Hi Tom,
If you are up for it my advice is to determine what is causing the stiffness. Chances are the grease has melted and migrated all over the place and left behind the clay used in the grease which mucks up the works. I tell most people to simply.clean are reline the mount, it is not hard and you will gain a familiarity with you gear not possible any other way.? ?
Doing it yourself saves a huge bill for shipping and service and will have you back under the stars in a day or two depending on you free time. It only takes a few hours if you know what you are doing but if you have never cracked it open before you need to go slower. I suggest snapping phone photos as you go to capture correct order of parts assembly.?
The usual problems include stuck bearings due to contamination or old lube. The result is usually also that the clutches slip and you cannot get them to stop no matter how hard you crank down the adjusters. This is where the oil from the grease migrated to, your clutch discs. Once you get the mount apart you can see if you need new discs or not. Only order them if they are scratched up from contamination, the grease will wash off with soap and hog water.?
If you are game order a small tube or tub, of Synco Super Lube with Teflon, about $10 on Amazon. This is a pure synthetic based grease that won't melt or run off, it also never get hard or stiff in the hot or cold and the Teflon makes it outperform just about any commerical grease you can buy. It is also a food grader lube. Look at the data sheets for test results, nother can touch it for wear and low temperature starting torque, important for imagers in the cold.?
Once you decide if you are ge to DIY and have the grease in hand let us know and we will help walk you through it.?
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Chip Louie Chief Daydreamer Imagination Hardware?
? ?Astropheric Weather Forecast - South Pasadena, CA?
Chip Louie