Friction tuners frustrated me a lot when I got my first uke that had them (after 3 with geared tuners). Many people advised me to just switch out the friction tuners for geared tuners. I resolved to stick with the friction tuners for a month. In addition I did the following (none were my idea, I learned them all in forums):
1) Let the strings settle down, it will take a week or so.
2) After the initial stretching period is over make sure that the strings are not so bunched up on the tuner that you have two or three layers of string. The string that is coming from the nut should be wrapping on to the metal peg, not on top of previous layers of string. This is very important.
3) You will probably have to shorten the string a bit to make number 2 work. Leave about 3/8" to 1/2 " of string sticking straight out of the tuner. When you tune watch that short piece of string like the needle on a gauge. It will help you tune more precisely, by helping you learn to turn the tuner in smaller increments.
4) Lubricate the slots in the nut with some graphite from a pencil lead. This will prevent the strings from sticking.
Be patient! Thousands of ukers use friction pegs and like them. You are at least as smart as us. Do not be dismayed by the others who tell you, "Friction pegs will never work!" Geared tuners work well and I like them on my ukes that have them, but small ukes look better with friction tuners and balance better as well. Give it a month and you will see progress, after three months you will probably be completely ambidextrous (in the tuner sense).
I guess this turned into a bit of a manifesto. But it is painful to see so many people say, "Just get rid of the friction tuners." It is your uke and it is your right to change the tuners if you wish. But I want you to hear the other side. Equally frustrating are people who just chime in and say, "Friction pegs are better", leaving you with the idea that they are easy and that you must be clueless because they do not work for you. Friction tuners are a pain, at first, but they can be mastered. The next step is wooden pegs! They are a lot of fun but also require a learning period.