Battery grip on D810 comes loose

Killerbob

I have the original MB-D12 battery grip on my D810, and all works fine. However, it seems to come loose after a few hours of usage... I tighten the attachment wheel, but eventually it will come loose. I have tried really putting some muscle into the tightening, and I am afraid that if I try even harden, something will break.

Does anyone have a suggestion as to what I could do? I thought about using some RRS threadlocker fluid, but I do take off the battery grip from time to time, if for no other reason then to charge the internal battery...

Pistnbroke

You may find that the screw is bottoming in the thread on the camera so its not pulling the body hard up against the camera ...You could shorten the tread on the unit by about 25 thou (1/2 mm)

Killerbob

Hmmmm. It's pretty solid when tightened, but I'll look into that when I am home again (I'm in Canada on vacation). Should I just use a sander for that?

Ironheart

@Pistnbroke would probably use his lathe I'd use a dremel tool, but a sander if you can secure the screw in a vise or something should be fine.

paulr

Before you do any major surgery , I would measure how far the screw protrudes from the grip, and then measure the mount in the D810 camera body to see how deep the screw hole fitting is.
Genuine Nikon parts work to a fine tolerance, and doing any kind of work has described would invalidate the warranty assuming it was in the warranty time scale.

Pistnbroke

no what I would do is dismantle the grip ( done that many times ) and put a washer under the treaded component and re test. There is some taper on the end of the thread so measurement is difficult, but then I would not be daft enough to buy a genuine Nikon at $399 ??? but a grey at $39 where a few strokes of the file makes no difference ...ha ha
I even have a grip from a D7000 on my D800 which does its job of carrying 6 spare AA batteries for my flash ( connector removed ) 5 min work with the angle grinder but no expense. Profit and function is No 1

paulr

Genuine Nikon grips for the D810 threads are flat not tapered, plus i would always be concerned of electrical faults from the grip causing shorts in the camera,

Killerbob

I measured the screw and the hole in the D810, and it is definately deep enough... So, back to suggestions. Could I use some threadlocker?

Pistnbroke

Try cutting a tin card template (postcard) and put it between the two and then see if the screw action feels any different ... without sign of bottoming in the thread.
With thread locker I would be worried you would not be able to put sufficient force on the tread to undo it .usually heat is used to destroy the threadlock.

paulr

Probably a silly question but are you using the rubber grommet on the grip, the one which protects the grip connection on the camera, it helps stopping movement

Killerbob

Yes, I have left it in there... I didn't know it had a function, I just kept it there not to loose it...

Pistnbroke

did you cure the problem? how did the thin card test go ?
Personally I just take out the connector and use them as dumb battery carriers then I can have no problems ....

MegapixelSchnitzel

Killerbob said:

I measured the screw and the hole in the D810, and it is definately deep enough... So, back to suggestions. Could I use some threadlocker?

Blue LocTite, no tighter than you can torque it with your bare fingers.

spraynpray

If I were you, I would black the thread, and screw it in to check it is not an incomplete thread that is causing the looseness. Just measuring length/depth isn't proof IMHO. Be careful too about adding anything between camera body and grip as you can deform the plate when you tighten the screw which will make everything worse.

Pistnbroke

Spray ..I meant a card cut to the shape of the bottom of the camera with cut outs and holes just to see if the feel of the tightening is different...ie does not bottom out ...otherwise I agree..its the depth of the thread in the hole that matters

Killerbob

I used a bit of loctite, and it works very well. The only reason I need to break the loctite once in a while, is to charge the "internal" battery when it runs dry...