Manfrotto 509HD scratching sound

[Christoffer Glans]

I bought a Manfrotto 509HD head and found out that the tilt function has these "metal scratch sounds" when you release the friction and tilt with it. I brought it back for a warranty check and got a new head a month later but this time it has the same sounds on both the tilt and pan. I wanna check with anyone who has the same head if you have these sounds as well. They are most noticeable when the head is colder.

 

[Anton Shavlik]

So far mine has been completely quiet though I haven't used it in sub zero weather yet.

 

[Christoffer Glans]

So far mine has been completely quiet though I haven't used it in sub zero weather yet.

Thanks for the info, it's useful whenever I'll be talking with Manfrotto. Got some answers from the service directly. There has been a batch of bad heads in the 509-series with this kind of sound. Hopefully they will bring this up with Manfrotto directly to compensate me with a silent head, but I'm not very hopeful about this happening due to past experience with their service. Time will tell.

 

[Andy White]

Mine does the same thing on tilt - a scratch sound (well - it sounds more like grease getting caught in a mechanism) when I tilt and seems to be when the head moves away from centre/balance.

 

[Christoffer Glans]

Shouldn't it be possible to just open it all up and apply grease?

 

[Andy White]

Shouldn't it be possible to just open it all up and apply grease?

Maybe. Had it a couple of years and it's always done it. Just accepted it as normal until I read your post.

 

[John Brennick]

Maybe. Had it a couple of years and it's always done it. Just accepted it as normal until I read your post.

I've got the same thing with mine. I bought mine off of ebay and just sort of accepted it as the way it is. It's got a clicking sound when i tighten or loosen the dampening on the tilt. It doesn't make any sound while I'm tilting just when I'm adjusting the dampening.

 

[Andy White]

Guess I'll just live with mine

 

[Jack Allred]

Mine does not make any sounds while tilting or panning. I've had it for nearly 3 years.

 

[Dr. Sassi]

No sound on mine, I have it for many years by now.

 

[Robino_J]

There is scratching on mine - I also accepted it.

 

[Kyle Wright]

I have one and a buddy I work with a lot has one as well. We both have put a lot of use on our 509 heads and haven't had any scratching sounds from either one.