Loose Central Hinge Nikon Bins (1 Viewer)

[Lichfield Birder]

Hi

The central hinge on my Nikon 8x 42 bins is very loose. How can I tighten it up?

 

[Paskman]

Best send it to Nikon. I recently sent my 10x25 HGLs to have a hinge tightened and they gave it a full service, Inc cleaning the glass. All under warranty and within 3 weeks.

 

[Lichfield Birder]

Best send it to Nikon. I recently sent my 10x25 HGLs to have a hinge tightened and they gave it a full service, Inc cleaning the glass. All under warranty and within 3 weeks.

Cheers they’re out of warranty so I wonder how much it will cost...?

 

[NDhunter]

Cheers they’re out of warranty so I wonder how much it will cost...?

I would give Nikon service a phone call, I think they will tighten it for you.

I would not expect a charge.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

Jerry

 

[WJC]

Hi

The central hinge on my Nikon 8x 42 bins is very loose. How can I tighten it up?

Unless that bino is different from any I have ever worked on, remove the axle cap and place a flat blade screwdriver in the large slot (see photo) designed for that purpose. If it has a tiny setscrew (grub screw to you) also in the photo, back it off a bit and turn the large brass screw 1/6th to 1/8th of an inch—3/16th if it’s really bad. Once you're finished, tighten the set screw to keep the setting from backing off. :cat:

Bill

 

[dries1]

I know the glass and I have tightened it with a spanner. Like Bill says to take off the Nikon cap (carefully). There will be two small holes there, there is no grub screw like the Nikon EDG, simply place the wrench on the two holes and tighten to your firmness, then glue the cap back on with an adhesive. This model is quite simple to tighten the hinge. The type of wrench is shown below.

https://www.ebay.com/i/153977879303...153977879303&targetid=917185845248&device=c&m

 

[WJC]

I know the glass and I have tightened it with a spanner. Like Bill says to take off the Nikon cap (carefully). There will be two small holes there, there is no grub screw like the Nikon EDG, simply place the wrench on the two holes and tighten to your firmness, then glue the cap back on with an adhesive. This model is quite simple to tighten the hinge. The type of wrench is shown below.

https://www.ebay.com/i/153977879303...153977879303&targetid=917185845248&device=c&m

Certainly adequate but older design. :cat:

Bill

 

[dries1]

Yes Bill, a design that is proven over time.

 

[WJC]

Yes Bill, a design that is proven over time.

200718

Many or most of the axle caps on war-years military binoculars didn’t need to have anything removed. The axle caps were the tensioners and a pin wrench could do the job in about 1 to 2 seconds.

Bill

 

[Lichfield Birder]

Thank you everyone for your advice I will try myself, or failing that, send them off to Nikon.

 

[Foss]

If you haven't ordered one yet, I hear you can make a one-time use spanner with a slat of wood and two well-positioned nails. It doesn't take a lot of torque to snug it up.

 

[NDhunter]

If you haven't ordered one yet, I hear you can make a one-time use spanner with a slat of wood and two well-positioned nails. It doesn't take a lot of torque to snug it up.

Not sure why you offered this. Not useful.........:C

Jerry

 

[albie...]

Not sure why you offered this. Not useful.........:C

Jerry

How come it's not useful ? He has explained how to "MacGyver" a spanner wrench that could be useful . Finishing nails would work . I have done similar things myself when a spanner was not readily available . I can't see it causing any damage if done carefully .

 

[NDhunter]

How come it's not useful ? He has explained how to "MacGyver" a spanner wrench that could be useful . Finishing nails would work . I have done similar things myself when a spanner was not readily available . I can't see it causing any damage if done carefully .

Albie:
Binoculars need more precision than a piece of wood and some nails.
I have experience with adjusting a loose hinge, more than once. :smoke:

Jerry

 

[Foss]

@ Lichfield Birder:
Good luck and let us know how it turns out.
BTW: what is Fat Black Turkey Dippers Club?

 

[albie...]

Albie:
Binoculars need more precision than a piece of wood and some nails.
I have experience with adjusting a loose hinge, more than once. :smoke:

Jerry

Fair enough . Personally, I would rather have a proper spanner in my toolbox than a piece of wood with finishing nails sticking out of it .

Alan

 

[gcole]

Albie:
Binoculars need more precision than a piece of wood and some nails.
I have experience with adjusting a loose hinge, more than once. :smoke:

Jerry

I agree with Jerry, though anything is possible. So how do you exactly space those two finishing nails to the exact distance apart, while keeping one or both from moving from the mark while pounding them thru that piece of wood. :eek!: Really ... unless you are ship wrecked on a uninhabitable island and the only wooden crate from your now sunken ship that washes up on your shoreline is a wooden crate with only finishing nails in it with instructions on how to make a crude spanner wrench ... Spend the few dollars, buy the correct tool because you will likely need to use it more than once.

 

[Foss]

The suggestion I made to Lichfield Birder was a "field repair" method in the spirit of the USMC's "Improvise, adapt, and overcome." Field repairs can be useful in some situations and inappropriate in others.