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Author Topic: tripod head falling off...  (Read 4508 times)

Jonathan Wienke

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tripod head falling off...
« on: July 19, 2005, 10:07:00 pm »

What I've used successfully is the blue Loc-Tite, which you can find in hardware stores, or sometimes in sporting goods stores or gun shops labeled "Gun-Tite". Unlike the red formulation, which creates a permanent bond that usually breaks something before it will let loose, the blue formulation bonds tightly enough to prevent things from accidentally unscrewing, but not so tightly that you can't get the head off if you really need to. I used it to attach the ballhead to my Gitzo, and it's stayed on firmly for about two years now, and it's still holding tight. It's about $5 for a small tube, but you'll only need a few drops.
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Lisa Nikodym

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tripod head falling off...
« Reply #1 on: July 20, 2005, 11:17:21 am »

Thanks, Joffre.  That's probably the issue, as I thought it looked like there was much less screw length that I would expect for the connection.  It's a new tripod, and I'm still finding my way around it.  I'll try lengthening it and see how that does.  (And keep Loc-Tite in mind if there's still a problem...)

Lisa
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Lisa Nikodym

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tripod head falling off...
« Reply #2 on: July 19, 2005, 09:49:56 pm »

I just got back from a trip in which I was carrying around my tripod a lot, and several times the tripod head (Acratech Ultimate Ballhead) unexpectedly fell off the tripod (Gitzo CF) while it was being carried.  I was lucky I didn't permanently lose it one of those times.  Does anyone else here have this problem?  Am I likely doing a poor job of attaching it, or is there some trick to getting it to (reversibly) stick better?

Lisa
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swaitjd

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tripod head falling off...
« Reply #3 on: July 19, 2005, 10:22:32 pm »

One possibility is that the tripod's screw shaft length has to be increased. Take the Acratech assembly off the tripod. Then loosen the counter bolt enough to allow you to thread more of the screw outwards, then tighten the bolt down again. This way the Acratech head has more of the screw to grip, and will be far less likely to drop off. In fact, it should stop doing that. I had the same thing happen to me during initial uses of the Acratech, and this fix eliminated it completely.

Joffre
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boku

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tripod head falling off...
« Reply #4 on: July 20, 2005, 06:55:16 pm »

I have an Acratech atop a Gitzo 1228 and, yes, I've had the exact same problem. I am getting some relief by carefully, but purposefully, tightening it down with a channellock pliers and a rag to protect the black finish on the head. This is a real Rube Goldberg fix and I've had to do it twice, using progressively more torque the second time. I am not willing to risk it any further (and possibly snap the screw in two pieces). If it ever loosens again, I will be using Locktiteā„¢ - the blue stuff as Jon suggests.

The problem is that the is too much thread "relief" in the tapped hole in the bottom of the Acratech head. Hand tightening just won't last very long because nothing is "pinching" the bolt in the tripod post. Locktiteā„¢ sounds like a safe remedy.
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Bob Kulon

Oh, one more thing...[b
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