Repairing a blocked eyepiece thread

Product Description
Problem:
We received another APO (refractor) telescope for repair, for which the customer also wrote that the focuser was no longer working properly.
Similar to the other APO telescope, our test revealed that the focuser was very noisy and that both dials were not moving synchronously on both sides, which they should.

Solution:
Gummy Ball Bearing
The threaded attachment that sets the focuser in motion was unscrewed. Here, too, it quickly became apparent that the grease in the ball bearing was very gummed up. This explained the stiffness.

The ball bearing was thoroughly cleaned of old grease and regreased.

Tip: Make sure there is no grease outside the bearing; you don't want it on the lens. Always maintain cleanliness and be sure to wash your hands after each step!

Jammed & Shifted Gear Play
But cleaning the ball bearing alone didn't solve the problem of the jammed, asynchronous rotary gears on the sides. Unfortunately, the entire threaded assembly had to be disassembled before the true cause was revealed.
Whether due to an impact or wear and tear, the threaded rod had shifted, and the screw connection to the rotary gear was crooked and tilted. The rotary gear was no longer properly seated on the gear rod and was happily wobbling.
It seemed as if someone had already tried to solve the problem, but first installed the wrong screw and second tried to screw grub screws onto existing (but barely visible) grub screws. These second screws naturally came loose and lay loose between the gears, blocking them depending on their position and inclination (which also explained the sudden and sporadic jamming of the focuser).

All loose grub screws were completely removed, the incorrect and one missing screw were replaced, and the position of the threaded rod was corrected.
After removing the old grease and re-lubricating the gears, the focuser ran smoothly, synchronously, and noiselessly.

If that's too much tinkering for you, feel free to contact us for a repair. ;-)