I think I screwed up 😬☹️

The Delicacy of the Vinyl Front End is a precarious thing to manage.
Mistakes have been Made by many and there are always mistakes in the making.
I can't say for certain, but I feel you will be guided to a method to remediate the incurred Damage.
One more tiny error and lesson learned to be put into the
'Don't Do That Again' Black Book.   

In the Past week I did not Notice the the Tonearm Cue Lever was resting in the down position.
I used the Tonearm as per usual, and when taking my hand away it plonked down on to the Vinyl.
After a Volley of Expletives, I dared to look at the Stylus, and I had got lucky.
With this Tonearm this incident was a first, these little user errors in one shape or form are happening daily. 

At a Exhibition attended by the Public in front of a full packed room of people.
I went down into a Low Squat to Cue the Tonearm on a TT that was appox' 300mm of the Floor.
I went backwards and ended up legs akimbo facing the ceiling.
The Tonearm certainly provided a demonstration on how best not to use a Tonearm with a expensive MC on board.

I am certainly a paid up member of the Club of Little Mishaps when it comes to Vinyl Front Ends.   
     

You're right, there should be even spacing all around, and it should of course move freely.  

Was it perhaps shipped with locking screws to safeguard the arm from vibration? Or should have been but wasn’t? If you can link to a lot of good clear pics or diagrams this can probably be enough to point you in the right direction.

Reopening the box from my dynavector xv1 after it had been in storage or 5 years and finding the cantilever broken.  Nothing else comes close in the analog screwups can compare.

"...and @pindac learned, there 'n then, to kneel...."
Another for the Hall of Miscues'.....

*s* Bad to happen with an audience; hideous during demo.....

Tonearm repair, a/s wires:
-Delicate stuff....DIY repair skill level = high, imh...

Now I gotta be more careful