When installed, the hour angle and declination axis locking bolts are designed to prevent
the axis from rotating during shipment or while adding payload to the mount.
As a best practice, always try to maintain a relatively balanced payload, even when
mounting equipment.
The shoulder bolts are not designed to carry the mount’s entire payload. If you mount
an excessively unbalanced payload on the declination axis, for example, you run the risk
of bending one or both bolts, making removal difficult.
The specifications for hour angle axis locking shoulder bolt are:
• 18-8 stainless steel shoulder screw
• 5/16-in. shoulder diameter
• 2-1/4-in. long shoulder
• 1/4 in.-20 TPI
The 1-3/4 in. long declination axis locking shoulder bolt has the same specifications.
Declination Axis Locking Holes (Paramount ME Only)
Figure 33 shows the location of Paramount ME declination axis locking holes on the bottom of the
declination axis, near the optical encoder access panel. When the Versa-Plate is rotated to the orientation
shown in Figure 33, the declination axis locking holes are aligned threaded holes in the fixed side of the
declination axis.
To lock the declination axis at this position, insert a declination axis locking bolt (described above) into
each hole, then slightly wiggle the Versa-Plate back and forth to locate the threaded hole, and rotate the
bolt clockwise until it is tight.
Relative to the orientation in Figure 33, the Versa-Plate can be rotated 90 degrees in either direction and
the axis can be locked by installing the declination axis locking bolts as described above. Always use both
locking bolts when locking the axis.
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