What is the ring under a tripod ball head called, and how do I reattach it?
Asked 5/23/2016
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On my Dolica tripod, the ring at the top of the center column—directly under the ball head—has come off. It appears to be the part the head threads onto. I’m not sure what this piece is called, and I can’t seem to screw the ball head back on with the ring in place. The tripod is less than two weeks old, so I’m wondering if this is just a removable adapter/coupler or a manufacturing fault.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
10y ago
2 Answers
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It appears to be a coupler, or a coupler-ring.
It is used to attach the head to the tripod and can take a variety of forms.
Occasionally, the coupler is a "converter" that has a "male" to "male" pins or "female" to "female" thread sockets.
Often, the coupler will also be an "adapter" from 3/8"-16 pitch thread to 1/4"-20.
Threads can be right-hand or left-hand.
To replace it, first try attaching it securely to the tripod and then the head to the coupler.
Originally by user21789. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user21789
10y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
That part is typically a coupler or adapter ring. It’s the threaded piece that connects the tripod’s center column to the ball head. On many tripods, this piece may also adapt between common tripod thread sizes, usually 3/8"-16 and 1/4"-20.
To reattach it, try threading the coupler securely onto the tripod first, then attach the ball head to the coupler. If it won’t thread correctly, check that the thread type matches and that it isn’t cross-threaded. Some tripod/head combinations use different male/female thread arrangements, and occasionally left-hand vs. right-hand threads are involved.
If the ring has come off unexpectedly on a nearly new tripod and won’t reinstall properly, it may be defective or the wrong adapter for that head.
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