I am very sorry for the trouble with these products. I will send you several washers for the Tilt Brake so you can have extra on hand for the future. Regarding the FT Tripods, can you unscrew the screw with pliers to where it raises up some? I am wondering if the screws were pushed in during shipping. Hopefully, you can rotate them backwards to where they are the correct length. Please let me know if you think this would be an option to resolve the issue. If not, we will be happy to send replacements.