Manfrotto 120 Tripod adapter converter 3/8'' to 1/4'' - stuck!

<p>Hi<br>

Strange question but here goes... I have this tripod adaptor attached to my great big Manfrotto 058B tripod and it's fastened together incredibly tightly - I certainly don't remember tightening it this much, I suppose it's possible it was tightened when attaching heads/cameras.<br>

Does anyone have any tips for how I might loosen it? I thought maybe leaving it outside over night in the cold (metal expands with heat), but it feels cool to the touch already so I don't know if it would help too much.<br>

Any ideas - no matter how wacky - would be very very welcome.<br>

Thanks<br>

Nick</p>

Looking at the 120 in the catalog, I'd

think that a towel and a pair of

adjustable pliers (medium-large)

should work. Wrap the towel around

the knurled base of the adapter, to

protect the finish, and the pliers should

get it off easily.

<p>Spanner wrench on the holes in the disc?<br>

Strap wrench or a homemade version of same?<br>

One of those rubber-pad jar-lid opener 'thingies'?<br>

Barring that, maybe a layer or two of duct tape (to avoid marring) and then pump pliers or a small pipe wrench?<br>

(Everything getting cold or hot together doesn't do much, it needs to be differential part heating to give any such advantage)<br>

Twisting on a head can exert a lot of locking torque on a 1/4-20 or 3/8-16 thread.</p>

<p>First the WD-40!</p>

<p>Thanks very much Larry, Jim and Charles for all of your suggestions, I appreciate it.<br>

Looks like I need to take a visit to the hardware store. I'll let you know how I go, thanks again.</p>

<p>Nick,</p>

<p>Just put a pair of long nosed pliers in the two smaller holes and then a screwdriver between the jaws of the pliers. If you don't have long nosed pliers two bolts or big nails works too.</p><div></div>

<p>Wow thanks Scott! That technique worked really well. I actually found that when I was undoing it, one of the screws from within the adapter had fallen into a groove on the tripod, making it very difficult. A bit of brute force with the pliers/screw driver combo solved the problem. Thanks again.</p>

<p>Glad I could help and it worked out :-)</p>

<p>I know that this is over a year later, but I just wanted to say thanks to Scott. I had the exact same problem with precisely the same adapter. And that pliers/screwdriver solution worked perfectly!</p>

<p>Adam,</p>

<p>Glad it was of help to you too :-)</p>

<p>I now remove the set screws that come on these adapters so they won't ever jam in the tripod base, I don't need them anyway. Good item from Scott I will remember to keep in mind since I have several of these adapters for various uses, not just tripod use per se, they are a nice item for thread mating..gs. </p>