  We calculate parameters A and B of the Baym-Pines model of the hydro-elastic
equilibrium of rotating neutron stars. Parameter A determines the energy
increase of a non-rotating star due to a quadrupolar deformation of its shape.
Parameter B determines residual quadrupolar deformation due to the crustal
shear strain, in a neutron star that spun-down to a non-rotating state. The
calculations of A are based on precise numerical 2-D calculations for rotating
neutron stars with realistic equations of state (EOSs) of dense matter. An
approximate, but quite precise, formula for B is used, which allows us to
separate the contribution of the crust from the dependence on the stellar mass
M and radius R. The elastic shear strain distribution within the crust is
modeled following Cutler et al. (2003). A(M) and B(M) are calculated for
0.2Msun < M < 0.9M_max for seven EOSs of neutron star core, combined with
several crust models. A standard formula based on the incompressible fluid
model is shown to severely underestimate the value of A. For M<0.7Msun A(M) is
nearly EOS independent and are given (within a few percent) by a universal
formula A=3.87(M/Msun)^7/3 [10^53 erg]. We derive the scaling of B with respect
to R and M, valid also for a thick crust. We show that B for accreted crust
strongly depends on pycnonuclear fusions at rho>10^12 g/cm^3.
