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Loosing rubber feet from Gitzo tripods (1 Viewer)

kevindurose

Well-known member
I have only used my Gitzo systematic tripod a few times and was a bit annoyed to see one of the feet had fallen off and was lost forever somewhere at Potteric Carr. Well bad luck I thought, well uintil I spoke to Graham Catley, who has a similarly aged tripod and he has lost a foot too. Has anyone else had this problem on a recently purchased Gitzo or is it just us? They aint cheap! and I contacted Gitzo for feedback on how to avoid this, although they state they respond to all emails within 24 hrs i have not recieved anything other than their automated acknowledgment email to my enquiries although its been a couple of weeks now!

Kev
 
I have only used my Gitzo systematic tripod a few times and was a bit annoyed to see one of the feet had fallen off and was lost forever somewhere at Potteric Carr. Well bad luck I thought, well uintil I spoke to Graham Catley, who has a similarly aged tripod and he has lost a foot too. Has anyone else had this problem on a recently purchased Gitzo or is it just us? They aint cheap! and I contacted Gitzo for feedback on how to avoid this, although they state they respond to all emails within 24 hrs i have not recieved anything other than their automated acknowledgment email to my enquiries although its been a couple of weeks now!

Kev

I've been having the same problem with my newly acquired Gitzo. I haven't actually lost a foot yet but it's probably just a matter of time as they are always working loose. As you say, not very satisfactory for such an expensive product.
 
I have only used my Gitzo systematic tripod a few times and was a bit annoyed to see one of the feet had fallen off and was lost forever somewhere at Potteric Carr. Well bad luck I thought, well uintil I spoke to Graham Catley, who has a similarly aged tripod and he has lost a foot too. Has anyone else had this problem on a recently purchased Gitzo or is it just us? They aint cheap! and I contacted Gitzo for feedback on how to avoid this, although they state they respond to all emails within 24 hrs i have not recieved anything other than their automated acknowledgment email to my enquiries although its been a couple of weeks now!

Kev
Hi Kev.
By losing a foot, do you mean the spiked rubber piece that screws in the bottom of the leg?
One came loose and lost off my tripod, when I checked the others they were both loose too.
I was livid with this and sent several emails to Gitzo's website...... they will never reply!!!!!
I contacted the main dealer who wasn't particularly helpful but I made such a nuisance of myself that they sent me a set of replacements to shut me up.
I suggested to them that it was a design fault and a simple nyloc washer would solve the problem.
Good luck, but don't hold your breath waiting for Gitzo, they will NOT reply. I have two spares so if you get no joy let me know and I will post you one.
Mike.
 
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A drop of Loctite 243 Threadlock will solve the problem for all time. It's a liquid which you apply to threads of the feet before screwing them on. It sets in the absence of air but can be undone easily later. About £2.50. I did both my Gitzo's when I got them. No lost feet so far!!
243 is a blue liquid with medium strength.
222 is a purplish liquid with low strength and also perfectly adequate for the job.
Don't be tempted to use superglue or epoxy!!!
 
A drop of Loctite 243 Threadlock will solve the problem for all time. It's a liquid which you apply to threads of the feet before screwing them on. It sets in the absence of air but can be undone easily later.

How is it undone? Just by muscle or is a solvent required?
 
as Kev noted I have had the same problem with the new tripod in fact it wa son the second outing that the foot disappeared --fortunately I had bought a pack of 3 feet to replace the one that fell off my Gitzo Monopod two weeks previously!!!!!!!!!!!! A true design fault indeed but why are they not replacing the lost feet -- at £500 they are the price of a small car -- I also emailed Gitzo and had no response BUT when I emailed them the week before to ask where I could get a certain head they replied within 30 hours -- so it just shows that they do read the emails and then choose which ones to ignore!

This is truly crap after sales service and needs to be publicized more widely
 
It's not just the feet - I lost the hook from the bottom of my centre column which unscrewed itself whilst I was just generally walking around with the tripod over my shoulder on a strap. I also have to double-check to make sure the tightening knobs on the tripod head are tightened up when I carry it as these can work loose as well.

The tripods do their job superbly well but the attention to details such as these leaves a bit to be desired.
 
Kevin, Graham & others,

I have Gitzo 1340, the heavy metal job. I too have lost one of the screw-in rubber feet. Worse than that I was clipped by a van whilst in a narrow lane in Devon photographing the Little Crake earlier this year. If I had bought one of the Carbon Fibre and more expensive versions then I would have had the bottom leg-section of one leg crushed. As it was metal it was only bent. The tripod was still usable but could not be used at its lowest height due to the bent leg. A month later I was working at the Midland BirdFair at Middleton Hall and spoke to Gitzo rep who promised that I would have a replacement leg-section in 48-hours. This was in May this year. That replacement leg-section never arrived. I telephoned the rep several times on his mobile and also texted him to remind him of his promise to me. At no time did I get a reply. I also contacted Gitzo via the Bogen Imaging website using their info email and contact us form on their website. Again I got no reply.

