With prolonged use, a tripod can collect dirt on the inside of the leg sections, hindering their efficiency and reducing the life of the tripod. In this article we show you how to take apart and clean the flip lock on the tripod legs of the ALTA PRO Series. This would also work with the older ABEO Pro Series.
Before starting, you will need to ensure that you have a Phillips screwdriver, which will be required to remove the flip lock.
Loosen the screw located on the flip lock. Please note that it is not necessary to remove it, so a couple of turns will be enough. Open the clip of the flip lock and slide the flip lock down, separating it from the top section.
Remove the bottom section and remove the plastic section stop clip from the top of the lower section. Please note that when released from the pressure, the clip holding the two sections can snap. This is not a problem and will not affect the operation of your tripod if it happens. It just means that you will have two plastic section stops.
Remove the flip lock from the lower section and, if necessary, remove the inner ring from the inside of the flip lock.
To clean, simply use warm water and a soft cloth, if necessary, use a little washing up liquid. If there are stubborn patches, use a soft brush like a toothbrush, but we don’t recommend that you use a hard brush or wire wool as this can damage the leg. Once clean, dry thoroughly and reassemble.
To reassemble, reverse the process. Reattach the flip lock, inner ring (with the thicker side facing the top section of the tripod leg) and plastic section stops. Then insert the lower section into the top section of the tripod leg.
Please note, there are two ridges inside the top section that only allow it to be inserted in the correct position. Applying force if these are not aligned properly could damage the plastic section tops or inside of the top tripod leg. To find the correct position, you can feel the ridges inside the leg with a finger, or simply turn the lower section until you find the correct position.
Slide the flip lock up, matching the open space of the inner ring to the open space between the screws.
IMPORTANT: On the top section there is a small notch that must be placed on the opposite side of the open space of the inner ring and the screws of the flip lock. Once the flip lock has been attached to the top section, you can find the correct position with a slight turn, and once in place the flip lock cannot turn any further.
For a perfect placement, align the flip lock with the flip locks on the other sections. It does not affect the ability to open/close the leg, but it makes opening and closing the flip locks easier (and looks better).
Then simply tighten the screw, close the flip lock and you’re good to go.