I was doing a thorough clean of a Gitzo GT3541LS tripod I recently acquired on eBay for a very good price and ended up removing the lock lever hex screws. One of the them was very difficult to remove, but I eventually managed. Turns out I ended up stripping the entire bottom screw thread.
Unfortunately, Gitzo does not sell the hex screw on its own. It's included in the D320.40 Lock Lever Hardware, along with the spring washer and the lever. It's around $40 with tax/shipping on US camera (https://uscamera.com/product/gitzo-d32040-lock-lever-hardware/). (I'm avoiding Gitzo spares since they ship from the UK, and international shipping to the US can be a nightmare right now.)
I have searched high and low for a replacement hex screw on its own. It has an M7 thread and is partially threaded. (See the US Camera photo). It's about 20 mm long (thread length). I haven't been able to find one.
This appears to be a custom-made screw: does anyone know if it's possible to obtain this screw at a better price? I really don't wish to pay $40 for it (and a lever and washer), and I don't think a fully threaded screw will suffice. I'm open to any suggestions too.
It would be difficult to find a screw with that particular length and diameter of a shoulder. If you stripped the screw threads there may be damage to the female threads of the tripod, too.
Many thanks for the responses! Both of you convinced me that spending the $40 was unavoidable, so I decided to try using the damaged and slightly corroded screw as a last ditch attempt, which I did not want to try at first due to the risk of further damage: as Alan mentioned the female threads are indeed a bit damaged. (I don't mind spending $40, but $40 for a screw seems a bit ridiculous.)
With a hex socket extension, a bit of force, and sufficient lubrication, I realized the damaged screw can still fit into the right tripod leg. It didn't go in very smoothly, but the lever still gets held in place.
Hopefully, I can still remove the lever in future, but I will do my best to avoid getting the tripod so dirty that I will have to remove the lock levers.
Alan Olander wrote:
You could buy a 7mm tap and die set and touch up both threaded parts.
∆∆ THIS is what you need to do. Or go to a local machine shop and have them do it for a few bucks. I did plenty of this for free when I had my commercial machine shop. I still do it in my garage shop.
That’s a solid recovery, honestly. I think a lot of us have been in that same spot trying to save a few bucks and ending up wrestling with some stubborn hardware. I agree with Alan and Jeffrey though — picking up a tap and die set (or having a shop do it quick) is worth it. It’ll keep your tripod solid for years and you’ll probably end up using that kit again down the road.
