i have a bipod that seems to be losing friction in the thumb button lock. it might only be two years old, gets (edit) used plenty, but not abused. today it was 'creeping' over.
any angles on cleaning or restoring the expected friction?
I'm sorry that you get sued because your bipod is slipping....:-P
You can tighten it up by turning the thumb button, but you might want to unscrew it all the way and clean it first.
will try, thanks. is this problem temperature sensitive? today was pretty chilly and the creep was faster than i have seen in the past
We have had the same problem with them in the past also. Sometimes you can tighten them up by turning the thumb buttons, sometimes that doesn't work. Sometimes I think they just wear out.
Probably. Mine seem to tighten up and loosen up at random. I have one that I've never been able to get perfect. I'd suggest taking it apart so you can see how it works. If it's old, I would expect wear to affect (or prevent) adjustment. What I usually do when one is slipping is tighten it until it won't move at all, the loosen it a bit at a time until it works the way I want.
I don't really like the thumb buttons. I've considered trying one of those "McHenry style" with the thumscrews, but they look a little awkward to use.
I don't know if this Seco video applies to your particular brand of bipod, but it's about 4 minutes of step-by-step instructions on how to disassemble, clean, and adjust a bipod so you're good to go!
Thanks, Zapper, for that video. Very well done video.
bipod trouble-no trouble at all JUST PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE
That video was good.
Another thing I do about twice a year is to clean the inside of the outer tube with a 12-guage shotgun breech (or breach) cleaning brass wire brush. It is the perfect size to scrub out the corosion that tends to build up inside that tube. I also gently clean the large end of the cone with a similar soft brass brush to clean the corosion off of it. 😉
Geezer
bipod field fix
here's a field tip...when it won't stick, push the thumb button down and let it snap back out instead of an easy release. do it a couple times and it is good to go for the rest of the day. you might even get it to stick really good and have to yank it free.
there you have it. ours is a seco, so done deal. thanks to all for your advice
The SECO video is a must see...
I recently had a slipping problem. I disassembled my bipod and cleaned everything. After lubricating it with WD-40 I still had bad slipping. I used Brakeclean to take all of the lube off, then just applied the lubrication to the cone threads by partially threading the cone on the rod, inverting, and putting a drop or two of lube in the cone hole and let it soak down by capillary action. No problems since, except i do have to tighten the threads more often than before.
Put axle grease on the point threads. You stab those into water and mud and they will freeze onto the leg sleeve.
:good:
The SECO video is a must see...
> ..lubricating it with WD-40 ....
WD-40 evaporates quickly. Grease and oil collect grit. Use WD-40 to clean the parts, then lube with some teflon spray or other dry lubricant. Teflon tape, as for plumbing, is good for the tip thread.
The SECO video is a must see...
We have also used some sort of paste that comes in a tube. "Antisieze" or "Siezenot" or something of that ilk, on the threads both of the rod and cone portion, and on the tip to the outer tube. It prevents electrolysis between the dissimilar metal parts.
😉
Geezer
That's a good video!
Dave
🙂
If they are like CTS legs, there is an off-center washer inside that presses against the cylinder to create the friction, and that washer wears out over time.