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deepskytraveler
member
Reged: 12/25/05
Posts: 61
Loc: Worthington, OH
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Two of the legs on my nearly year-old MiniTower tripod have become increasingly difficult to extend and retract. I have to use a rubber mallet to tap the legs in part way and I'm no longer able to fully extend the sticky legs. Various attempts to lubricate the legs provided minimal relief if any. Growing frustrated I decided to take the legs apart to see if I could fix the problem.
The legs are easily disassembled by removing the leg lock (lever & bolt) and the single screw on the leg shaft coupler. To remove the lower leg shaft from the coupler you also need to remove the screw on the tripod foot. What I found inside the coupler is a plastic pressure plate. I've uploaded two photos of this component. What I discovered was that two of the three pressure plates had a hole worn all the way through the plastic. Apparently this hole has been worned by the tightening action of the leg lock used to secure the extended tripod leg. I noticed that the pressure plate on the leg which doesn't stick does not have a hole worn through it! Once a hole is worn through the plate, the leg lock bolt when tightened creates dents (dimples) in the tripod leg shaft. This deformation is enough to make the shaft difficult to move through the narrow (bottom) part of the coupler. Before reassembling I lubricated by spraying a healthy dose of WD40 on the inside of the coupler and pressure plate. Unfortunately it made little difference, unable to overcome the deformation of the leg shaft.
I would expect this is or will be a problem for others particularly those who may overtighten the leg locks or frequently extend and retract the tripod legs. I would imagine that if the pressure plate had been fabricated of a metal rather than plastic this would not be a problem.
Doesn't appear I can fix the problem myself. So I'll need to contact iOptron on Monday an request a warranty replacement.
Mark
Edited by deepskytraveler (10/18/09 10:27 AM)
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deepskytraveler
member
Reged: 12/25/05
Posts: 61
Loc: Worthington, OH
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another photo...
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Figment
member
Reged: 08/08/08
Posts: 23
Loc: NH
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Same exact thing happened to my tripod, except it was like that from day 1. I've taken it apart and noticed the same thing as you.
I've learned to just leave it extended as much as possible so I don't have to deal with it. I'd be interested to see if they are going to replace the tripod for you. I've heard the newer tripods are better designed.
...Jason... 
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C6-A - iOptron Mini Tower - Explore Scientific 80ED
Baader Hyperion Set - Explore Scientific 14mm/100
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Wes James
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/12/06
Posts: 3454
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According to one of the guys on the M/T forum, the problem is the bolt ends that come in contact with this piece. From the factory, the bolt ends have a circular ring almost like a punch... and, after repeated overtightenings (the correct amount of pressure is until it starts to get tight- and then about 1/4 turn more, no more than that)- which is the usual cause of this problem, it wears through the plastic piece as you see- and then you have problems. The solution, supposedly, is to file the ring off the bottom of the bolt... clean/smooth it up- so it doesn't do a cookie-cutter number on the plastic piece. I'm currently waiting on my mount from Steve after he does the upgrade to it- that will be one of the things I will be checking/ correcting before ever using it.
If your tripod came that way new, that's a different story.
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Wes
Atlantic Beach, FL
Some bino’s from Miyauchi 5x32 Binon's up through Garrett 20x110 Signature's,
Some telescopes from a Stellarvue 80mm NHNG up through a couple of 8” reflectors…
And a wonderful 4.25" Delmarva Shiefspiegler!
Some good friends, made here on C/N.
Oh- several cats and a wonderful wife!
Anyone want a cat???? :-O
"When your work speaks for itself- Don't Interrupt" -Gamble Rogers
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Telescopeman54
Vendor - Trapezium Telescopes & Services, LLC.
Reged: 08/17/07
Posts: 1541
Loc: New Hampshire
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I've been working with the MT tripods for almost two years and this is the first time I have ever seen this happen. I have probably tightened the clamps on my tripod more than anyone else in the world and mine are still just fine. I know that you don't want to hear this, but, I am of the opinion that you are just using way too much pressure on the clamps. We have indeed had a few tripods come back that were bent to Hell from over tightening. Not one has come back with this problem. I'm kind of stumped on this one and would like to see the clamping bolts. It's definitely a new on on me!
By all means call iOptron and see what they say. This one is interesting to say the least.
CS
Steve
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Stephen Forbes - President
Trapezium Telescopes & Services, LLC
61 Valhalla Farm Road
Hillsboro, NH 03244
Web: http://TrapeziumTelescopes.com
Email: Stephen.Forbes@TrapeziumTelescopes.com
Phone: 1.603.325.0619
6" f/15 Jaegers refractor on GOTO GEM
5.1" f/8 Burgess on CG-5 w/ iOptron GOTONOVA
102mm f/7 refractor on iOptron Mini Tower
1975 Celestron Orange Tube C8 on Equatorial Mini Tower
1978 RV-6 on iOptron Mini Tower
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