How To Fix Backlash On The Skywatcher Star Adventurer GTi 

Thank you very much. Mine was even a little worse. In my case, I didn't remove the sticker completely, I left it attached and still left me plenty of room to work. Your video is just a beautiful piece of information. Several key pieces of knowledge you provided: 1. you only need to tighten a screw 2. where the screw is located 3. how to access it 4. how to avoid voiding the warranty 5. what tool you need to do it Perfect

Well done. I just got this mount a few days ago and that screw was so loose I thought the gears were stripped as I could move the RA with the knob tight and it would not even hold a few pounds of weight. Turns out thanks to a youtube search and your video with another video it was simply that screw was loose from the factory. I almost had a freak out as I thought I got a defective mount, but nope, it was a loose screw as you just showed. Thanks much, I'm feeling better to discover the fix was simple. Cheers.

good one, thanx for the lecture! will start read instructions.. and will test my gti tomorrow, fingers crossed!

The worm and wheel are delicate components. Carrying or bumping the mount with the clutches engaged can permanently damage them. I would also avoid putting on or taking off the counterweight while the RA clutch is engaged. So long as the clutches are disengaged there should be no issue carefully carrying the setup fully assembled. I used to do it all the time with the mount head held close to my chest to prevent things from rotating.

HI there, last weekend I finally got a Starwatcher adventurer GTI mount, for my travels to the Caribbean Island of Barbados . I came across your video while at work on Starwatcher GTI backlash, so I'll make sure to take the counterweight off when moving the mount, I have saved your video so when I get any backlash on my mount I can fixed it. Thanks again 😊👍

You got yourself a new subscriber. Thank you for your videos explaining how to fix this, and also for replying to almost all comments. I’ve learned tons of “good practices”

Thank you. I was struggling with the RA backlash. Your video had me sorted and operational.

Thanks! I was struggling with the play in my Star Adv GTi and you helped me fix it!

I'm sorry if I seem negative but I wouldn't like to see anybody wreck their mount and I'm a bit worried that you may have overtightened yours as there should always be a small amount of play. Also loosening the RA screw will tell you nothing as that has nothing to do with the worm adjustment. The only way to test the adjustment is to run the mount and see if it is noisy or binds at any point from limit to limit. You can also measure the current draw as someone else has mentioned. Another point to bear in mind is that the clearance in the gearing will change depending on temperature so you may find more backlash when the mount is cold, but if you then adjust it cold it may become too tight when it gets warmer. Try and make adjustments in line with the expected temperature but keep an eye (and an ear on it, mounts will sound noisier if they are too tight).

Carrying it around fully assembled is not a good idea. Also, the clutches should be unlocked when carrying it around in a case. However, that's probably not the cause of your BL. These GTI mounts do not have a spring-loaded worm gear. The worm is held against the gear by a simple small screw. These two screws (one for RA and one for Dec) work themselves loose over a short period of time. This will cause BL to return. The fix is to remove the screws and wrap them with Teflon tape and reinsert them. I'm sure a Loctite would work also. I did the Teflon tape and it seems to hold them in better. How long? Who knows for sure. While you're at it, you might want to take apart the Dec axis (Very easy to do), clean and regrease the parts. I did that with my Dec and it turns much smoother all the way around without and sticky spots.

Danno you are a life saver for posting this My mount completely stopped working last night and thought it was broken. I remembered watching this video ages ago and tightening this screw has fixed my issue Thanks buddy you saved my weekend 👍🏻 Cheers Si

I haven’t carried it out fully set up to my recollection, but started noticing some play. Might just come with use or maybe through the way I’ve been transporting it (probably this…i have solved this issue now 😅). Anyway, thanks for the video! Was able to fix the play, already had all the tools actually! Thanks!

This is a great mount when you iron out a few minor issues. Mine had the RA screw continually working loose. I fixed it with plumbers tape on the RA screw. I has been perfect for hundreds of hours of use since. The latest firmware also adds bluetooth capability. Another trick I use when adjusting RA is to put a multimeter between the unit and an external battery (Celestron Power tank) and measure the current while slewing. Then I slowly tighten the screw to remove backlash until the amps increase which means it is too tight. Then I back it off a 1/8th turn and the amps drop back to the original value with no noticeable backlash felt in the mount.

Just got mine and out of the box it too was a bit loose, not as bad as yours but I would rather not have to worry about potential backlash when I first use it. One rotation of the screw was all it took to get things tightened up. One thing to note, it appears that the screw size is now 1.5mm. I think these things just get bumped around a lot in shipping and knocks everything loose. I had to go in and adjust the polar scope as well because the calibration was off for the reticle.

I have the same problem with my mount, I spoke with SW technical support. Adjusting RA and DEC is considered general maintenance and it’s not voiding the warranty.

Thanks for the handy tips and tricks for this mount. Hopefully getting one in the new year to start my astrophotography journey. I've always been a visual astronomer. Going to to be using a canon dslr with a rokinonen/samyang 135 mm lens and redcat 51.

Use nina to do polar alignment and forget about the shiity polar scope. I haven't taken the caps of the polar scope in months

I had the same problem and i could solve it. Thank you so much 😊

I did compare my polar scope with an fellow astro club member and his fov for polar scope is like mine with the entire field illuminated. 🎉So it is just a crappy illuminator for the polar scope. I can change the dimnest from the app but there is just a narrow range of dimness from high to low. BTW, I got that same message when calibrating in PHD2 when I tried to autoguide a few nights ago. I was not able to get a successful calibration.Did not really check for backlash but will look for it

Great video ty. I. Not convinced move the mount will cause this though. Maybee loosen ra clutch to store and move?

Tip- Always mark your tool with a dot and count the turns, half and quarter so you can go back to where you started if necessary. Backlash is usually only a problem when a mount transitions past "perfect balance".

Real world Dano, thanks! How about posting a link to the set of screwdrivers you ordered from Amazon please.

That's the first I have heard about not moving the mount fully assembled. I would think it would be enough to remove the couhterweight and leave the shaft attached. I think this is what I will do.

Excellent!!!

Did you carry the mount with the RA clutch tightened? I think it might be okay to do it with the clutch undone, that how I usually transport my 2i to the tent or the car at the end of the night.

I have gotten that same message on PHD2 as well. Mine doesn’t have any play on the RA axis while it’s tightened down though.

Thank you for the video. I was thinking about getting this as my first mount but now I'm reconsidering. Is this a common problem?

Thanks for this. Question, I usual carry my entire rig assembled outside. I guess I'll be removing the CW now. Do you think I need to remove the scope too?

You' have to use e teflon tape on the screw.Otherwise,after a few uses the backlash will return.

helpful. thankyou.

Hi,my is realy ok ,but i have other question,if i want to shoot a milky way with the wide lens,14,24,mm …….should i need balanced it ,or i can do it like with SW Adventurer 2i?

Tightening the screw mashes the worm gear. So once its worn it's probably worn... Hopefully someone makes a repair kit with titanium or something better then the cheap brass parts. I have the same mount . I guess ill just save up and buy a better mount.

And backlash axis declinacion? 😢

what exactly do you think you're doing? :)

So the lesson here is.. Don't move it fully assembled! Like the manual said!