SteadiHub
2019General Discussion forum

Balance issues on Tiffen gimbals after gimbal tuning

What the thread found

  • A gimbal that loses balance during drop time testing may have the main bearing misaligned with the bearing housing and central post, requiring factory realignment or professional technical expertise to resolve.
  • Multiple small sources of play in different components can combine to cause balance problems, including the monitor mount tube, the top stage fore-aft adjustment mechanism, and cable movement inside the post.
  • On older Tiffen rigs, play in the top stage fore-aft adjustment screw area may require replacement of the adjustment part or sending the equipment to the factory.
  • Testing for play in gimbal components should be done by visual inspection, listening for clicking sounds during torsion application, and feeling for vibrations to detect movement.
  • Gimbal concentricity and calibration should be verified using a slow drop time test of 5 to 7 seconds rather than neutral balance.

Depends on

  • The original poster had already sent the gimbal for tuning but the issue persisted, suggesting the problem may not have been correctly identified or addressed.
  • One respondent mentioned experiencing the same issue on their equipment but did not investigate thoroughly, so their observations are based on limited testing.
  • No confirmation was provided that any proposed solution completely resolved the problem.
  • The advice about factory alignment and the specific contact information suggest that professional service may be necessary, but cost and availability are not discussed.

Parts

Top Stage, Gimbal Bearing

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