Manfrotto 055 - should the centre column just pull out?

[sirch]

Yesterday evening I wanted to get the tripod down low so I pulled the column up to rotate it to 90 degrees and the whole thing came out of the legs and the bits that allow it to rotate fell in the grass. I think I collected up all the bits and managed to get it back together but it now it comes apart every time I try to rotate the column. There is a small black triangular piece of plastic that looks like it may well be the thing that stops the other bits coming out of the socket and I assume I have not got this positioned correctly and that is why it is not working properly, does anyone have any idea how this is supposed to go back together?

The tripod is only a few months old, has anyone got any experience of Manfrotto customer service, is it worth trying to get it fixed/replaced?

 

[gramps]

Tried looking for any repair videos on youtube?

 

[Al1944]

Might be worth contacting these and ask if they can provide you with a diagram.

https://www.manfrottospares.com/055ab-parts.html

 

[sirch]

Tried looking for any repair videos on youtube?

I did do some googling but didn't find anything obvious. A lot of the stuff on line seems to be for different versions of the tripods. For info mine has a pink anodized "shell" in the legs that allows to column to pull up and rotate to the horizontal.I think it is an Xpro 3

Might be worth contacting these and ask if they can provide you with a diagram.

https://www.manfrottospares.com/055ab-parts.html

Thanks I'll get in touch with them.

 

[Jannyfox]

Mine's the 190 but seems to be similar. To raise the column unlock the'wing nut' and pull up, to then lay it horizontal press in the little red tag on the side (or the button on the bottom - they're connected), to pull it all the way out press the tag in again once the bottom of the column is up in the collar. It sounds like that's the bit that's bust. I don't see any 'triangular bit of plastic'. There is a black collar within the pink shell that the tag locates into.

 

[sirch]

Well, I've been in touch with Manfrotto UK and nearly fell off my chair when I got a reply back within a couple of hours with exactly the right advice first time. It seems I've lost a retaining clip off the bottom of the collar assembly and if I can find the receipt they will send out a replacement. Can't say fairer than that.

Well done Manfrotto, what a change to have someone who responds quickly and knows their products.

 

[sirch]

OK so it turns out to be a bit disappointing. As dictated by Sod's Law I can find the receipt so I thought, OK lesson learned, I'll order one. £6.50 for a little plastic ring seems a bit steep and nothing on the website about postage so I clicked through to order and they want £4 for postage. I regularly get stuff from China via flea-bay and, for example, I can get a pair of reading glasses for £4 delivered from China, I mean actually get the product and delivery from China for the price of just the postage from a UK company. To add insult to injury I checked out as GUEST and immediately got an email thanking me for registering.

All of which has rather taken the shine off what seemed like excellent service. Anyway I'm going to fashion my own from Unicorn Horn, it will work out cheaper.