Fenix TK10 head came apart...

rotncore · Aug 3, 2008

Hi all,

I love my TK10, but tonight when I tried to switch from high to low by backing off the head a bit, the threads holding the head together let go instead, and the bezel and lens came off, rather than the entire head. I can't seem to get the threads I actually want to move to go again...here's a pic:

Any ideas, other than sending back to 4sevens? Has anyone seen this before? Is this something that might be resolved in the TK11?

richardcpf · Aug 3, 2008

Did the bezel head just came off like :poof:

?? doesnt really seems to be like glued... theres an o-ring in the top? then there must be threads.

I wish my T1 can pop off like that because i got lot of dirt and dust inside the reflector.

Kilovolt · Aug 3, 2008

This problem in TK10 was known at the very beginning and caused a lot of discussions (*). Very briefly put it seems that during the production of the first batch at Fenix they put little or no Loctite on these threads. The result is that when you try to loose the head to shift to the lower level you end up as in your picture.
Leaving out all the fuss it seems that at the time there were two alternative solutions: either you sent back your light to the dealer who would apply Loctite and return it to you or you applied Loctite yourself.
My suggestion unless you have it at home is that you visit the workshop where you have your vehicle serviced and ask them to put some Loctite on the threads. Once it is dry you will most probably be able to unscrew the whole head without problems.

One final comment: in a TK10 the head acts as a switch between the two light levels, it is not the hatch of a deep-sea submarine. I find helpful to remember this when I serrate the head, no real force is required.

(*) Just as an example you can have a look here (post 45 onwards) but there's many more.

rotncore · Aug 3, 2008

Thanks Kilovolt! I guess that's the joy of being an early adopter...although it concerns me that Fenix let it go out with what I would think is a fairly obvious problem. I guess I'll glue it myself, either I pay shipping, or pay for glue.

Kilovolt said:
This problem in TK10 was known at the very beginning and caused a lot of discussions (*). Very briefly put it seems that during the production of the first batch at Fenix they put little or no Loctite on these threads. The result is that when you try to loose the head to shift to the lower level you end up as in your picture.
Leaving out all the fuss it seems that at the time there were two alternative solutions: either you sent back your light to the dealer who would apply Loctite and return it to you or you applied Loctite yourself.
My suggestion unless you have it at home is that you visit the workshop where you have your vehicle serviced and ask them to put some Loctite on the threads. Once it is dry you will most probably be able to unscrew the whole head without problems.

One final comment: in a TK10 the head acts as a switch between the two light levels, it is not the hatch of a deep-sea submarine. I find helpful to remember this when I serrate the head, no real force is required.

(*) Just as an example you can have a look here (post 45 onwards) but there's many more.

bobski · Aug 3, 2008

You should be able to find little tubes of loctite (red if you never want to take it apart again, blue if otherwise) at most auto parts stores and many hardware stores for a few dollars.

Marduke · Aug 3, 2008

Alternatively you could sell/trade at a slight premium to a modder who wants a removable head.

rotncore · Aug 3, 2008

I glued it this morning with some SafTLock T42 adhesivem waiting 24 hours for it to set. The whole experience shook my confidence in it, and made me decide to replace this light as my bedside standby/high power 2 cell all-around, and will now use it as a loaner/backup light. I don't want it coming apart on a hunting trip, or some other time when I need it to work.

Today I did something in retrospect I should have done a long time ago: I ordered a Surefire G2Z-Led, Malkoff M60 & M60LL, spares carrier, and red and blue filters as a good base for current and future P60 upgrades, so I can easily upgrade to the latest emitters when they come out.

yaesumofo · Aug 4, 2008

I think you made the right decision. The Surefire is NOT going to come apart at the seams. When combined with the Malkoff drop in units you have a state of the art flashlight. Which you can upgrade at a whim.
I maybe would have gone with the 6Pl version if only because the aluminum bodies work very nicely with the turbo heads that surefire makes.
Enjoy your new tool I am sure it will last for many years to come.
Yaesumofo

rotncore said:
I glued it this morning with some SafTLock T42 adhesive m waiting 24 hours for it to set. The whole experience shook my confidence in it, and made me decide to replace this light as my bedside standby/high power 2 cell all-around, and will now use it as a loaner/backup light. I don't want it coming apart on a hunting trip, or some other time when I need it to work.

Today I did something in retrospect I should have done a long time ago: I ordered a Surefire G2Z-Led, Malkoff M60 & M60LL, spares carrier, and red and blue filters as a good base for current and future P60 upgrades, so I can easily upgrade to the latest emitters when they come out.

jzmtl · Aug 4, 2008

rotncore said:
I glued it this morning with some SafTLock T42 adhesivem waiting 24 hours for it to set. The whole experience shook my confidence in it, and made me decide to replace this light as my bedside standby/high power 2 cell all-around, and will now use it as a loaner/backup light. I don't want it coming apart on a hunting trip, or some other time when I need it to work.

Today I did something in retrospect I should have done a long time ago: I ordered a Surefire G2Z-Led, Malkoff M60 & M60LL, spares carrier, and red and blue filters as a good base for current and future P60 upgrades, so I can easily upgrade to the latest emitters when they come out.

There's nothing wrong with it, it has nothing to do with reliability of the light. In fact I had it's predecessor and the head is also unglued, and I never had a problem with bezel coming off accidentally even when I was twisting head to change mode. On my streamlight nothing is glued either and I love it that way.

rotncore · Aug 4, 2008

It has lots to do with the reliability of the light. I'm glad you haven't experienced any issues, but I did, and as posted above, so have others. It lost the ability to change levels when the glue came undone, effectively shortening the useful light potential if I was unable to glue it, and only had the 2 cells in it. It may still work on high when I put it back together, but losing the ability to use the low level for at least 24 hours while glue sets isn't reliable in my books. If my car lost the ability while in 1st gear to shift into 2nd because the gearstick came off in my hand, but it still "works" in 1st, that's not reliable.

Fenix does make good lights, and I don't want this to be a Fenix vs. Surefire thread. My P1D-CE with a Leef clicky body is has been trusty EDC since it came out, and isn't going anywhere. I'm simply stating my experience, and the decisions it led me to.

jzmtl said:
There's nothing wrong with it, it has nothing to do with reliability of the light. In fact I had it's predecessor and the head is also unglued, and I never had a problem with bezel coming off accidentally even when I was twisting head to change mode. On my streamlight nothing is glued either and I love it that way.

jzmtl · Aug 4, 2008

Well, you could just tighten it up by hand harder so when you twist the head to change levels it doesn't move, took me 5 seconds to solve the problem.

p.s. I'm not debating you, just telling you a solution that would've let you kept the ability to remove bezel and access to LED.

StarHalo · Aug 4, 2008

Why wouldn't you want a light with a removable head/reflector assembly? The ability to "Mule" a light gives it twice as many uses over a conventional reflector-only light..

Fenix TK10 head came apart...

rotncore

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