Changing the film advance lever on the new M6

[Huss]

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I much prefer the old MP/M-A style where it is one solid metal piece, than the hinged design on the M6.

So I thought this should be easy enough - just get an MP lever, the correct wrench to remove the retaining ring around the shutter button, and replace.

Watched a couple of videos - super easy to do.  Super simple.  Super quick.  At least on those videos...

However... none were a video with the new M6, just the old ones.  With the correct wrench - ordered specially for this task and turning it anti-clockwise to loosen - the retaining ring would not budge. Not in the slightest.  And I was giving it pressure that I pretty much thought was the limit of my comfort zone.  Looked back at the how to videos - I was doing the exact same thing - theirs came off super easy.  Mine must have some industrial strength loctite on the threads.

So here I am, defeated, with a tool and a black chrome MP film advance lever (genuine from DAG) taking up space..

[madNbad]

1. Call Don

2. Take it to one of the shops in your area and admit defeat.

Don’t blame you. Sometimes I like the articulate lever but mostly I miss the solid ones. As always, good luck..

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[Alexander-HH]

Cool, did not know this is possible. Please show us a picture once you got it working 👍

[Huss]

10 hours ago, madNbad said:

1. Call Don

2. Take it to one of the shops in your area and admit defeat.

Don’t blame you. Sometimes I like the articulate lever but mostly I miss the solid ones. As always, good luck..

It is a ‘nice to have’ thing.  i’m going to hold off doing anything until I need to get something done.  So hopefully never!

I just much prefer the feel of the solid levers, I don’t get the plastic hinged tip ones, and judging by the spare plastic bits sold on ebay, they are not as long lived.

[Fotoklaus]

Mine lives on my M6 since 1991.

[madNbad]

Have you tried using the wrench on one of your other M bodies just to see if it works?

[TomB_tx]

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In 1968 I bought a new M4 instead of a new M3 because I liked the plastic pivoted advance (and lever rewind) better. Then added an M6 in 1985. Both are still going strong - no issues with wither the wind or rewind cranks. (Also on my M5)

[Huss]

Tool fits, just will not budge the ring - turning anti-clockwise of course.

Same result with my M-A!

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[madNbad]

Try turning it clockwise. Most of the time it’s the old “righty tighty, lefty loosey” but it may be the threads are cut so it doesn’t loosen during normal winding.

[Mikep996]

Look here beginning at last paragraph on first page: http://pentax-manuals.com/manuals/service/leica basic repair.pdf  Per that, it's just very tight.

[logan2z]

Hmm, I should do this to my M4.  The articulated advance lever is the only thing I really don't like about it.

Edited April 22, 2023 by logan2z

[hdmesa]

6 hours ago, Huss said:

Tool fits, just will not budge the ring - turning anti-clockwise of course.

Same result with my M-A!

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Are you sure you're not accidentally grabbing the lever itself (possibly by having the tool not parallel to the camera top). The ring on top is thin, so the top of the tool should sit high above the retaining ring. May also want to try it from the other side of the camera just for sh!ts and giggles.

Biggest thing in general for using tools like that is to only apply mild clamping pressure. Too much pressure and you're temporarily bending the ring out of round, and it will refuse to unscrew.

Screenshots taken from this video:

 

[Huss]

45 minutes ago, hdmesa said:

Are you sure you're not accidentally grabbing the lever itself (possibly by having the tool not parallel to the camera top). The ring on top is thin, so the top of the tool should sit high above the retaining ring. May also want to try it from the other side of the camera just for sh!ts and giggles.

Biggest thing in general for using tools like that is to only apply mild clamping pressure. Too much pressure and you're temporarily bending the ring out of round, and it will refuse to unscrew.

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Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Screenshots taken from this video:

 

Yah I made sure to only touch the retaining ring. That was the video I used as reference. I’m tapping out of this one before I break something!

[Huss]

4 hours ago, Mikep996 said:

Look here beginning at last paragraph on first page: http://pentax-manuals.com/manuals/service/leica basic repair.pdf  Per that, it's just very tight.

Thanks for that. Yup it definitely is super tight, at the point that I feel uncomfortable exerting more force.

What gets me is in the videos I’ve watched, including the one posted above, the ring comes off very easily!

[hdmesa]

14 minutes ago, Huss said:

Yah I made sure to only touch the retaining ring. That was the video I used as reference. I’m tapping out of this one before I break something!

If it makes you feel any better, the black chrome of the lever is not an exact match anyway 🫣

[madNbad]

1 hour ago, Huss said:

Yah I made sure to only touch the retaining ring. That was the video I used as reference. I’m tapping out of this one before I break something!

Too bad you didn’t have the technicians at Leica NJ swap it out. 

[Mikep996]

" What gets me is in the videos I’ve watched, including the one posted above, the ring comes off very easily!'

Yeah - most likely because the video-maker(s) "pre-loosened" the fitting prior to making/posting the final (published) video.  That sort of thing is very common since it makes for a "nicer" video appearance - without the poster struggling/cursing over removing a fitting.  It's OK in the sense that it shows what to do but it can be misleading without a comment to the effect: "This required considerable pressure that I elected not to include on the video."

But I agree that regardless if you are doing it correctly, if you are uncomfortable applying more pressure, don't do it!

[Anbaric]

Do you like the M6 rewind crank, or will this eventually end up as the MP you could have bought instead? 🙂

[newtoleica]

I just did this to my M7. Huge improvement and the collar came off really easily…..

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[LocalHero1953]

After you've fixed the advance lever, you need to fix the rewind knob.
I'm sure you can buy 45 degree corrective gearing, and reshape the body with resin filler.

My solution? I have a MP and a M4.