Another age giveaway is the worm covers which are just anodized aluminum angle stock, not the intentionally machined Al parts of modern age. I would bet the worms are stainless steel, used for many years before the high precision brass worms now being used. My 1996 vintage also has a brass spindle on which the ring gears ride, with no center bearing - just metal on metal. Mine was converted to OnStep and is performing very nicely. But with all the modern day upgrades this mount should be performing as good as any leaving the factory now.
John?
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Losmandy G11G2 on pier; refurbed Losmandy G11 with OnStep controller; SkyShed design roll-off observatory; ZWO ASI2600MM-P; ZWO ASI071MC; Sky-Watcher Esprit 100 ED with field flattener; Celestron C925 Edge HD with 0.7XFR, William Optics Zenithstar 61 APO; PHD2, Sequence Generator Pro and PixInsight user
