How would you lubricate this older 3030G tripod head?

How should I lubricate lubricate this older tripod head? Its not moving very well or quick when the knobs are adjusted.

This is a good video about disassemply and cleaning a Manfrotto tilt-pan lead. https://www.youtube.co​m/watch?v=ll9L-z78Ok0
But IGNORE the use of any grease!
WD40 is a reasonable 'solvent' to get gunk off, it is not a lubricant.

Few, if any, manufacturers suggest the use of lubrication, in part because locking surfaces may not lock as well, and because grease will collect dust.

Wilt wrote in post #19215436
This is a good video about disassemply and cleaning a Manfrotto tilt-pan lead.
But IGNORE the use of any grease!
WD40 is a reasonable 'solvent' to get gunk off, it is not a lubricant.

Few, if any, manufacturers suggest the use of lubrication, in part because locking surfaces may not lock as well, and because grease will collect dust.

No link to a video

Agree with the no grease. Teflon or graphite is likely best, but i don't know on this head in particular.

CyberDyneSystems wrote in post #19215443
No link to a video

Boy, are you getting picky, Jake! Fixed the problem in original post.

Graphite can be dirty. Dry silicon spray (not in a liquid solvent) or Teflon would be my choices, if cleaing with a solvent did not restore smooth function adequately

Wow. I called the company and they had no idea of what lubricant was used. A u-tube viewer posted this about white lithium. Not correct grease. Will not hold up to resistance especially when hot weather hits. You must use a sticky silicone grease temperature stable high heat type.
I was thinking about a Manfrotto 410 or 405 there are a few complaints or comments about springs or something acting up and needing to be replaced over time. That however would be a lot of extra weight to hike with.

vision35 wrote in post #19215468
Wow. I called the company and they had no idea of what lubricant was used.
I was thinking about a Manfrotto 410 or 405 there are a few complaints or comments about springs or something acting up and needing to be replaced over time. That however would be a lot of extra weight to hike with.

I believe that the issue is that way back in the Dark Ages, Manfrotto did assemble heads with lubricants. But then they saw the light and discontinued the practice, and none of the old timers work there any longer (having retired) and the new kids have no idea of what was done in the past.

I might try an anti friction additive like motor kote.
https://youtu.be/IrFl7​ZlMklM
A live in person years ago demo showed applying the motor kote. Then sanding and wiping the metal parts dry. The spinning metal part did not friction weld to the other after treatment.
I suspect this might be too slippery and prevent the tripod head from securing positions all together.

vision35 wrote in post #19215647
I might try an anti friction additive like motor kote.
The demo showed applying the additive. Then wiping the metal parts dry. The spinning metal part did not friction weld to the other after treatment.
I suspect this might be too slippery and prevent the tripod head from securing positions all together.

I suggest disassembly and cleaning, and then reassembly with no friction reducing stuff, and then try out the reassembled head with zero anti-friction, before resorting to wiping any surfaces with anything (other than cleaner)

I just did a bit more historical digging, and found others who commented that their Manfrotto head indeed came with some sort of grease as assembled at the factory.
Apparently at some point Manfrotto changed over to polymer rings, which coincides with the 'grease free' description of their head.

I did a bit more searching via Google of 'Manfrotto grease' and indeed found a couple of places that referenced Manfrotto part numbers for grease in a capped cup, but unfortunately found zero detail about the grease (which was listed with a $35 price)

• "Manfrotto R116,23 Manfrotto Head Tilt Grease" and "R3,3511 Friction Grease Jar| ManfrottoTripodParts.c​om
  https://manfrottotripo​dparts.com › partspages Manfrotto Friction Grease Jar. SKU:4711. Part #: R3,3511. "
  
• "Replacement R101,857. Grease High Viscosity Black Spare Part https://www.manfrottos​pares.com › r101-857-grease-hi...
  
• "R101,857. Grease High Viscosity Black." https://www.manfrottos​pares.com …ase-high-viscosity-black/
  

My Manfrotto 410, 405 and Arca-Swiss Z1s have all been rebuilt over the years as they get dirty and start sticking. I use either Molykote G-n for the geared or Molykote M-77 as a grease. All of my Gitzo legs are also lubricated with the G-n. It's not a grease, but closer to a suspension that is used as an assembly lube for low speed, high load surfaces. Brush on VERY lightly or burnish it in with a patch of chamois. The geared heads are dead smooth, the leg locks like butter, and there isn't the high load stiction associated with lithium grease under load or ease of loss that PTFE has.

Thanks everyone. Thats very impressive search results.
Just found this video. The aluminum mounting / panning base looks very similar even though the rest if totally different.
The "original grease or lubricant" didn't look like the new white lubricant in the video either.
I do not want any lubricant leaking out onto the tripod. That would be a huge mess.
https://youtu.be/mtFnf​qb7ryQ
I'm sure my other model 3047 is 25 years old.
I'll try to figure out how old this 3030G tripod head is and what is inside before opening up.
Bearings, plastic or brass bushings ect.
I have a small arbor press if needed.
If parts are unavailable I won't open it up.

If it is pretty hard to work now, you might as well open it up and give it a try... Nothing to lose, it is already close to useless!

vision35 wrote in post #19215922
Thanks everyone. Thats very impressive search results.
Just found this video. The aluminum mounting / panning base looks very similar even though the rest if totally different.
The "original grease or lubricant" didn't look like the new white lubricant in the video either.
I do not want any lubricant leaking out onto the tripod. That would be a huge mess.
https://youtu.be/mtFnf​qb7ryQ
I'm sure my other model 3047 is 25 years old.
I'll try to figure out how old this 3030G tripod head is and what is inside before opening up.
Bearings, plastic or brass bushings ect.
I have a small arbor press if needed.
If parts are unavailable I won't open it up.

There's a breakdown of the head here: https://www.manfrottos​pares.com/141rcnat-parts.html along with spare part numbers that you can order to replace.

The Molykote is a "solid lubricant", so it won't ever squirt out, run, or decay. The trick to using high content Moly is to *lightly* burnish the surfaces with the paste, then brush a tiny bit on the moving surface.