Yes, this is an old and well-known story for observers with small scopes.
I have several small refractors for grab-n-go. I mount them on a MicroStar Deluxe head on Vanguard Auctus Plus 324AT. When I put a heavy eyepiece in the diagonal, the setup is out-of-balance and the telescope OTA tends to fall back, even when the altitude knob is clamped down hard. The dovetail cannot be pushed far enough forward to compensate for the imbalance.
I don't want to replace the MicroStar and tripod with a more heavy-duty setup. I have those options already, but I don't want to increase the size and weight for grab-n-go. I'm looking for ways to improve the balance of the setup I already have.
Mike
Edited by Sarkikos, 04 November 2019 - 12:28 PM.