EQ Mount Movement

I have a Skyview Pro EQ 120 refractor from Orion. I'm new to astronomy too.

The scope and mount are only about a month old. I've noticed some movement in the mount itself and wondered if I just don't understand something about it, or if something broke on it.

When I have the mount in the "polar aligned" position with the scope assembled (OTA mounted), I have the two lock levers for the DEC and RA axis locked in place. However, when I apply some slight pressure on the tube, the upper portion of the EQ mount rotates from side to side (about 1/2 inch movement). When I apply this pressure and the movement occurs, the RA motor and its slow motion knob also move side to side about 1/4 inch.

Everything is tightened (as far as the mount to the tripod), levers, locks, etc. Is this movement normal to have? Or does it sound like something is broken in the mount?

Thanks in advance for your help and suggestions.

I also have a Skyview Pro mount, and when the levers are locked there is no movement at all, very stable.
Are the two azimuth fine adjustment knobs tightened down? These are located on the mount just above the N on the tripod leg. If that isn't it, I'm not sure what it would be. Is the movement in the RA or Dec axis, or somewhere else?

Jeff

It sounds like you need to adjust the worm gears. I have a CG-5 mount that suffered this same problem when I got it (used). Once I adjusted the worms, there was no side-to-side motion.

I don't know if the EQ mounts are adjusted the same way as the CG-5, but you should be able to find a procedure for doing this adjustment on one of the forums, or maybe someone here can offer some suggestions.

Yes, the play you are describing (even with the lock levers locked down tight) is sloppiness in the worm gears. You have to play with the adjustments to get the worm gears tightened up enough so there is no play, yet loose enough to turn smoothly without resistance.