The mount has been completely disassembled.

The declination axis rotates on a plain bearing, while the right ascension axis is mixed: radial ball bearing on the declination side, plain bearing and thrust ball with sheet metal flanges on the polar scope side. These two elements will be replaced by a tapered roller bearing, and a thrust ball with steel flanges.

Another observation is that the RA pointing clockwise ring cannot function as such: a knurled screw secures it to the preloading nut of the AD axis, but passes through the body of the mount. Tight, the axis therefore does not rotate.

Other than that, the mechanics are correct for a mount of this range. The thing is, the factory settings are bad: the worm bearings are tight, to the point of scratching them, and those same worms are embedded in the crowns, the movement by hand does not was not possible ...

Conclusion, modifications are necessary to replace the reducer, and to improve the very functioning of this mount. It will then be correctly adjusted.