is it normal for a fluid head to have a little grease?

[Ericsson San Pablo Chu]

Hi I have a Gitzo G1380.... its similiar to the vinten vision 3 in regards to its use of interchangeable springs. Anyhow, when I looked into the fluid head recently, and tilted the head downwards I noticed a little bit of grease/fluid on a gear perpindicular to the spring. I sent the head to gitzo and they said it was normal... i'm just wondering, is the head actually leaking/malfunctioning? If a head were leaking, what would be the adverse effect? I've attached a picture of the part in question.... it is directly inside the head, the metal thing you see in the lower right hand corner is the metal rod which holds the spring.

oh, I also have another question.... once I got the head back I tested it with a kessler kc-lite 8 which had just arrived. The head is rated at a maxium load of 22lbs. I tried attaching a kesler kc-lite 8 to it which weighs about 15 lbs. I didn't add any weights, just a camera.... so thats 17-18 lbs. On my head, initially, I used the spring which was weighted for 22lbs. When I tried to tilt the head to tilt the camera I noticed extreme resistance.... as if the crane and camera were too light. I then dropped to the next spring level to the same effect. I didn't use the next spring weight for fear of damaging the head..... would this damage head if I used a lighter rated spring? If it wouldn't, is that what I should do to get a smooth tilt with kc-lite?

any help/advice would be appreciated, thank you.

http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/3083/img1817zo.jpg

[Chris Soucy]

If Gitzo say it's good, it's good, stop worrying about it.

Use the spring that gives the best working of the head. I cannot see why using a lower rated spring could damage the head if it has the load under control.


CS

[Khoi Pham]

Originally Posted by Ericsson San Pablo Chu

Hi I have a Gitzo G1380.... its similiar to the vinten vision 3 in regards to its use of interchangeable springs. Anyhow, when I looked into the fluid head recently, and tilted the head downwards I noticed a little bit of grease/fluid on a gear perpindicular to the spring. I sent the head to gitzo and they said it was normal... i'm just wondering, is the head actually leaking/malfunctioning? If a head were leaking, what would be the adverse effect? I've attached a picture of the part in question.... it is directly inside the head, the metal thing you see in the lower right hand corner is the metal rod which holds the spring.

oh, I also have another question.... once I got the head back I tested it with a kessler kc-lite 8 which had just arrived. The head is rated at a maxium load of 22lbs. I tried attaching a kesler kc-lite 8 to it which weighs about 15 lbs. I didn't add any weights, just a camera.... so thats 17-18 lbs. On my head, initially, I used the spring which was weighted for 22lbs. When I tried to tilt the head to tilt the camera I noticed extreme resistance.... as if the crane and camera were too light. I then dropped to the next spring level to the same effect. I didn't use the next spring weight for fear of damaging the head..... would this damage head if I used a lighter rated spring? If it wouldn't, is that what I should do to get a smooth tilt with kc-lite?

any help/advice would be appreciated, thank you.

http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/3083/img1817zo.jpg

If the head is leaking, that is not right, the o ring that seal the gap is busted, I can't believe they say that it is normal, it will get worse in the summer when it gets hot, if you head is under warranty, make them repair it, don't know about your spring problem though.