this head keep getting stuck to everything... First it was my slider so I stop using it on that. And now it is stuck on my tripod. Couldn't get the freaking thing off. I try to call manfrotto and they never answer. I can't stand bad customer service. Anybody have the same problem with manfrotto head getting stuck to your tripod?

Hi Victor,
Sorry you are having trouble with the 501 head. Please give me a call at 201-818-9500 ext. 272. If I am not available please leave a message with a number I can reach you and I will get back to you tomorrow - Friday November 2nd.
Regards,
Wayne

What seems to be happening Victor? Does the thread run freely up until it is tight? I'm guessing there are no locking screws on the slider mount, so that's not the problem. Do you use the usual quick jerk to free the head?

it just keep spinning and doesn't come off. I'll give you a call tomorrow Wayne

Can't you lock the pan lever to keep it from spinning?

I suppose Manfrotto could argue that the head isn't supposed to be continually attached and removed from tripods, sliders etc. I'm not sure I understand the problem (I'm a visual thinker and need pictures).

Does it keep spinning, or is it stuck? If it's spinning, is the screw thread spinning or is the tripod head spinning (as if it is panning)?

okay, maybe I'm actually not doing it right. Some one told me that I need to unscrew the screws on the bottom and then put the pan brake on. I thought the pan brake was the actual device that help take the head off. But now I tighten the pan brake too much and it fell off. Now I have no idea what to do...

I just got off my 501HDV by disengaging the counterbalance and pointing the head (if it had a camera on it) straight down. Twist it by latching onto the sides with the pan friction knob exposed.

I can see your frustration. I had to increase my pan friction and do that to get it off.

Victor, it sounds like you just didn't know how to release the head from the mounting screw. You MUST loosen the set screws underneath the head and tighten the pan lock-then simply give the pan handle a good whack in a counter-clockwise direction. that'll loosen it up enough to be able to unscrew the head.
However since you've already appearently done that, let's work on fixing the pan brake. If it's just the thumb lever that locks the brake, then you need a small allan head wrench (3 or 4mm-I don't remember which) unscrew the set screw that holds the lever in place, put the lever back in it's place and retighten the screw. If's it's more than that post a couple of pictures to show the damage and we'll see what we can to to help you fix it.

Did somebody want pictures?

Photomart Cine-Video | Manfrotto 501HDV Tripod Head Parts (http://www.photomartusa.com/Manfrotto-501HDV-Tripod-Head-Parts-s/243.htm)

BTW clicking all the way through to that image does not let you see it at full res. I right clicked the Google images thumb, copied and pasted into Photoshop which loads it 1700x2200 pixels

Google Image Result for http://www.photomartusa.com/v/vspfiles/assets/images/501hdv.jpg (http://www.google.co.nz/imgres?q=manfrotto+501+parts+list&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1920&bih=1047&tbm=isch&tbnid=xuik1PbOqhs_6M:&imgrefurl=http://www.photomartusa.com/Manfrotto-501HDV-Tripod-Head-Parts-s/243.htm&docid=KgIRqWa5V5wLjM&imgurl=http://www.photomartusa.com/v/vspfiles/assets/images/501hdv.jpg&w=1700&h=2200&ei=zUmUUKmuBYbeigec-YHQAw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=509&vpy=119&dur=299&hovh=255&hovw=197&tx=126&ty=123&sig=101485571174326382882&page=1&tbnh=139&tbnw=106&start=0&ndsp=56&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:0,i:74)

I suspect people have been shy about joining in because they don't want to suggest the obvious. Don mentioned losening the locking set screws, but Victor has also had problems removing the head from his slider, and my slider does not have locking set-screws.

So like Don said, it sounds like the pan break, but there again,, it is just too obvious and surely Victor would know if his pan break is not working.

I want to see pics of what Victors pan break lever/mechanism looks like. It sounds like it might be broken or in some disrepair right now so with some pics we might be able to figure out the proper fix for it. I have a 501hdv sitting on top of one of my tripods and had a 501 that I used for many years so I'm kinda familiar with it.

not that bad right?

