Legs wont stay up! Help!

Alan Struthers · From: New Jersey, USA

I was trying to adjust the length of my steel's legs and the clutch (or collar or whatever the proper term is) just wont grip at all. I've taken it apart to see what's going on, but except for the clutch there are no moving parts, just two rings: one metal. the other plastic or fiber. In all respects, these legs look the same and are designed the same as those on my other PSGs.

Before I posted this, several other forum members personally gave me some ideas (and thanks again to them!). One was to put a dowel inside the leg, and I can see that this would work to keep the leg from collapsing, but (1) I would lose the ability to change the height and (2) the inner part of the leg would still fall out when I lifted the guitar. Another suggestion was to make sure I had the rings put on correctly. I have verified that, and I have tried putting them on in alternative, non-proper ways, all to no avail.

I'm looking for ideas. What can I do? I'm not a mechanic so I could be doing something naive. Do the rings wear out? Do I need new legs? Is there some trick I should know about?

Thanks.
Alan
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Ron Pruter · From: Arizona, USA

Alan, do a search on this site and you will get what you need. Ricky Davis Davis is one with great advice on the subject. RP
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Alan Struthers · From: New Jersey, USA

Here's what I'm trying next, with thanks to Ricky Davis.

Ricky Davis
From:
Bertram, Texas USA
Post Posted 24 Feb 2019 5:35pm

Well I've been restoring pedal steels now for over 20 years and so that is at least 100 of them...and almost every one had a leg slipping and HERE IS WHY>
Over tightening.
Here's how I fixed hundreds of legs; yes EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM and now they don't slip after I fixed.
After OVER-tightening; there gets a build up of small metal shavings in the threads and that is what needs to be cleaned out. So take the tightener off...and with 3 and 1 oil or any very light oil..>gun oil; Sewing machine oil..etc...
Oil up a rag and clean all threads on inside of tightener and threads on the leg bar.
Put back together; make sure both fittings are on the small diameter bar, that you are actually tightening do not move; as metal fitting up against leg thread and plastic fitting against it...and put tightener back down...slowly screwing back to leg making sure it threads straight....and tighten slowly then loosen; then tighten; couple of times...then normal tighten and you're good to go.

Here's hoping that it works.
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Bill Ladd · From: Wilmington, NC, USA

Soon as I saw the title I thought, he needs to talk to Ricky!

Bobby D. Jones · From: West Virginia, USA

Rickey suggestion is very important. Clean oiled threads on the clutch is the first thing to check.

Also clean the outside of inter tube and inside surface of the plastic piece in clutch with alcohol. Some one may have waxed the inter tube to make it pretty and shiny.

Another thing to check is the piece of plastic like material that is the gripper on the inter tube in the clutch.
Remove the wide plastic piece from the clutch, Slide plastic sleeve on the inter tube, And grip the plastic piece tight against the inter leg tube, with your fingers. Check close the slot in the plastic. If the ends of the plastic contact with each other. Cut one end of the plastic sleeve in the slot, Till you have about 1/16 inch opening where the ends meet each other. This space allows the sleeve to collapse tighter around inter tube.

If the plastic has been swelled under pressure and hardened in use, The wedging effect of the tapered sleeves can not force the plastic sleeve to grip the inter tube.

I had to cut the slot in the plastic sleeve wider on a 50 year old MSA to get it to hold solid.

Good Luck in curing you slippery leg and Happy Steelin.

Ricky Davis · From: Bertram, Texas USA

If and when you get tired of trying to fix horrible Leg clutches for one reason or another; just buy new legs and they will NOT mess up on you for 30 years. My friend Gary Sill has them discounted to the point of 50.00 bux a leg>
https://www.sillmusicsupply.com/4-great-looking-Steel-Guitar-Legs-same-as-used-by-many-of-the-pedal-steel-manufacturers_p_33.html
I've bought from Gary and yes indeed they are BRAND FREAKIN NEW PERFECT....PERIOD.
Ricky
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Email Ricky: sshawaiian2362@gmail.com

Steve Lipsey · From: Portland, Oregon, USA

I found that the fiber piece on mine was worn smooth and just roughed it up a bit with a file, and the legs held fine after that...
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Alan Struthers · From: New Jersey, USA

Thanks for your suggestions. I must say that I am really impressed by the amount of knowledge here on the Forum and by the willingness of everybody to share their knowledge.

Here's an update. I tried Ricky's cleaning technique, and I got a lot of brown stains off the threads. Sadly, it didn't work. I also tried Bobby's idea of cleaning off the plastic ring with alcohol. That didn't do the trick either. My next step will be to cut the slot in the plastic ring to make it wider.
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Gettin' better . . .
Excel ExSTAR U12, Mullen Royal Precision D-10, MCI SD10, Peavy Nashville 112, Fender Princeton, Gibson RB-3, Gold Tone dobro, Martin D-18, and other stuff

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

If all else fails, you can buy new clutch parts. Here's a link to Atlas who most likely mfg'ed the legs in the first place. They are just mic stand parts cut down to use for steel legs. https://www.atlasied.com/microphone-stand-accessories-replacement-parts

Alan Struthers · From: New Jersey, USA

I tried to widen the gap in the plastic ring. Maybe I didn't do it enough, but that didn't help.

And Jerry, the Atlas company's mike stand parts looks promising. I had searched for "leg repair kit" and some other terms, but that one eluded me.

Anyhow, I bought some new legs from Gary Sill so I can start with a clean slate. Thanks to everybody for your help!
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Gettin' better . . .
Excel ExSTAR U12, Mullen Royal Precision D-10, MCI SD10, Peavy Nashville 112, Fender Princeton, Gibson RB-3, Gold Tone dobro, Martin D-18, and other stuff

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