JMW9/Dynavector 17D2 setup

Just recieved my Scout back from VPI after having it upgraded to the Scoutmaster. Took advantage of the time to also upgrade my cart to the Dynavector 17D2 from the 20X.

Kept the armwand so I could mount the new cart and sent the table straight to VPI. Table came back without the tonearm base assembly and cable junction box. Contacted them, and they sent one out. Essentially a new table.

Now the problem: I CANNOT get this thing dialed in to save my life. After putting everything together again, and trying to set VTF, even with the counterweight pushed as far forward as it would go (all the way to the ends of the threads up against the pivot), I still could not get more than 1g on it (using the Shure stylus gauge). I rotated the ring on the wand pivot (the ring with one flat side) to face the rear rather than the front. This at least allowed me to lock in the correct VTF.

Now no amount of twisting, adjusting can get the anti-skate set to keep the cart from skittering across the disc. Test playback sounds like (insert adjective here). Distorted, jumpy, static, all things evil. It almost sounds to me as if the stylus tip is off the canteliever. Something is not right with the whole setup. I had no trouble with setting up the original Scout and arm, so it's not like I am clueless about what should be going on. This has me bamboozled though. I've checked the sylus under a magnefying glass, but as things are so small and my eyesight up close is awful, I can't even see the stylus tip. Chances are more than likely I would have snapped the canteliever off before knocking the stylus off. Canteliever looks intact and OK.

Any ideas thoughts or things to look at would be really helpful.

This whole upgrade has been a comedy of errors on a number of fronts, and NOT just on my part.