How to remove head from Manfrotto?

Hi guys!

how do i remove a pan-tilt head from an old Manfrotto tripod? do i

just turn the head counterclockwise like i would a smaller/cheaper/

flimsier tripod, (and do i do this with the movements tightened?, or

with the rotation-control knob loosened?), or do i need to remove a

screw or three?

the head won't unscrew, and i don't know if it's just stuck up

from age, or if there's a safety device of sorts that i might damage

by "forcing" a counterclockwise turn.

thanks! i'll be waiting for your advice. i'm going on a location

shoot in two days, and 18lbs is just too heavy for a tripod,

trustworthy as it is.

 

eric f

On my flimsy Manfrotto tripod (190D), there are three small screws that extend from the baseplate to the head. You can reach them from the base's underside. Maybe you tripod has something similar?

I've had this problem even with newer heads. Check for the three screws that Thomas mentioned. If they're there, remove them. After that with my tripods it's unfortunately just been a matter of using enough force to loosen the head. The last time I tried it I ended up having a friend basically sit on the tripod while I hammered at the head to loosen it (using the hammer on the hard rubber handles, not the metal). Hopefully with yours there's a less vicious way of doing it but I do think it's just a matter of finding a way to exert sufficient force (once you've removed the screws and anything else that's physically attaching the head to the tripod). On my Bogen/Manfrottos there is nothing else but I don't know about older models.

The Manfrotto tripod and Bogen head that I have use three set-screws that run up through the base into the head. But the head first screws onto a shaft that sticks up vertically from the base, and the set-screws simply hold the head in place once it has been screwed tightly onto the shaft. So back off the screws until you can rotate the head counter-clockwise to remove it from the shaft.

The problem he's having is that the head won't rotate.

<I>The problem he's having is that the head won't rotate.</I><P>

I think what everyone's saying, is he needs to loosen the three setscrews from underneath, before it will rotate. Then it just unscrews.

No, it doesn't necessarily "just unscrew" even when the screws are removed. That's the trouble. The things seem to sometimes get stuck and require a great deal of force to be unscrewed. That's what I was describing in my original message.

If you want to remove the plate from the shaft, then you need a long hexagonal wrench to reach through the tube to unscrew the nut inside.

After removing the 3 little screws I would use force counterclockwise

This really is unbelievable. I have loosened all the screws...taken apart

everything I can. The head rotates but not on the tripod's base plate. Is there

not a screw on the top of the tripod's base plate which is screwed into the

head? Now if I use a rubber hammer, it won't work because I can't just bash it

off. I need to secure the tripod and use the wrench on the base of the head to

try to unscrew it. This is going to be a screwed up episode in the life of the

tripod...and all because I want to attach an accessory arm.

By the way, this is my first post here. I used to frequent the photowed forum for

wedding professionals. Retired from that now.

Hi everyone.