CGEM Azimuth motion improvement - Helicoil inserts

My CGEM mount has always had jumpy/jerky motion in Azimuth. This was primarily due to the threads for the azimuth bolts becoming stripped. Also, the polar alignement pin threads were stripped as well and once pressured on by one of the bolts, the pin would lift and tilt in place, giving me a sort of backlash effect on the AZ bolts. 

I had read various solutions proposed by CN members on improvements for this, the helicoil insert being the most effective and permanent, so I finally attempted it myself. 

I was able to source a helicoil thread repair kit locally. The kit includes the inserts, a drill bit, a tap and the special insertion tool with a punch to break off the tongue at the end of the coil, once inserted.







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Here you can see the original holes for the alignement pin (10 & 4 o'clock). The 4 o'clock position bolt was the one I used due to it being placed over one of the legs. Threads in this were almost completely destroyed. The 12 o'clock threaded hole was a sort of practise run with a 12mm tap which I could use in the future if necessary. The new 10mm thread seen with the pin in place is perfectly secure and holds the pin firmly. I tried the mount adjustments before proceeding with the helicoils and the result was immediate improvement!

Due to the damaged threads, the stock AZ bolts have developed flat spots in the threads and are still a bit coarse when adjusting, despite lubrication. I will be replacing these with same size bolts with adjustable ratchet heads shortly.

The whole process took a little over an hour and was fairly straight forward. Testing the mount now I can see a major improvement in the AZ motion. Soon I will be testing it under the stars to form a complete opinion.