how hard is it to replace a leicaflex advance lever myself

[JSteed#2]

The plastic tip of my Leicaflex SL advance lever fell off and disappeared. Looking online, i can by an entire replacement lever for a reasonable price. Replacing the lever is theoretically simple. While I am somewhat handy, this is not a toilet valve, and I am reluctant to try replacing the lever without guidance. Has anyone done this, and is it seen as a relatively easy job?

 

[CameraQuest]

Its very easy, just ship it to DAG. Works like a charm.

 

[hap]

Ditto DAG

 

[HuubL]

a toilet valve is NOT that easy (in my opinion 😁 )

 

[santino]

DAG is not „…myself“.

 

[JSteed#2]

slightly different version of the inquiry: has anyone replaced the lever him/her self? if so, plesae describe....

 

[skahde]

I would replace just the tip if possible and otherwise not mess the shutter-speed dial.

 

[ddutchison2]

Its very easy, just ship it to DAG. Works like a charm.

If all you need is a simple advance lever replacement on an otherwise perfectly working camera, there's no need to send it to a Leica-Superstar tech like DAG with their associated Superstar prices and wait-list. The unparalleled experience and creative workmanship he exhibits is unnecessary for an uncomplicated lever replacement. Any competent camera tech could do it in less than 15 min. and it would probably cost you less than the tool/s you'd need to do it yourself.

 

[OlivierAOP]

Check page 4 to get an idea on how to remove the lever.

https://www.pacificrimcamera.com/rl/01810/01810.pdf

 

[santino]

Check page 4 to get an idea on how to remove the lever.

https://www.pacificrimcamera.com/rl/01810/01810.pdf

Seems simple but a special tool would come in handy to unscrew that multi slotted nut in order to not scratch it.

 

[JSteed#2]

Thank you all very much. Santino's post reinforced something I just found an old post on another site in which a very handy person (whose goal it was to fix the light meter on his SL) showed in still images his steps for removing the speed dial. He used a single flat head screwdriver to push that slotted nut, and it worked for him. Think I'll have a shot at it.

 

[peterm1]

I have done it before (quite a few years back) with a Leica M. Having examined the diagram on page 4 of the attachment in OlivierAOP's post (see above) it looks more or less similar to what I recall with the Leica M4P. I believe that the shutter speed dial is held in place by a small set screw in the circumference (this is the usual way of doing this and this appears to be what the above diagram shows). That should be easy to attend to with suitable micro screw drivers which many people already have for eyeglass repair etc. Just keep track of the position of the speed dial ring and make a note of the speed on which it was set so you know how to position it when you reassemble it. Once it is removed you should now have access to various bushes and retaining rings which are under it in the assembly stack. Based on the diagram, some of these appear to have slots in their top (similar to the retaining rings inside a lens bodies which retain lens elements in place.) For these you need a lens spanner tool which is cheap and easy to find on eBay if you do not already have one. (See example below.) Just use the appropriate head in the two diametrically opposed slots to untighten and remove such ring sand to retighten them when reassembling.

Pro DSLR Lens Spanner Wrench Opening Tool For Camera Repair open Tools 15~100MM | eBay

Lens removal repair tool 1. Material: steel.

shorturl.at

Some other rings appear not to have these slots - for these you may need a circular wrench designed to grip the ring. These tools are also available online, quite inexpensively. See link below. Bear in mind the ones depicted here are for a Leica M camera not an R camera but it is probably the best you will be able to find unless you search further and happen to find something else that I have not seen. Even if these are not exactly the right size you should , with a little luck, be able to enlarge one of them to fit assuming you have basic metal working skills. Just measure the diameter of any such retaining rings on your camera's film advance assembly and then check to ensure that if you buy a set of wrenches like these, there will be one which suits this diameter or can be adapted to the purpose.

Pardon Our Interruption...

It looks as if you only need to remove 4 rings in total, which makes it simple. Then pry the advance lever upwards and it should come loose once the last of these rings above it has been removed (you should not need to undo the ring below this lever). Just be systematic - as you disassemble the wind lever assembly, lay out each part you removed by placing them in a line (either left to right or right to left) to make it easier to remember what goes where and in what order to reassemble them when the time comes. As there are only a very few parts in this overall assembly, if you have the right tools the job is very easy to complete.

 

[JSteed#2]

Thanks to all. I will report back, unless I fail....

 

[Freakscene]

My father, who was trained as a mechanical and optical engineer, learned how to work on most cameras up until 1970 or so, after which he only worked on scientific instruments. I just asked him about the Leicaflex and he said “they always almost gave me a nervous breakdown”. Good luck.


Here he is. Sorry, this was not taken with a Leicaflex.

 

[santino]

As long as you don’t lift the top cover you should be fine, the nightmare is inside the camera 😉