Wow...While the 501 series of heads may not be the top of the heap for fluidity, they are pretty tough. You have seemed to bring this one to it's limits and beyond. No offense meant but what did you tighten it down with? A small sledge hammer? From now on, not quite so much force on the parts OK!? Now on to the fix.

Do you have all the parts? The lever, the screw and anything else that may have popped? If yes then simply re-assemble. If no, tell me what parts you're missing or are broken.

okay, so now Manfrotto have sent me the replacement part and I have reassemble everything. However, the head still would not come off. I even unscrew the screws on the bottom and it still would not come off. I'm starting to be really pissed again...

OK I have just looked through the thread again, and you said the head is spinning but not undoing. Have you said what tripod you are using? The set screws that lock the head to the tripod are part of the tripod legs or the levelling bowl, and not part of the 501 head.

If you are using a 75mm levelling bowl, then you may need to remove it from the legs to get to the set screws, (I can't remember). You can see the screws in this drawing:

http://mediacdn.shopatron.com/media/mfg/2747/media_document/live_2/520BALL_19970220.pdf?1272346469

They are accessible via the cut outs under the half ball. I'm guess that having loosened the set screws you'd need to put the half ball back on the legs to give yourself something to twist against.

The trick is a sharp twist so that you use inertia to unscrew the head from the legs/half ball. I generally find that you can do it with the legs in one hand and head in the other, but you might need to give the pan bar a sharp push with the heel of your hand.

Apologies if this is an egg sucking lesson, but your situation sounds kind of desperate.

I'm using a manfrotto 055xprob. What I don't understand is why do I have to go through all these trouble to take the darn head off?

Victor, I have removed tripod heads that are far and away much more expensive, bigger, heavier and complicated than the 501 from multiutes of legs in under a few minutes so either you are doing something wrong in trying to remove the head or the head is damaged in a way I haven't seen in 30 years, so lets quit blaming the head and do what we need to do to get the head off the legs.
Sorry if it seems like I'm talking to you like I'd talk to one of my own grown children but you are not accomplishing anything so....if you want the help here it is, if not, that's fine as well.
To get the head off the legs, you need to LOCK the pan so the head doesn't just sut there and turn around it self. Take something to gently tap it with if needed, but in 99% of the cases a good whack with you hand on the pan-handle, going in a counter-clockwise direction should and will loosen the head up so it can be removed, UNLESS the threads are for some reason stripped in which case the head was way overtightened and you would need other measures to remove the head.
At this time everyone has told you to do the same thing so I will take my leave from this thread.

Victor, I have removed tripod heads that are far and away much more expensive, bigger, heavier and complicated than the 501 from multiutes of legs in under a few minutes so either you are doing something wrong in trying to remove the head or the head is damaged in a way I haven't seen in 30 years, so lets quit blaming the head and do what we need to do to get the head off the legs.
Sorry if it seems like I'm talking to you like I'd talk to one of my own grown children but you are not accomplishing anything so....if you want the help here it is, if not, that's fine as well.
To get the head off the legs, you need to LOCK the pan so the head doesn't just sut there and turn around it self. Take something to gently tap it with if needed, but in 99% of the cases a good whack with you hand on the pan-handle, going in a counter-clockwise direction should and will loosen the head up so it can be removed, UNLESS the threads are for some reason stripped in which case the head was way overtightened and you would need other measures to remove the head.
At this time everyone has told you to do the same thing so I will take my leave from this thread.

yes, I did this, but it is still not coming off so that's the reason why I' getting frustrated. I think one of the reason is that the pan brake is not doing a very good job of creating friction. Is there a way I can grab the base?

I just tried it again, and this time it finally came off. It look really dirty though and there are some white stuff underneath it...thank you everyone for your help.

Victor,

The pan brake is designed to be a rudimentary clamp to stop normal pan movement of the tripod head, not to act as a tool to enable you to wrench the head off. It's just not designed for very heavy use, or over-tightening. Given the lightweight construction of these heads, I'm not surprised it snapped off.

