Notched Gears: Arca Swiss C1 Cube Geared Tripod Head
I’ve had about 5 years of service from my Arca Swiss C1 Cube geared head, but the lower gearing has become notched in two places, rendering it unusable. The hardened steel drive teeth are fine, but the brass geared teeth are shot.
I hope it can be repaired, but if not, it’s worth buying a new one, because I get so much use out of it. The C1 Cube is by far my favorite tripod head; I use nothing else now unless it’s a carry issue (weight) or where I need rapid ballhead movements.
There is just one problem with a new one: it’s unclear if Arca Swiss uses threadlocker to prevent replacing the supplied clamp (which is literally non-functional with 20 or so camera plates I have). So instead I use a Really Right Stuff B2-Pro-II-M6 screw-knob clamp (shown below). See the discussion on this topic in my review of the Arca Swiss C1 Cube geared head.
Worse, the position of Arca Swiss seems to be that replacing the clamp will void the warranty. While this is fine for the clamp, it has zero effect on the rest of the unit, namely the gearing and main body of the Cube (my speculation is that such a warranty position might be of dubious legality in the USA under the Magnuson-Fergson act, but I am no lawyer). I don’t see any difference here (the clamp) with the analogy of putting a different kind of tires on my car.
Whatever the outcome, I look forward to seeing my C1 Cube back in working order.
Robert VB writes:
You can replace the clamp on the latest cube and you can also order it with a universal clamp which is a knob similar to the RRS clamp on your cube..
I have two cubes, one I bought with the uni clamp just 6 weeks ago.
If you buy the latest 'Cube' again and then want to put a RRS clamp on it, the main issue is the screw.. The screw that comes with the RRS clamp won't fit correctly .. I needed to bring mine back to the dealer to get a screw that works.
DIGLLOYD: That’s good news.
I also heard from Robert Watkins at Precision Camera Works via Rob Klukas of Arca Swiss (USA), so I’ll be sending my Cube in for repair today:
Please ship your Cube to us (at the address below) via your preferred carrier (we like UPS) along with your contact information, a brief description of the problem and, where appropriate, proof of warranty. For equipment not covered under warranty we will provide a detailed estimate, free of charge, before doing any work.
(If you are an international shipper, see this very important message
https://precisioncameraworks.com/Media/IS.pdf)Our Cube repairs are turned around, on average, in 3-5 days plus shipping. (Repairs are processed in the order received and are affected by time to receive payment, where applicable, as well)
All we will need to go ahead with the repair is your approval and payment information. We accept Visa, MC, Discover and PayPal. No charges will be made to your credit card until repairs are finished. For PayPal payment, we will send you a PayPal invoice that must be paid before any repair is performed.
The above is from Precision Camera Works.
UPDATE: I sent my 'Cube' in. Repair cost is $370.
