The Steel Guitar Forum

Hi members,

Hope you all are well.

I was fine tuning my LKL (E raise) knee lever angle on my ZB and seem to have threaded the small metal connector plate that the Allen screw goes which tightens the angle of the lever to the rod. (image) Basically the existing screw and any for that matter won’t tighten within that hole anymore.

Do you recommend screwing a larger pilot hole through the same hole and treading a larger screw through so I can lock tight the lever to the rod, or is it best to take the cross rod off and attachments and Re screw a new pilot hole and the same initial screw through the other side of that small connector plate? There seems room on the other side of the connector plate to do this, however I am not sure how to remove the cross rod and assembly so was hoping the first option of Re threading the old screw hole may be easier and adding a larger screw?

Basically I can’t see any other options than these 2 to get this lever back up and going.
I have a gig in 2 weeks so hoping can fix it before then otherwise won’t be using the F change.

Regards,

Dan

The First thing to do, Is remove the screw from the hole, Then check with the hex wrench for another screw, And measure the depth of the hole, And compare to outside of connector, To see if the hole is clear and open to the cross rod.

If someone put a short set screw in the hole, And then another screw was placed in on top of the first, They can lock, And can not be tightened down to lock the lever to the shaft.

If the hole is empty and set screw will not tighten. The hole could be drilled to next size and threaded, You may need a bottoming tap to make the threads deep enough to work.

Good Luck finding the problem and cure.

Thanks Bobby, I will check for that set screw situation.
What did you mean by ‘You may need a bottoming tap to make the threads deep enough to work’

I live in Australia so we might have slightly different meanings for these things.

Regards,

Dan

If the Small metal connector plate the hole is drilled into is aluminum, You may not need a bottoming tap. The screw will reshape the 2 or 3 partial threads.

A common Plug Tap has a taper on the end to allow easier starting in the hole, If you need full threads to the bottom of the hole, Tap first with a Plug Tap, Then use a Bottoming tap to put full threads to bottom of hole.

I have, If I happen to only have a Plug Tap, I tapped the hole with a Plug Tap, Then grind the taper off the tap to a 1 thread taper, And bottom the hole with the tap. Then regrind the Plug Tap taper on the tap if needed. Or buy another plug tap and make them a 2 tap set for future holes.

Good Luck on this project, Happy Steelin.