Loose ..."retaining element"?

Well I have been using a borrowed lens for my Pentax K1000 but will probably have to give it back soon (the person who owns it has a K1000, but it's broken) and the lens it came with has a little problem. It's a SMC Pentax 55mm, unlike the other which is a 50 mm, and I have no idea how to keep this front part of the lens on. It's not the glass, it's just the little ring that goes on the front with the specs for the lens and it comes out as you focus... know what I mean? I can put it back in and twist it a little and it sounds like it locks in a little or something but it still falls out no matter what. Anyway, I can't get a picture of it now but if anybody has any idea how to fix it please let me know.

Edit: I searched for a picture of a similar lens just so you'd know what I was talking about if I didn't describe it well. http://www.gadgetmiser.com/Lens%20Pe...0f2%2050mm.jpg The only part with words on it is what I'm talking about.

Hey Snoop,
I've heard of this problem before, and I suspect there is a simple way to fix it. I'd suggest calling Pentax's customer service.

That actually never crossed my mind, funnily enough. I'll try their live chat when it opens back up on Monday. Thanks for the idea.

I just got done speaking with one of their agents who informed me that I couldn't send it in to Pentax (which I probably wouldn't have wanted to do anyway) and he wasn't equipped to tell me how to fix it myself. If anyone could tell me what to do, I'd love that.

Otherwise my options seem to be:
1) Deal with it / Ignore it
or 2) Take it to the only camera repair store I can find on Google in the city and pay $15 dollar estimate fee, and THEN the repair. Seems kind of silly for something so small, since it hardly even needs repaired -- it's probably just some kind of of screwing in or something to that effect. I guess it's highly unlikely they'd do anything for free, even if it was that small...

Snoopy,

I have a 55mm Super Tak. It might be a similar lens. I'll have a look tonight if you want. If need be, I might even send it over to you as it is no longer useful to me.

Let me know what you think.

Dan

That'd be very nice of you! The thing is, this doesn't really affect of the lens' functionality, so I'm not sure if that'd be overkill. As of now, it's kind of an annoyance...but if you really aren't using it and it's a K-Mount lens, then I don't know if I should turn you down

Let me know what you think :)