I said much earlier, a photo speaks a thousand words. Can we get a photo of the actual mounting that is causing the problem? Because I can't imagine from the text above what the actual mounting is and what the issue is.

I have a tripod not dissimlar to the 055xpro, albeit without the horizontal mounting option (which suggests that's a photo tripod, not a video one). After removing the three screws (loosening them so they almost come out), then gripping the mounting ball part of it and turning the head worked the first time I ever removed it. It was tough. Maybe I have an ultra strong grip, I don't know.

But a photo of the actual mounting would help us see what's going on.

I just tried it again, and this time it finally came off. It look really dirty though and there are some white stuff underneath it...thank you everyone for your help.

This does seem to be getting to the crux of the matter. The aluminium head might have corroded due to contact with salt water, or some sort of similar action, and might well have damaged the thread. What do both the male thread on the tripod legs, and female thread in the head look like? Not smooth and shiny I am thinking?

Clean both male and female threads with a soft wire brush (if possible) blow out the corrosion dust, and use a little lubricant before reassembly (Teflon grease would be good). If the female thread is not looking good, maybe pop it down to your local engineering shop, and get them to run a tap up it (3/8 x 16 UNC).

It sounds like you might need to have another look at the pan lock as well. That would be R501,223 and R501,298 in this drawing:

Photomart Cine-Video | Manfrotto 501HDV Tripod Head Parts (http://www.photomartusa.com/Manfrotto-501HDV-Tripod-Head-Parts-s/243.htm)

Is that how yours looked when you replaced the broken stud? If the crescent shaped plate was missing, for instance, that would prevent it working. Ahhh… Here’s a thought. The locking lever obviously only pivots through about 180°, and may not by tightening the locking plate.

You can see the little set screw that holds the lever onto the nut in R501,223? Remove that screw, and the lever, and use the lever as a spanner until it will not go any tighter. Then with the lever in an almost fully clockwise position relative to the head, replace the locking screw. You should then be able to pivot the lever enough to loosen the pan, and back to re-tighten the pan lock.

But it does sound like you have some corrosion in the female thread in the head, so that needs cleaning and lubricating.

Here are some pictures. Everything is good right now... The only problem is that I get these metal shaving whenever I engage the pan brake. Look at the pictures to know what I'm talking about

You can actually shear the 1/4" rod as it passes through the housing if you abuse them too much. The thread is not that strong. For what they are, they're pretty well made really. Threads often get over tightened - just one of those things!

Whoa!!! I feel its pain. Did you get a new plate along with the replacement pan locking stud? I wonder if the plate has been put on upside down, and it should have that nice radiused side of the plate in contact with the main body of the head? At the moment, it is really ploughing up the head, which suggests a sharp corner (aka a cutting edge) being driven around the head. Another possibility is that something is stopping the plate sitting square to the stud causing one edge to dig in. That second option is much less likely IMO.

So now you need to fix it, and, if it was mine, I’d strip it down as far as possible to be sure I could remove every bit of that swarf. Then I’d use a fine file to flatten the ridges from the base of the head. Or perhaps place some 600 grit wet & Dry paper upside down on a very flat surface, and polish the head on that. Use water and detergent to stop it clogging. (The wet & dry paper can be found at your local car accessory store).

OK so I couldn’t let you put it back together like that, so I just whipped the head off my legs, and could immediately see your problem. Yes you do have the locking plate upside down, but much more importantly, there should be a gasket between plate and the head. If have trouble sourcing the gasket, you can get gasket material from the same place as the wet & dry paper, and cut it out yourself.

aww crap... I didn't know it can be place upside down. What's the worst that can happen though? Can't I just leave it like that? did you install yours upside down too?

No, you need to at the very least put a gasket between the plate and head, and you'd obviously flip the plate while you had the stud removed. But don't you want to clean all those shavings from your head?

BTW I also thought there is evidence of the set screws being over tightened judging by the rather deep indent in the head (upper right corner of your picture of the base of the head.