comments, suggestions, questions or answers to questions posed here, e-mail them to me and I'll post them. Please use an appropriate Subject Line on your message. Thanks.

Subject:	re: Help! I have a sticky RA drive on my 105!
Sent:	Thursday, August 25, 2005 20:11:02
From:	Richard Seymour (rseymour@wolfenet.com)
> Also the bearings at one end of the drive are rotating with the worm

ummm... that may be a sign of the bearing having seized,
and ripping itself from the surrounding aluminum... which
may be part of the sticking you're seeing.

If this scope is still within its warranty period,
i would seriously consider sending it back to Meade...

It -is- possible to replace the bearings, but it's a fair deal
of work.

good luck
--dick

And:

From:	Trevor Smith (tgsmith@bigfoot.com)
Ah, the news gets better and better! lol

I am still hopeful that a good clean up will help (even the little
cleaning I have done has made it better - it no longer sticks at speed
3, just on 1 and 2). I just need to find someone who can do it or who
can supply a guide, as I am OK to do the work myself.

Thanks

Subject:	Help! I have a sticky RA drive on my 105!
Sent:	Wednesday, August 24, 2005 07:26:06
From:	Trevor Smith (tgsmith@bigfoot.com)
At slow slew speeds on my 105 the RA drive sometimes sticks. I have
looked inside the base, with the RA lock undone, and the gears sometimes
just click without moving the worm. I imagine I'll need to clean it all
out (its covered in Meade green gunge) but I am yet to find a good guide
as to how to do this for the 105 (its quite different to the 90 for
which there are good step-by-step guides around. Do you know of one?

Also the bearings at one end of the drive are rotating with the worm
(arrowed in red on the attached pic). Should I tighten the nut at that
end of the worm (its very tight already, or perhaps its stuck!).

TIA

Trevor Smith
Nottingham
UK

Mike here: There are some articles on the Helpful Information: Telescope Tech Tips for models other than the ETX-90; some of these may help. As to the bearings moving, I wouldn't think that is an issue.

And:

OK thanks for replying. I have yet to find anything strictly relevant,
although your site makes a very interesting read! Thanks for the time
and trouble you have spent on it.

Regards

Trevor Smith

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