Pull Rod Keepers

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

I'll pass this along for anyone interested.

Working on the old Fender adding a few pulls here and there.

Because original rods hard to find, I'm just making them up out of the stock I have on hand. Also because the original retaining clips are hard to come by I decided to use these push on internal tooth fasteners. They grip nicely on the rod and bite just fine on straight pulls. They also fit flush against the bellcrank so not issues with space interference with other components. You can remove and reinstall them as necessary but there are a bunch of them in the tray.

Some of my rods are .093 so they take the 2.5mm retainer and also fit the .109 rod. .125 rods use the 3mm size.

I have never found a source for the original bimetal clips that Sho-Bud used. All the automotive type are too large and/or made wrong for this application.

Several guitars have these type of right angle rod ends that require a retainer. There are the spring type retainers that work pretty good but if one doesn't have or can't find those, or on a budget like me, these push-on washer/retainers work well. The only issue might be clearance for the rod selection next to the body, depending on how your bellcrank boss is made, the washer might be too large diameter to fit all the way up next to the bell crank body.

My first experience with these type retainers was with the 80s years of GM midsize automobiles that used that aggravating Rochester 2 stage carburetor with all that cross linkage. Several pieces of the linkage were held in place with these type of retainers....I figured I could use them on steel guitars too.

I know most of us like to use original parts whenever we can even on an old clunker...I'm no different but sometimes we have to find alternatives.

I got this assortment from amazon for about $8 but they may be available elsewhere.

Jon Light · From: Saugerties, NY

This is great. Couple of years ago I bought a 2-billion pack of one size for a particular need and I sized them wrong. I didn't see (or look for) an assortment pack. This is now in my shopping cart.
Excellent.

chuck lemasters · From: Jacksonburg, WV

Ordered. Thank you, Jerry!

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

Yeah, my first concern was how well they would grip but they seem to be just fine on the 3 or 4 pulls I've had working for 2/3 wks or so now. I was particulary interested in the 3 tooth design of the smaller ones preferring the multi tooth of the larger ones but no problems there.

Concern would be with any pull rod that has side loading as they could fail if a lot of side pressure is applied at the bell crank but I'm not seeing that either. Other concerns would be clearance of the larger dia. 3mm size down low on the bell crank.

To remove them, I use a knife blade to get it started then a skinny pair of needle nose pliers to work it off the rod. Use the same plier to flatten out the teeth before reinstalling for good measure.

I first tried these, on steel linkage, with an old Remington Universal that used set collars. Those worked fine but limited rod space and caused alignment issues. Since I had a couple of these type rod retainers in my tool box I tried them and found they worked pretty good.

With the automotive type I mentioned earlier, they would sometimes fracture pulling them off, but I'm not having that issue with these.

I'm sure I'm not the first to do this and could be they've been tried and abandoned for one reason or another, but so far working good for me.

Time will tell all I'm sure.

Bruce Derr · From: Lee, New Hampshire, USA

Jerry, thank you for the tip on these clips. I will be keeping them in the back of my mind when I work on my Sho-Bud and Fender Artist steels. I, too, have had no luck finding the carb-style rod clips that Sho-Bud used.

If you ever need a rod clip for .093 rods, check out the little nylon ones that Du-Bro makes. They are called E/Z Link, cat no 885, for .093 / 4-40 wire. (They also make them for some smaller rods but, alas, no sizes bigger than 0.093.) I have used them on a Carpsteel and they worked very well. But they probably wouldn't fit on some styles of bellcranks.

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

Thanks for the tip on the Du-Bro Bruce. I figured somebody had to have this type of rod retainer and might have chosen to use those had I known about them. I searched around in the RC community but didn't find those.

I may still go ahead and order a 4 pk of those anyway.

Bobby D. Jones · From: West Virginia, USA

I have used that type fasteners putting kids toys together a few times'
I helped a friend working on 1 of his guitars with that type of "Pressure Washer". I believe it was a Rains guitar.

He said, "The only problem he had was when installing or removing them they sometimes broke". He found some replacements at Ace Hardware, Lowes or Home Depo. To have spares.

These pressure washers need no grove just force them on shaft, And they lock.

I made a jig to bend L's on shafts with the hole drilled at a 88/89 degree angle. With this bend, The pull rod wants to pull itself tighter into the bell crank, Keeping pressure off the fastener holding the rod in the bell crank.

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

Yes, I just saw some photos of a Rains that used these type retainers. Never knew that. That helps reinforce my confidence in them.

I was quite sure someone used these, just never heard about it. So, as I suspected, no real news here.

Landon Johnson · From: Washington, USA

Justice uses these little zip nuts to retain their rods. Works just fine; never had a problem. They are like 6 cents each at local HW store.
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1989 Mullen PRP SD-10, 2021 Williams S-10, Quilter TT-12.

David Wisson · From: Bedford, Bedfordshire, England

Hi Jerry I have these on the guitar I built RS electronics sell them. I find them easy to use and they stay put. I place a small nut over the clip and squeeze with pliers job done Dave😊

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

Well, I just noticed that Michael has these types of tension washers at psg parts.com.

I didn't know. His item has the multiple tooth grippers and are probably more substantial than the ones I bought, plus you don't need to buy a whole assortment if your pull rods are 3/32. Live and learn.

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