Shearing off ball joints

Adrian Dunlop · From: Thornbury, Victoria, Australia

Hoping someone can answer this for me. I'm a new PSG player (& maybe too heavy footed).

I'm breaking the ball joints (where the thread meets the hex) on a 97 Sierra Artist. I've screwed the ball joints in fully. When I look from the side of the pedal, the ball joint dosen't meet the pedal at right angles, there's extra distance at the bottom, i.e. the thread in the pedal isn't at right angles its surface where the ball joint screws in. Same on all 3 pedals. Have snapped 2 in 3 days.

This seems to me to mean there will always be stress on the ball joint thread and they'll tend to snap due to the pressure from above.

Is this a production fault? Should I file that part of the pedal back so the surface will be at right angles to the thread? Or is there a perfectly good reason for this and I should leave it well alone? Thanks.

[This message was edited by Adrian Dunlop on 19 April 2004 at 04:29 AM.]

Ernie Pollock · From: Mt Savage, Md USA

Adrian: I think that may not be as much your fault as it was the companies design on that guitar. I have a student who has broken two of those in just a short time with the Sierra Artist. I wish I could tell you a quick fix for that, but I am just a picker myself. Sierra is gone now, at least I assume they are so I guess you better lay in a supply of those for the future. Maybe you could trade that one in on a better guitar, a GFI or something like that.
Ernie

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Ed Naylor · From: portsmouth.ohio usa, R.I.P.

I have heard this from several players. And all brands of guitars. There is only one or two companies that make these connectors. I think possibly there was a batch made that possibly were not up to specs. Ed Naylor Steel Guitar Works

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

The threaded holes should definitely be at a right angle to the (mating) surface. If the entire "hex part" of the ball studs don't seat flush against the pedal surface, you'll continually break them off! If you can do a good job with a file, you can fix the problem yourself. Just put the pedals in a vise, and take your time, filing very carefully while striving to achieve a flat surface that's perpendicular to the tapped hole.

[This message was edited by Donny Hinson on 20 April 2004 at 06:30 PM.]

Bill Ford · From: Graniteville SC Aiken

Or, if there is enough threads on the other side of the pedal to put a nut on it, you could drill the threads out and put a nut on the backside, or take the pedal(s) to a machine shop and have them put a heli-coil in the crooked ones.

BF

Adrian Dunlop · From: Thornbury, Victoria, Australia

Thanks everyone for the advice and suggestions. Donny - I filed the surface of the pedals flat and have had no more ball joints breaking since.

Ernie Pollock · From: Mt Savage, Md USA

Thanks Donnie for that hint!! I am going to do that on my students guitar for him, this sure is a great place for ideas isn't it!! And from a 'fellow Marylander' at that!!

Ernie Pollock

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