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Topic: Adjusting Bell Crank to Reduce Pedal Travel |
Thomas Alexander
From:
Ontario, Canada
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Posted 25 Apr 2023 10:58 am |
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I want to adjust the action on my GFI Ultra B and C pedals to make the pulls just a bit shorter and firmer. My A pedal is perfect but in comparison my B and C pedals feel like the throw is too loose and long.
The rods for my B pedal connct to bellcrank hole 1 (closest to cross shaft) for string 6 and hole 5 for string 3. Am I correct in thinking that I should shift both rods down one hole farther from the cross shaft (to 2 and 6 respectively), and then adjust the pedal stop to dial in the shorter action?
Other than taking pictures and notes so I can backtrack if I don't like the change, is there anything else to the process? I have searched the forum but couldn't find a detailed step-by-step guide. I assume I should loosen the strings at the keyhead before uncoupling the rods.
E.g. how do I go about adjusting the pedal stop to get an accurate pull? Should I leave the changer nylon nuts in their current position and just try to 'tune' the pull with the stop screw? Or is there a prescribed amount of stop adjustment per bellcrank hole moved? Should I loosen the nuts pretty much all the way, then adjust the stop until the pull is several cents flat of target, then use the nylon nuts to bring it up to pitch? |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 25 Apr 2023 11:22 am
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I've had 3 GFI's and don't have the pedal travel issue you have, with the stock factory configuration. My current GFI is a 2021 SD-10 Ultra Keyless.
In fact, at one point I had a D-10 Franklin and a D-10 GFI Ultra and downsizing I sold the Franklin and kept the GFI as I liked the pedal action better.
Here is the GFI rodding chart.
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Bobby D. Jones
From:
West Virginia, USA
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Posted 25 Apr 2023 12:02 pm
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Check the hole in the changer also, That the pull rod is in.
The changer hole is what gets you close quick, The Bell Crank is the fine adjustment for the pull.
The Rodding Chart Mr. Jack Stoner posted is great.
The first number upper left 3/ is the Changer hole number.
The low right number /5 is the Bell Crank hole number.
Counting from the Changer Axle and the Cross Rod.
I have used GFI's Rodding Chart to set up both my Ultra S12 Universals and they are right on with proper holes.
Good Luck on the changes and Happy Steelin. |
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Thomas Alexander
From:
Ontario, Canada
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Posted 26 Apr 2023 10:52 am
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Thanks for that info guys.
Do you know where I might find more detailed info about the actual process of adjusting the action? I've checkd the GFI site and the old Carter site and they didn't answer my questions. Or is it really as simple as unscrewing the ferrule and attaching the pull rod to a different hole in the bellcrank?
Still wondering about the questions in the OP. |
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Andrew Frost
From:
Toronto, Ontario
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Posted 26 Apr 2023 5:40 pm
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Thomas, you don't need to loosen the strings at all.
Get the guitar safely upside down and undo the brass collar that holds the rod to the bell crank. There's a small black Allen screw in the centre. You can then slide the pull rod out without having to unscrew the nylon nut at the changer.
For your preferences I'd say re-insert the rod(s) in a changer hole closer to the body, so you get a shorter, firmer pull. If you use the same bell crank holes you previously had, you'll most likely need to then loosen/ retune the nylon tuners at the changer, because the new finger slots will take you sharper than you need.
Its not a bad idea to experiment with the bell crank holes vs changer finger slots until you get a feel for how the variables all intersect, and most importantly, get your pedal action just right. |
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Bobby D. Jones
From:
West Virginia, USA
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Posted 26 Apr 2023 8:30 pm
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The closer to the Cross Rod/Shaft you place the Brass Ferule in the Bell Crank, To attach the pull rod. The shorter and quicker the pull will operate. But at a cost of more pressure must be applied to the Pedal or Knee Lever. I like to make the travel longer and Less pressure required on Knee Levers, So a 32 lb. guitar will not go sliding when a Knee Lever is engaged.
Here is a picture of a 7 hole GFI Bell Crank for a side view. The square formed by the 3 sides of metal and screw is where the Bell Crank fits on the square Cross Shaft. Below the screw head is hole No. 1 in the GFI Rodding Chart. Then count to right up and down.
