Nikon 300mm F4 Squeal

[Markd3]

Good Day all,

I have one of those Nikon 300 F4 lenses that has developed a squeak or squeal.  Seems I am not alone. 

I am looking for some advice on taking the lens apart to clean and lube.  Any pointers or video would be great.

Best regards,

Mark

[ColinM]

Is your lens the

• 300mm f4 AFS?
• An older 300mm F4?

[Markd3]

Hi Colin,

It's the AFS (IF-ED)

Mark

[HCS]

Uh-oh, the dreaded AFS squeal.

Not sure that can be fixed by lubing, seems it's the AFS motor.

Perhaps Dr. Lens (Erik Lund) or Richard (richardHaw) can help you out here. They're the experienced lens repairmen.

[richardHaw]

this is a common problem with many of Nikon's earlier AF lenses. as noted earlier, the dreaded Nikon squeal is the harbinger of death for the AF motor. 
replacing it can be easy to downright difficult depending on the lens
David Hilos can do it for you for a reasonable price but he is in Singapore. Many people also send theirs to Nikon Thailand where the labor is cheaper. This is not a DIY job. static electricity can kill your new lens motor or brick your entire lens 

[Markd3]

Thanks folks.  I would imagine shipping to Thailand or Singapore would be costly and slow. I'm sure NPS would slap a new motor in it but it'd probably cost half the price of the lens.

Mark

[tommiejeep]

Mark, how often do you use the lens?  The reason I ask is that I rarely use mine and when I do it often has the dreaded squeak for the first few shots it goes away ( I normally use the 300 f2.8vr) .  a couple of years back I was sending some lenses to my Nikon Service Centre so sent it in for a general clean and check of the motor.  The Service Manager told me the motor was fine.  Now I try and use it more often but it stays in the Dry Cabinet much of the time.  Funny, I sent the 500 f4vr at the same time and it did need the motor replacing, no squeak (just not always AF'ing on the first press of the AF-on button), go figure 
Tom

[Markd3]

Thanks Tom,

Mine does the same.  If a let it focusing and in and out for a while, the squeal will stop but I can't imagine its good for the gears.  I don't use it much but its easier to carry than the 400 2.8 when I travel.

[tommiejeep]

Mark, some years back my daily routine was to get to a local forest before dawn and shoot Raptors which roosted in the trees for the night.  Nice and cool with better light at dawn.  Used the D700 , 300 2.8vr with a couple of TC's with me.  Then I would head for the paddy fields and Backwaters where the Raptors would hunt prey.  By 9:30 , or so, it would get hot and the combo started to weigh more so I bought the  300 f4 AFS to use with the gripped D300s as a lighter weight lens.  Alas, the Government restricted access to the Forrest.

If I take the lenses out several days on the trot (normally for closer focus for bugs and flying insects) the squeak does not come back.  Birding season has been the pits so far so may take the 300 f4 out more often as second/third combo.
I looked at the 400 2.8 but opted for the 500 f4vr.
Tom

[pluton]

My present copy, purchased used a few years ago, is as the others have described: It squeaks at first use and then the squeak goes away.  I am comforted by anecdotal stories that IF the AF motor fails the lens can still be manually focused.  I mostly use manual focus, especially if mounted on a tripod.