Hello,
As an old car mechanic, my suggestion to track down subtle movement would be to use your fingers placed on/across adjacent parts to feel for any movement while rocking the unit.
P.S.: Rocking the unit may have created wear/rub marks on mating surfaces look for telltale marks.
Add this to your investigation.? I have the Losmandy Adapter Base #MA.? It is the older 2 piece design.? Upper portion being a cylinder bolted to a bottom circular flat plate.? Later design has the two parts welded together.? Do check for movement between these two pieces.
