click noise in ultra arm

[greg(ory) Vanhove]

Hi guy's,

 

I have a problem with my Ultra arm. When I boom up, move past my horizontal position, the upper arm makes a click sound. It doesn't effect my booming abbility.

 

I do a lot of music programa's and it doesn't mater a click here and there but I do a talkshow now and every step I take and very triaxcabel that makes some noise the soundguys are looking our way.

 

I try to locate the noise, and it comes from the direction of the spring and weight ajustment mecanism.

 

 

 

Did someone had this problem? What is the solution?

 

Thanks,

Greg.

[RobinThwaites]

Hi Greg

 

Is this a 6 spring arm or a G-70?

 

Robin

[greg(ory) Vanhove]

Hi Greg

 

Is this a 6 spring arm or a G-70?

 

Robin

 

 

Hi robin,

 

It is a 6 spring Ultra arm. 2 Years old. (Januari '05) it doesn't feel like it influence the arm funtions.

 

 

G.

[Alec Jarnagin SOC]

Greg,

 

Take the arm covers off and see if it still makes the noise. If the spring covers are not set properly, the springs will rub against them. There are delran spacers that the screws holding the covers on pass through and if they are not set correctly, you'll hear it.

[Amando Crespo]

Excuse me a question.... The noise...is click-click, when you boom up...or is ñieck-ñieck...(Is not stupid my question)...depends the noise....is the problem and the solution.

Thanks.

Aps!!,,The arm rules ok?

[greg(ory) Vanhove]

hey Amando,

 

There is only one click. Did you have a click-click or a ñieck-ñieck? :blink:

 

I asked my ass. to feel at the end of the spring and the tention ajustment mecanism ( at the steadicamcamp, Jerry told us to never stick your fingers in the arm, it can crush you fingers, thats why I asked my ass ;) ) and he feels that one click. It's like something is sticking and coming loose every time. Sounds strange but can't discribe it otherwise. But I don't have the feeling that that click goes up to the rig.

 

I'm going to hardmount the rig this afternoon to check everything out. If you wear the system you have a very limited look.

 

CU later,

G.

[Steve Fracol SOC]

Greg,

 

I had a similar problem. Although my sound was not a click but more of a squeak. Taking the bottom arm covers off as Alec suggested will most likely make the sound go away. Then you figure out where it is hitting, etc. What I suspect is happening is that your rubbing the outter cover (as Alec said) as the arm moves but only in that one spot. Should be a very simple fix (hopefully!!!). Hopefully you will not have to send it in for service.

 

Good luck!

 

Keep us posted.

 

Steve Fracol

[Yookidoo71]

Greg,

 

I had a similar problem many years ago on a model 2 arm, also a 6 spring type arm. I'd here a little click (or creak) as I boomed up. I'd put my hand on the springs in the arm and found that the "feel" of the click was strongest on the middle spring in the upper arm section (section closest to the gimble). It took a long time to figure it out (multiple assemblies and disassemblies of th arm) but I finally fixed it.

 

The middles springs have a safety cable in them in case the spring breaks. The safety cable is held to the threaded inserts at each end of the spring with a pin. The pin was not seated fully and the exposed edge would rub on a coil of the spring as it expanded and collapsed. It was such a small amount of interference but it was enough to cause the click, but not enought to actually effect the booming action.

 

I'm not sure if the the ultra arms use a safety cable arrangement like the one I described above, but I'll bet that they do. The unfortunate part is if this is the problem, you'll have to take the arm completely apart, including the springs to rectify it.

 

Hope this sheds some light...I know how annoying this kind of problem can be!

[greg(ory) Vanhove]

Hi guy's I' m back,

 

Jef, Steve, others,

 

thanks for helping me out, ... I haven't had the time today to hardmount the rig and check everything out. It's driving me made; it distracts me of my job. If I boom up AND down at the middle and up range of the arm, it's giving one click going UP, and one click going DOWN.

 

It's has to be located somewhere down the spring-tention mecanism. I even feel the click If I hold the weight adjustment knob of the upper arm. So I think there something loose in that mec. Have to check that safety cable too...

 

 

Steve, did you disassemble your arm yourselve or is it wise to sent it up to tiffen? Special tools, calibrations??? At what end do you start the disassenblie, ... ?

 

I'm still going to follow steve's and alec's lead too.

 

thanks all for the hints and tips,

 

G.

[greg(ory) Vanhove]

It was very very late last night, sorry for the names mixup. ( can't find the edit button for correcting the previous message)

 

 

Jeff, Steven, others,

 

thanks for helping me out, ... I haven't had the time today to hardmount the rig and check everything out. It's driving me made; it distracts me of my job. If I boom up AND down at the middle and up range of the arm, it's giving one click going UP, and one click going DOWN.

 

It's has to be located somewhere down the spring-tention mecanism. I even feel the click If I hold the weight adjustment knob of the upper arm. So I think there something loose in that mec. Have to check that safety cable too...

 

 

Jeff, did you disassemble your arm yourselve or is it wise to sent it up to tiffen? Special tools, calibrations??? At what end do you start the disassenblie, ... ?

 

I'm still going to follow steve's and alec's lead too.

 

thanks all for the hints and tips,

 

G.

[Yookidoo71]

Greg,

 

I did the disassembly and repair myself. I'm not familiar with the workings of the ultra arm so I'm afraid I can't offer any advice. However, there SHOULD be a way to remove the springs from the arm. You need to be careful to do it properly though b/c the springs have a lot of stored energy in them!

 

Jeff

[Alec Jarnagin SOC]

Greg,

 

Maybe I'm missing something here, but should it be you.... Have you tried taking the arm covers off yet to see if the noise goes away???!!! Seriously, before you start taking the arm apart and redesigning red knobs, etc, try this simple thing (Steve and I have both owned these arms). With the arm covers off, fly the rig and see if makes noise.

[greg(ory) Vanhove]

Hi all,

 

I haven't don anything yet, just gathering information what to do. The rig is on the truck and monday I will see, with all your great advise and hints, some qualified mechanics what to do with the problem.

 

To open the toolbox and stick a screwdriver up a $20K arm myself isn't something i'm not very comfortable with.

 

I' ll keep you all posted.

 

Greg.

[Jerry Holway]

Gregory-

 

Yes, you do not want to just take it apart. It is a much more complicated arm than a IIIa arm, and you don't want to just go in there and take it apart. It can be done, has been done... but you don't know yet what is causing the clicking.

 

I strongly suggest you get the arm to Robin Thwaites at Tiffen Europe or to Cartoni France in Paris for a look see.

 

Jerry

[Jens Piotrowski SOC]

Hello,

 

I had a similar problem with my Masters Series arm. It turned out to be missing grease inside the red-knob adjustment mechanism screw tension thing :rolleyes: . Tiffen in Glendale fixed it for $400.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Jens