Hi all,
I have used the AM5 mount for a few months and been liking it. However, the past few times I've used I've come across an increasingly annoying issue: the spring loaded brackets of the dovetail clamp on the mount saddle won't release my (heavy) telescope. When the clamp knobs are unfastened those spring loaded brackets remain blocked in the locked position, making it impossible to remove the telescope. The first time it happened they ended up suddenly jumping to catch up on the knobs, abruptly releasing the dovetail. However at other times they did not move at all, even when trying to wiggle the telescope a bit, or to push those brackets away from the telescope dovetail with a knife.
This is apparently not caused by temperature (it was above freezing point). It becomes extremely annoying because it's making the entire mount and telescope impossible to disassemble - the only way around is to haul the telescope and the mount in one piece back home which is dangerous and unpractical, to then use a set of home tools to try and bring those blocked brackets to finally open.
Either the springs are not strong enough, or the brackets are not well shaped, causing them to remain stuck. Last night I almost broke my back and the telescope - I'm desperately trying to figure out a solution and reluctant to attach the telescope again to the mount, making it impossible to use. Should I bring my AM5 back to the store?
Has anyone had the same issue?
Thanks.
