Eminent Technology ET-2 Tonearm Owners

Fisrt time post here,
I just happened to stumble into a SOTA Star Sapphire with a ET-2 Tonearm at a yard sale of all places. The seller was not the original owner and didn't know anything about it. I'm sure this table has been sitting unused for quite some time.
I've spent some time getting the table sorted out and now I'm looking for some advise on a ET-2 tonearm. I have leveled the platter and cleaned the spindle. With the needle on a level sheet of glass, The arm tube doesn't glide back and forth as I would expect it to from reading the manual. I think the air bearing pump is working but I don't have a gauge. Looks like it only requires 2.5 PSI and I can feel air pressure out of the filter. My guess is that the pump in not the issue. The manual recommends cleaning the manifold if cleaning the spindle doesn't fix the travel issue.
Should I go out and get a gauge and confirm the PSI before I pull out the spindle and clean the manifold or anything else I might be missing or should do first? If yes I should go ahead and clean the manifold, Do I remove the joint on the front of the spindle? Is the joint indexed to the spindle or just needs to be 90 degrees from the rear counterweight clamp? Is there suppose to be any horizontal play on the counterweight I-beam, mine has some?
-Brad

Dave,
Thanks, I'll look in to buying a gauge and try cleaning the manifold.
-Brad

Dave,
I tried just using a toothbush and IPA to clean the manifold as per the manual instructions and it still is not working. So that was going to be the next step. I need to find pipe cleaners to clean out all the holes.
   -Brad

Hey Brad,

Also check for obstructions in the airline and nipple feeding the body of the manifold housing.

Dave

Dave,
I made a little more progress, it turned out to be an issue with the pump.
After taking the pump apart I found one of the two magnets had come loose from the arm and it was only doing half duty.
I got the pump fixed and I now have good pressure!
-Brad

Dave,
 Thanks for the tips!  Using the supplied alignment guide, I feel like I have it set pretty good. I will not be able to do any critical setup or listening till I get the table out of my shop. The SOTA table is to big to fit on my audio rack, luckily the SOTA came with a large heavy duty rack, but it needs some work.
I think I need to adjust the arm somehow. The larger end of the cuing tube is slightly in the way of letting the arm come down into the lead-in, it lands in the start of the first track, not in the lead-in.
-Brad

Dave,
That's most likely the issue, I'll work on it!

Dave,
 That was indeed the problem, that issue looks solved.
Thanks, you have been more than helpful and really appreciate it!

It looks like you can't post photos, only add a link?
-Brad

Xbart - Brad - welcome to the thread.
Amazing what can be found at a US of A Garage Sale ...... EH
Real American Pickers.

Have you messed with the horizontal VTA Pillar bolts yet ?
It is my opinion that these should have come from Bruce' factory with plugs in place preventing adjustment....AND....a special section in the manual dedicated to them with the caption "for experienced users only"

Chris,
I'm been pretty much a vintage audio guy, mostly out of necessity (lack of funds) and garage sales are my main source for gear and albums.
Most of the mods suggested here are likely not in my budget.
I'm sure getting this rig set up right will be a great setup, even without the mods discussed here.
   To answer your question, no I haven't messed with the pillar bots.
I have had the turntable up and running for a week now. As it is now, it is a major improvement over my previous table. I'm curious to hear how It will sound when it is set up properly.
-Brad

I was wondering how a rewire through the spindle is accomplished with the connecting plug machined into the spindle, How does one access the pins inside the spindle?
-Brad 

Hi Brad - you need to be very careful working with and around the machined plug on a stock ET2 tonearm. 

You would be like we are fond of saying here....... "Poking at the Sleeping Bear" 

Thanks for that information.
This arm is pretty new to me and in stock form far superior to anything that I've owned before. I'm trying to decide if or what I might to do to improve it's performance. 
I did email Bruce about converting it to a high pressure manifold, that might be a possibility. Cost is a concern, so is not having a table for an extend time.
-Brad