[cegreni]

Just an FYI, if you ever have a flash unit with a broken base, or 'foot' that slides into the hot shoe, read this.
Over the years the base of my AF 360 FGZ flash unit chipped away, one corner at a time until I could no longer attach the flash to my camera or to a wireless receiver. Otherwise the flash worked fine. Rather than spend over $200 for a new one, I decided to shop used photo gear sites and low and behold I found an AF 360 FGZ that was non operational, and was being sold for parts and repair only. For $27! I was concerned that I might have to cut wires and buy some soldering equipment, so before ordering I removed the 4 tiny screws on my broken flash and saw that there is a small wire harness that literally 'plugs in' to a a circuit board, so no cutting or soldering would be needed. I ordered the used flash, which was the exact same model, removed the base from that one and plugged the wires into my old flash, screwed the base on and just like that, for $27 I again have a fully functional flash!
I am not a technical person, but I recommend trying to repair gear before giving up on it, if it is an easily identifiable problem. If I can do it, anybody can.

[FozzFoster]

thanks for sharing! good to know!

[C_Jones]

I once replaced the foot of one of my AF360FZ flashes. I was able to get the actual replacement part. Congratulations on being able to fix your flash.

[FozzFoster]

might dunk this video in here too...
Not regarding the hotshoe foot, but I had found a quick fix for those flimsy first gen FGZ battery doors:

Youtu.be

Youtu.be

[hcarvalhoalves]

I am not a technical person, but I recommend trying to repair gear before giving up on it, if it is an easily identifiable problem. If I can do it, anybody can.

Preach. The world is sinking in garbage, and people have been indoctrinated to dispose of perfectly good stuff.

I buy and fix many things myself, including cameras, lenses, eletronics… I now own a good collection acquired on a discount.

[Lord Lucan]

I buy and fix many things myself, including cameras, lenses, eletronics… I now own a good collection acquired on a discount.

Same here. The causes of breakdowns and scrappings (cars, cameras, washing machines) are usually tiny things like a worn bearing or a broken switch. Present day manufacturers seem to make such things difficult to replace deliberately, either physically difficult or by not making the part available. Recently I bought a new washing machine only because the old one's main bearing had failed, and the bearing could not be bought separately without buying the entire inner and outer drum assembly (at probably more cost than a new machine). I gather that the bearing was peened in place - possible a few pence cheaper to make but costing me £100s four years later.

Governments are part of the problem because politicians are mostly arts grads with no technical understanding - they look with horror on any technical work. Hence manufacturers like John Deere and Apple are getting away with effectively banning independent (let alone amateur) repairers (playing the "Safety!" card). In the UK, working on your own house wiring and most central heating is now banned - cars will be next. I can understand a requirement for a competence test in some areas, but the way it is regulated is by "self-regulation" within electrical and plumbing companies (mostly small and local). Yet I had a plumber from a local company to look for a fault in my boiler and he was useless - afterwards I looked myself and found a water level sensor had simply failed. I reckon I can do a better plumbing or electrical joint than most professionals* anyway, partly because I am not under time and cost pressure.

[Rant over]

* I could argue I am a professional, having been a ship's engineer, electronics lab engineer, and car workshop deputy foreman at times. I have repaired several flashguns too, this one I saved by replacing a loose screw: Sunpak 555 / G4500DX Repair - PentaxForums.com