Hi all,
Ages since i've been on here - busy cleanin' windows! Hope the following helps.
I've got Gardiner poles. I'm on my 3rd SLX and am very happy with them. The last SLX came with the "Resi Neck Quick Release Type 1" angle adapter - a huge improvement on the plastic jobby with the star shaped knurled bolt - so much quicker to use.
The Resi Neck comes with a lever, similar, but not the same as on the clamps. I found that after some use and even with NOT over-tightening the lever failed: the lever pulls the two halves of the Resi Neck tight together, the knurled bolt on the opposite side from the lever that is used for tightening it acts against the body of the Resi Neck. When you split the Resi Neck apart you'll see that the plastic the knurled bit acts against is a central plug of plastic held in place by 4 plastic lugs.
These lugs can fail with wear or if the bolt/lever is overtightened.
The solution is to place a washer between the knurled bolt and the body of the Resi Neck; pressure applied by the clamp is applied via the bolt to the washer to the whole of the Resi Neck and not just through the bolt to the central plug of plastic.
I did mention this to the Sales girls at Gardiners who asked me to email Alex. I did, with a suggestion about how casting this whole section of the Resi Neck in plastic would fix the problem but i'm afraid I didn't get even a courtesy reply
Anyway, hope this helps anyone with a Resi Neck.
Cheers