- 2 - 4 - 6
1 - 3 - 5 - 7
GFI on older Ultra Series guitars they have 6 hole Bell Cranks. With 7 hole Bell Cranks where needed for long pulls. New guitars I have seen have all 7 hole bell cranks. The counting pattern would be the same for 6 or 7 hole bell cranks.
I hope the side picture of the Bell Crank helps.
Happy Steelin. |
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Thomas Alexander
From:
Ontario, Canada
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Posted 27 Apr 2023 4:17 am
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Thanks Andrew, so I shouldn't worry about adjusting the pedal stops? Eg swapping the rod to another changer hole and retuning the nylon nut would (in theory) do enough to shorten/stiffen the pull?
Thanks for the pic Bobby, good point about the knee levers. Fortunately I'm pretty happy with the factory spec on the levers! Though if I'm not mistaken, the closer the ferrule is to the cross shaft, the longer and easier the pull, no? Because the crank has to rotate a greater distance to move the rod. Versus a hole farther from the cross shaft, where a shorter rotation of the crank (and therefore a shorter movement of the pedal) would move the rod the same distance.
It seems like gears on a bike. At the crankshaft a larger gear (or a bellcrank connection farther from the crossshaft) means shorter pedal travel for a given rotation of the rear wheel (or the changer). And at the rear wheel, a smaller gear (or a changer hole closer to the changer finger's axis of rotation) would mean the wheel (or changer) moves farther for a given pedal movement. |
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Andrew Frost
From:
Toronto, Ontario
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Posted 27 Apr 2023 9:43 pm
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| Quote: |
| swapping the rod to another changer hole and retuning the nylon nut would (in theory) do enough to shorten/stiffen the pull? |
right, but the thing is, sometimes you can wind up overturning the changer end, if you move to a bell crank slot that's too close to the body or conversely, if you move too far away from the body on the bell crank you can sometimes have to back the nylon tuner off so much you run out of thread.
I'd say get that guitar upside down, undo those brass collars and start experimenting. There are not infinite possibilities to deal with, it shouldn't take too much time and effort to get the variables to your liking. Good luck with it! |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 28 Apr 2023 2:11 am
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"reinventing the wheel" can cause the B pedal 3 and 6 raises to be out of sync. The changer finger holes and puller holes are selected so both strings raise at the same time and reach the raise note above the same.
Builders spend a lot of time getting the mechanics right and unless the guitar was previously mis adjusted I wouldn't vary from factory setup. |
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Thomas Alexander
From:
Ontario, Canada
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Posted 28 Apr 2023 3:38 am
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Sounds good, thanks Andrew. I'll let you know how it turns out!
That is a good point Jack, thanks--certainly something to be mindful of. |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 28 Apr 2023 4:46 am
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| Thomas Alexander wrote: |
Sounds good, thanks Andrew. I'll let you know how it turns out!
That is a good point Jack, thanks--certainly something to be mindful of. |
I have foot neuropathy, caused by chemo. I was having problems pedaling the A and B pedals on a Franklin. I changed, several times, from factory setup and pedal travel and couldn't get it to where I wanted it. After failed changes I went back to factory rodding and pedal travel and it worked! |
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Thomas Alexander
From:
Ontario, Canada
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Posted 28 Apr 2023 5:20 am
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| Definitely an attractive feature of the all-pull design! Easy to customize, and if it doesn't work as expected you can re-set to the factory spec without too much hassle. |
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Bobby D. Jones
From:
West Virginia, USA
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Posted 28 Apr 2023 3:24 pm
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Any time you are setting up pairs of strings on a pedal or knee knee lever pull, Start with the smallest string first, Because it must be pulled farther to reach desired note.
Example: On the B Pedal adjust the 3rd string, Set stops for pull you want FIRST, Then go to the 6th string, The 6th will take less travel and be within the stops set for the 3rd string.
When it comes to setting setting 4-8 raise and lower, And raise 5-10, This may change because of a Plain and Wound string in same pull. The center core diameter controls how fast the wound string will tune.
Good Luck and Happy Steelin. |
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Thomas Alexander
From:
Ontario, Canada
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Posted 28 Apr 2023 10:33 pm
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| Good to know, thanks Bobby! |
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