Problems with Primos Trigger Sticks

D_H_P

Well-Known Member
I have had a set of Primos Trigger Sticks in the tripod version for approx 8 months, used in all weathers and was happy with them.
Until they started to jam.
So took the bottom legs of, found them clogged with a dry rusty coloured deposit. Cleaned them up with WD40, dried, lightly lubricated (petroleum jelly). Working fine again now.

But they clearly are not designed to be maintained.

Does anybody have a schematic for them?

Anybody else had trouble?
Did you fix yourself or return?

Any issues or advice about what I have done? I am not really sure about the vaseline and the rubber on the foot valves things at the base of the stick.

Dave
 
No schematic I'm afraid and the official line is that they are a sealed unit and cannot be repaired. I have heard that it they go belly up in less than 12 months you can get them exchanged. Having had a problem with mine I contacted Bushwear who kindly offered a replacement at half price, even though I didn't know where they had been purchased - and they are more than a year old.
Before writing them off (and being a tight git) I thought I'd have a poke about and see what I could do - mine were not deploying smoothly and making an grinding noise when operated by hand. Despite being a complete mechanical muppet I had a stab at deconstruction and found the process remarkably easy. It's an interesting, simple design that can be serviced by anyone with a modicum of digital dexterity and a basic set of tools. Cleaned the gunk out of all the bearing surfaces and off the various cams, I reassembled the things and they work just fine.
 
A mate of mine had the same problem with his, but the shop wouldn't take them back, and he couldn't figure out how to fix them himself (he did try, but it didn't help).
 
Mine have seized up recently striped them and cleaned them ok now mine had done 14 months, they are not good really for being weather resistant
 
Miyazaki gen 2 stopped deploying after 6 months even though they were thoroughly wiped and dried after use. Would anybody like to describe how they took them apart etc?
 
Any issues or advice about what I have done? I am not really sure about the vaseline and the rubber on the foot valves things at the base of the stick.

Dave

Vaseline/Petroleum Jelly can eat rubber. Silicone grease is the recommended thing to use on "O" rings etc.

Available from plumbers' merchants, eBay etc.

Alan
 
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I've just has a set replaced under warranty although I did pay £12 to send them back. For the first 9 months I was fairly happy with them, after the last stalk I ensured they were dry and stored them in the extended position. It was almost 3 month before I went to use them again and one leg was stuck solid, managed to free it but they would still stick when I was trying to deploy them. I was aware this could be a common problem with the previous version. Luckily they still had a couple of days left on the warranty when I contacted the shop I purchased from them. I also thought it was a sealed unit so didn't attempt to strip them.
 
Failure to deploy is often cured by resetting the trigger cam inside the handle, remove the handle casing and rewind the cam and rod, as you use the trigger over time it moves so far up that it is not pressing the leg controller hence failure to work. I do it about once every 9 months and it takes about 15 minutes even with my sausage like fingers. Cleaning the leg cams aslo helps smoote operation.
 
Four years ago I looked at getting a set then it was the previous model until I went to swillington guns and their was a set against the wall waiting to go back to the manufacture as the spring had failed put me right off so I go a set of vanguards u62t tripod still going good it a shame as the trigger sticks do tick all the boxes
 
Alan,
thanks, I see what you did there. Spelling is not my strong point.

TonyC,
thanks, I will keep that in mind if/when it happens again.
 
Flyer4u0,

what I did was:-
pull the bottom section of leg off the plastic collar.
the foot valves, if you can call them that, are operated by a push rod from the trigger in the handle (see TonyC's post).
on mine one moved a bit, two were jammed .
careful not to loose the plastic gasket bits that look a bit like cylinder rings in an engine.
clean up all the valves,
I used WD40 and tissue paper, I used the trigger, and pulling the valve out to release them,
when released clean the section of the pushrod exposed when you pull the trigger. I used a zip tie to keep the trigger in the fully pulled position.
dry with tissue.
lightly grease with silicone grease.
refit plastic gasket things, I wound mine tightly around a pencil first, made them hold a tighter shape while refitting.
refit lower leg.
I used insulation tape to wrap around joint when reassembled to stop the leg dropping off - thought about glue, but might need to clean again in the future.

I hope this helps, and hopefully if I have offered any bad advice somebody will put us right.

Dave
 
mine jammed too, got a new set from bushwear and gave them away. now use javelin kapita, excellent bit of kit
 
Alan,
thanks, I see what you did there. Spelling is not my strong point.

You are not alone...I had just looked it up before I posted having muddled the two in the past. It was therefore fresh in my mind. I always remember the spelling if I am thinking of silicon chip but not when I am describing bathroom sealant and grease for some reason...having just written that, I realise I have found a mnemonic so I now have a way of remembering it :)

I am glad that D_H_P confirmed its use.

I should have added that although Silicone Grease is what should be used on "O" rings rather than Vaseline...I was not sure whether something like Renaissance wax would be better in this context, being less sticky and therefore attract less fouling gunk and still allow the leg to slide freely...

I was slightly worried the grease might prevent the friction system from locking the leg...

I don't have a Primos to figure it for myself.

Alan
 
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