Recomendations for replacement Tripod leg locks

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Lozboy

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Lawrence
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Anyone know of a UK supplier of such items .Its for a Manfrotto 190pro 25mm.
But original ones are plastic and pricey. Thanks in advance. Lawrence
 
Hi

There is a Manfrotto spares company in Surrey........ not sure of the web addy without looking again. Got to rush now but will post later (all being well) if no one has beaten me to it :)
 
https://www.manfrottospares.com/

I will soon need that stuff again.

The plastic parts are the least of your worry. The supper reactive Mg - Al alloy (what a great choice for an outdoor all weather tool!) is the bigger headache by far. I've had one break in half with no warning and I was just lucky enough to have the strap on around my neck.
 
Box Brownie said:
Hi

There is a Manfrotto spares company in Surrey........ not sure of the web addy without looking again. Got to rush now but will post later (all being well) if no one has beaten me to it :)
Click to expand...

Your correct.I have emailed them.But thks.Rgds Lawrence
 
Fortunately for me.Its only being used indoors or in the garden.But I will take on board your warning.Thks
Amazed theres not just some easy replacement leg lock parts for tripods.I could do with the proper engineering term for that sort of compression tube lever clamp.
 
The real problem is there are so many different tripods out there and only a few people needs bits at any given time, so unlike say car suspension replacement parts there is no real market here.

I've got 2 tripods that only need one little thing and I can't even source it at least for one of them. It would be great if such a thing was easy to 3D scan and print yourself. I'm sure we will get there just maybe it will take a few more years.
 
MidnightUK said:
Any idea what actually happens to it,to cause it to fail - repeated stress? chemical failure? Would a non magnesium, aluminium alloy hold up better?
Click to expand...

oxidation and electrochemical oxidation is a simple answer. Lots more details here https://www.asminternational.org/documents/10192/1849770/06494G_Chapter_Sample.pdf and some other paid for research papers.

Saltwater is particularly hard on it and the moment you lose a little bit of paint which is just a matter of time is when the troubles really begin.

Pure high quality aluminum is far more chemically resistant, and I believe it would also have enough tensile strength at that thickness. Maybe it is a weight saving effort, or maybe a way to introduce a fault to limit the lifespan of the product. I would certainly go with pure Al or stainless steel (even better but heavy) and much thicker and better paint.
 
Salt water is the main enemy of magnesium alloy, commonly used by tripod manufacturers for lightness, cost and strength. Salt is highly corrosive and aluminium is not completely immune to it either. Stainless steel is best, but I don't know of any manufacturer using that now. Gitzo introduced the Ocean line with stainless steel but very expensive and now discontinued. I think they've also produced a new model with carbon-fibre hardware - maybe a limited edition anniversary model and don't ask the price.

Tripods can be surprisingly delicate. They're designed to be strong in one dimension only, so expect problems if you whack them against a door or shut them in the boot lid or sit on them. Salt water will also attack paint chips if you throw them around, and sand is very bad news too. Realistically, there is no practical/affordable way of 100% avoiding water/sand getting in over time, other than careful handling. Fortunately, most tripods are easy to take apart and wash/clean/dry/re-grease (google it) and that's a regular routine for seascapers. Most leg lever-locks are also adjustable for wear to keep them tight.
 
It is all fair and good but still doesn't explain why they can't just go with stainless steel or even engineering grade plastics for the locks. If you had the measures and will I could easily phone up some factory in China and have them made and shipped at $1 each. They make far bigger and more delicate car suspension arms so why not little locks? Or is it because when tripod manufacturers do it they want to charge £1k for it?!
 
All very interesting .Thks for posting that info.

Finally sorted the 3 replacement levers at the cost of £35 delivered
Manfrotto UK replied very swiftly with the Part#
Part number was R055,534. Assembly Lever 1
For the Manfrotto 190Pro 25mm diameter upper leg.
Amazingly these are used on many of their Tripods.But I never found them on the website
.IMG_0037.JPG s-l1600 (1).jpg
This info might be useful to someone.Thanks for all your efforts and info. Lawrence
 
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