The Meade AR5 and AR6 came out around 2003. These are excellent achromats, but the stock focusers were a bit of a let down. So I have just installed a GSO Crayford-Focuser to mine. And as I needed to use a new-model Antares adapter to fit the telescope with the Crayford, I was asked to post my experience here in A-C. No pictures - sorry. I really don't want images of yours' truly beating an innocent telescope with a large hammer!

Getting the stock focuser/visual-back off the AR5 required a block of wood and a standard claw-hammer. Placing the wooden-block under the lip of the flange (having first removed the three-screws helps), a few good raps, going around the tube, pushed the assembly up and out. If someone would find this a risky move, suggest they re-think doing this and, perhaps, finding someone who is skilled with tools to do the work. It gets much more difficult!

Remove the Crayford-Focuser from the adapter-ring/flange - use a 2mm Allen-wrench for this. Forget using the supplied Allen-head bolts to attach the flange to the adapter. It won't hold it snugly - which you need it to do. I used 3 12mm M4 Phillips-head bolts with nuts. Tighten these down as best as can be. Now remove the lens-cell (which holds the achromat up front) from the OTA. You don't want to shock the thing as much as what follows may do.

This operation is done with the tube (OTA) of the refractor standing upright so it is resting on where the lens-assembly was before it was removed. Sand down the lip of the OTA where the adapter will be fit. This is to ease getting the adapter onto it. Mine had tape on it that had become one with the tube. Once smooth, apply a good grease - perferably with PTFE (Teflon®) - to the tube. And place the adapter so the holes of the adapter aligns with the holes in the OTA. Now for the fun part!

Using a 2-lb Craftsman® rubber-mallet (This has both a soft-rubber and a hard-rubber head, you'll use both), pound(!) the adapter down onto the OTA - turning the tube/adapter with each hit. Not too hard, or too soft. It will take a bit of turning and striking to get the adapter all-the-way down. Now place 3-20mm M4-bolts to secure them in place with a Phillips-head screwdriver.

Re-attach the Crayford-Focuser assembly to the adapter & go howl and bark at the Moon!

I don't think I need reiterate my warning - this is NOT a job for the "Tool-Challenged" or faint-of-heart! If you don't understand exactly what you're doing and how to from the start, please find someone.

So that's how she flew, Orville. It's a great improvement over the old focuser.

Have fun up there!

Dave