Later in the year I was working at BBWF at Rutland and again met the Gitzo Rep who again who promised me the part I needed would be delivered in 48 hours. Surprise, surprise no replacement part appeared. Again I phoned the rep and again I contacted Gitzo via email without a single reply.

Exasperated by by efforts I contacted The Vitec Group. This is the parent company of Bogen Imaging which incorporates Gitzo here in the UK. Within an incredible 20 minutes of sending my email to The Vitec Group I received a telephone call from The Vitec Group promising my replacement part would be delivered within 48 hours. One last time I received no replacement. A further complaining email to the Vitec Group resulted in the MD of Bogen Imaging contacting me by phone call despite my explicit wish not to receive such a phone call. He was very apologetic but could offer no explanation why my replacement part took an incredible 7 months to be delivered or why they do not respond to emails, phone calls or text messages.

The leg section did arrive this time and I learned that this bottom leg-section was £107 which I find incredible for a £250 tripod. Thankfully I was not invoiced for this amount

Fantastic tripods but crap customer service.
 
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Maybe these experiences need to be made more widely known; I have now got my threadlock in place but have no real confidence that something else will not drop off what should be a first class bit of kit.
 
What a shame that the new models are so shoddy! I have had a 1325 for 5-6 yrs now with no issues whatsoever. These issues need to be more widely publicized to get Gitzo off of their duffs and live up to their former reputation.
 
Sorry for the delay Fugl. Loctite Threadlock seems to work by filling the gaps in the threads, and the bond is broken by mechanical means (brute force). The different threadlocks have varying degrees of 'grip' ans are viscous like runny honey. The purple had a light grip(222), blue is medium (243) and red (bearing fit) is just about permanent. We use it a lot in the cycle trade to stop vibrations loosening components(purple and blue), or to fit loose bearings(red). As it fills threads, it also stops corrosion.
 
Sorry for the delay Fugl. Loctite Threadlock seems to work by filling the gaps in the threads, and the bond is broken by mechanical means (brute force). The different threadlocks have varying degrees of 'grip' ans are viscous like runny honey. The purple had a light grip(222), blue is medium (243) and red (bearing fit) is just about permanent. We use it a lot in the cycle trade to stop vibrations loosening components(purple and blue), or to fit loose bearings(red). As it fills threads, it also stops corrosion.

Many thanks for the info. Sounds like maybe the medium strength version would do the job & I'll plan to pick up some tomorrow when the stores will be open again. I certainly need to do something, since it seems all I have to do is walk a few yards with the tripod and one or more of the feet is ready to drop off.
 
It's not just the feet - I lost the hook from the bottom of my centre column which unscrewed itself whilst I was just generally walking around with the tripod over my shoulder on a strap. I also have to double-check to make sure the tightening knobs on the tripod head are tightened up when I carry it as these can work loose as well.

The tripods do their job superbly well but the attention to details such as these leaves a bit to be desired.

I dont think any of the modifications to the newer tripods have really been thought out and tested to be honest. If they had these sorts of things wouldn't happen. Slightly worse than the little hook coming loose, a couple of weeks into having my tripod the entire centre plate of the tripod actually came loose. Thankfully my 500 lens wasn't attached at the time! I tightened it up with the star drive thing like an allen key gitzo supply with the tripod. Since then its occured to me, if this happened while away from home, maybe half way round the world and you dont have the stupid tightening key with you, your really going to be up shit creek without a paddle. So why not just use normal allen screws like the older models, it really would make sense.
 
I contacted Bob Rigby where I bought the tripod and received the following response; no reply yet from Gitzo but maybe its the Christmas break -


Dear Mr Catley,sorry to hear about the problem with your Gitzo tripod feet and that you have had no response from Gitzo.I am forwarding your e-mail to our Area Sales Representative and UK Manager.I have spoken to them so that they are aware of the situation and will reply to you promptly.Please contact me if there is anything else we can help with.
Regards
Simon Smith ( Bob Rigby Photographic Ltd )
 
I believe some of the Gitzo tripods from a couple of years back were made in China and were not to Gitzos usual quality control, I think Gitzo pulled out of the deal but made the mistake of leaving all the design and tooling behind them. The Chinese being enterprising souls started to produce their own versions which were as good if not better than Gitzos at less than half the price. I have the Benro C-298n6 Carbon Fiber 4 section version, it's excellent and coupled with a Manfrotto fluid head it holds my Nikon 500 f4 and TC 1.4 converter as steady as a rock. It's lightweight too.

nirofo.
 
I contacted Bob Rigby where I bought the tripod and received the following response; no reply yet from Gitzo but maybe its the Christmas break -


Dear Mr Catley,sorry to hear about the problem with your Gitzo tripod feet and that you have had no response from Gitzo.I am forwarding your e-mail to our Area Sales Representative and UK Manager.I have spoken to them so that they are aware of the situation and will reply to you promptly.Please contact me if there is anything else we can help with.
Regards
Simon Smith ( Bob Rigby Photographic Ltd )

:C

still no reply 2 months later -- no confidence in Gitzo at all after these events
 
Oh dear, and isn't Manfrotto now also under the Gitzo umbrella? When Manfrotto were independent I requested a replacement screw for a head and it was sent by return of post.
 
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