How to store your fluid drag head?
 

Hi all,

I sometimes notice that when I haven't used my manfrotto tripod with 503 head for some time, there are popping noises from the fluid inside when I adjust the drag knobs. This goes away after some time.
Does anyone know if it matters how you store the tripod for a longer duration, either with the drag control all the way loosened up, all the way tightened up or somewhere in the middle? Or doesn't it matter? Like to hear your thoughts!

Cheers, Steven

Normally you don't have to do anything special. I store my fluid heads just the way they are. The only special case that I know of is Sachtler. They recommend that you store and transport their heads with the drag set to "0". I think this is to prevent damage to the fluid modules if the head gets bumped. This might be special to Sachtler because of the way their heads are designed. There are 3 pins that engage the modules. When you set it to "0", the pins don't engage anything.

All right, thanks Tim. But has anyone with a 503 head noticed the popping noises when adjusting the knobs or while tilting the head?

I back off the friction adjustments to avoid extruding the lubricant/friction material out of the friction surfaces but the practice is my own, not one I have read or had suggested to me so may not be the recommended method for the old Miller I use.

The popping sounds you hear may be entrained air being driven out and reaching surface.

See this thread http://dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=70707
, the 503 uses the same method for damping, the popping and cracking is just the grease starting to move again. It's not a fluid head it uses thick grease of some sort to create the drag you feel.