Cleaning a ball head

[ben4633]

My wife took her tripod to the beach and I guess it fell over. I have been given the task of cleaning the sand out of the ball head. I tired using compressed air in a can and it got some of it out but there is still some grit under the ball head itself. Does anyone have any tips on removing the lower plate. I am thinking if I can remove the lower plate and drop the ball out I can clean everything out. Any ideas?

[Todd Lambert]

Yeah, I think you're going to need to disassemble it and clean it. What kind of ballhead is it?

BTW> this is exactly why I went with an Acratech, no worries.. just run in under water in the sink, done.

[ben4633]

Its the Manfrotto 486 RC2.

[professorman]

Its the Manfrotto 486 RC2.

Here is some instructions I found for you.

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=457253

It should be similar.

[ben4633]

This should help, Thanks!

[Lowner]

If you carefully peel the 486RC2 label off (self adhesive back), you uncover a screw, remove that and the rest is easy.

I reassembled mine with tons of clear Silicon grease and it's been fine.

[ben_r_]

You could also try calling Bogen and seeing what they recommend...

[bohdank]

If you carefully peel the 486RC2 label off (self adhesive back), you uncover a screw, remove that and the rest is easy.

I reassembled mine with tons of clear Silicon grease and it's been fine.

Wouldn't grease of any kind attract grit.

[Lowner]

Manfrotto use it like it's going out of fashion when its assembled from new. They must put it on with a spade.

[SkipD]

Manfrotto use it like it's going out of fashion when its assembled from new. They must put it on with a spade.Do you know precisely what they use? I read that you used a silicone grease. However....

Manfrotto's manuals say to use NO lubricant of any kind on their ball heads.

[Lowner]

Skip,

Yes, I was very amused to see the grease when I'd previously been under the same impression.

A definite case of "do what I say, not do as I do."

[bohdank]

I had a 488RC2 and never noticed any grease...why I asked.

[SkipD]

Richard, my question was WHAT did they use, not how much of it. There could be some really special specs to whatever the stuff was. I suspect you found it to be slippery, but it may not have been a commonly available grease at all. Just wondering. Maybe a call to Manfrotto would be in order.

I would agree that I have never seen any traces of grease on the ball in any of my Manfrotto ball heads - I have the 484RC2, 486RC2, and the 488RC2.

[Dinoman]

My 486RC2 came lubed (bought brand new couple years ago from B&H). :) I relubed it a few months ago with just a tiny bit of vaseline. Not enough for anything to stick to it, just enough to make it glide a bit easier. I've never had any issues with grit, if you're really worried about grit sticking to the ball head I suspect you could use graphite instead. I wouldn't doubt if graphite ain't what they're lubed with in the first place.

[SkipD]

I have emailed Manfrotto with a question about the "grease" that folks have found in their ball heads. I did get an automated reply to my message this morning, but no answers yet. I hope to hear from them soon.

[Dinoman]

Be interesting to see what their reply is, because I know for a fact mine has/had some type of lube on it. I've come home with black smudges on my hands after a day of shooting with it. :)

[ben4633]

I got mine appart, thanks for the tip on the allen screw. I used a dry graphite powdered lube. I would absolutly not use any kind of wet lube, grease, oil, vasaline. I would think any amount used would attract dust, dirt, sand and would require it to be take appart again. I would think you are better off leaving it dry than using a wet lube. Not a whole lot of movement on the ball and definitly no heat so I would just think grease would be way overkill and probably cause more damage than good.

[SkipD]

I got mine appart, thanks for the tip on the allen screw. I used a dry graphite powdered lube. I would absolutly not use any kind of wet lube, grease, oil, vasaline. I would think any amount used would attract dust, dirt, sand and would require it to be take appart again. I would think you are better off leaving it dry than using a wet lube. Not a whole lot of movement on the ball and definitly no heat so I would just think grease would be way overkill and probably cause more damage than good.What, if anything, did you find inside the ball head in the way of a possible lubricant?

[ben4633]

I did notice evidence of a possible dry lube. I cleaned off what appeared to be a black substance. it could have been a graphite lube or maybe just black dust from the ball. If I was to guess I would say it was a dry lube. I did notice that there was a wet lube, or grease inside the lower portion of the ball essembly. This also I cleaned out and replace with a very modest amout of grease. There was not much there to begin with so I didnt put much back. Maybe enough to fit on the end of a Q-tip. Also it should be noted that the plate itself can be very difficult to remove due to the use of loctite. I also used a modest amout of loctite when reassembling it. I dont want that plate coming loose. If you do use loctite when reassembling make sure you use the blue loctite not the red. Blue is "removable" loctite and red is "permanant."

[Lowner]

Unless they used a different product on yours from mine, no, thats dust and grease. Where mine had not been rubbing the grease was clear. And as I said, on mine sparing they were not. Grease was everywhere.

One thing I did that made a big difference was to metal polish the conical alloy body where it had clamped onto the ball. Mine had a lot of nasty scratches so I hand polished it out to a smooth surface.

[ben4633]

I guess yours was made a little different than mine. There was absolutly no grease on mine and I dont think I would want any on the ball anyway. Grease on the ball is absolutly a bad idea. Sand, dirt, dust, pretty much anything will stick to grease. Grease and dirt make grit. Grit on your ball will wear that ball out in no time. If I was you I would take that grease out and use a dry lube or no lube at all.

[Lowner]

The softer ball did not appear to have suffered any wear at all, while the metal had severe wear. I've read and been told that where disimilar materials are in friction contact, the harder material wears more. Odd but true.

I now use the 486 on my monopod, on which it is perfect.

[jacobsen1]

BTW> this is exactly why I went with an Acratech, no worries.. just run in under water in the sink, done.

+1

just make sure you take the head off the legs and clean that thread/hole as well though. ;) For the same reason I love CF legs as "plastic" takes to salt water much better than metal.

[Tigerkn]

I have emailed Manfrotto with a question about the "grease" that folks have found in their ball heads. I did get an automated reply to my message this morning, but no answers yet. I hope to hear from them soon.

Dear SkipD,
Have Manfrotto ever get back to you about the "grease" question?

[SkipD]

Dear SkipD,
Have Manfrotto ever get back to you about the "grease" question?I have never received any reply to the best of my knowledge.

[Tigerkn]

^ Thanks Sir!

Anyone have any info about grease for ballhead?
I have a 488 ball that is kind of dry and would like to know what to use to grease it. TIA.

[SkipD]

Don't grease it. Simply wipe the ball clean from time to time. That's how I maintain mine and it's in great condition.

[Tigerkn]

Thanks again SkipD. I will try that.

[Saint728]

My wife has a cheapy Manfrotto 498CR2 ball head and I have a Manfrotto 468MGRC2 Magnesium Hydrostatic ball head and neither of ours have any lube on them, they are both dry. I know mine has a Teflon coated ball so no lube is needed.

Take Care,
Cheers, Patrick

[clover4]

Last week I purchased a NIB manfrotto 494rc2 from my local camera shop and it has the black/gray grease which has been mentioned before. I thought it was odd as they were very generous with it as well...

[Saint728]

Last week I purchased a NIB manfrotto 494rc2 from my local camera shop and it has the black/gray grease which has been mentioned before. I thought it was odd as they were very generous with it as well...

I'm guessing the cheap, (less then $100.00) Manfrotto ball heads use some sort of grease to help movement. All other (greater then $100.00) Manfrotto ball heads I've seen don't have any grease on them.

Take Care,
Cheers, Patrick