Little Black Rubber Thingies - Page 2

Drew McPheeters · 04-03-2012, 04:57 PM

Double post

Andrew Adams · 04-03-2012, 07:22 PM

They are indeed to prevent them from falling out, when the rim is removed and tipped upside down. Mthey don't prevent dust from working their way into them, since dust gets on the lug, then gets threaded into the hole. That one little rubber ring (or plastic on Pearls) won't really stop that.

They aren't necessary if you are careful with them. In fact, when SFU was playing Pearls, they actually took them off, hoping that removing them allowed the drum to resonate more.

Drew McPheeters · 04-04-2012, 07:59 AM

My experience is that I have less thread fowling. YMMV.

Also, not a huge concern here, but still happens, the o-ring helps prevent water from getting down in the threads as well.

Keeping the lugs captive is of minor value IMHO. Unless it is an emergency situation before a performance, I take each lug, and chase the threads through a die, and clean and apply fresh lubrication.

Tom MacKenzie · 04-04-2012, 11:03 AM

Also when re-installing the tension screws place them in the socket, and turn them counter-clockwise with a bit of downward pressure until you hear a click, then turn them clockwise to tighten.

The click means that the threads are aligned.

I got this from Graham Brown who got this from Hugh Cameron.

drum76 · 04-04-2012, 03:05 PM

Bonnie,

I just got to tinker with four new HTS 800s today. I had to take off the batter hoops to get those darn carry hooks off! There are two sizes of black "O" rings on this model. The larger size prevents the tension bolt inserts from falling out from below the suspension ring when the tension bolt is completely unscrewed. The smaller ones on the tension bolts are designed to hold the bolt in place even if it works loose (bottom head) and are also really handy during top head changes.

I'll have to borrow the words of Randy Jackson of American Idol:

PREMIER IS BACK BABY! AND IN IT TO WIN IT!

p.s. I thought Andante had engineered out the dust???

Bonnie Pedersen · 04-04-2012, 06:42 PM

Thanks for all the information. We do not have the luxury of changing out heads more than about once every year or so, so when I change heads, I take out every tension screw and receiving lug, inspect, soak in degreaser, regrease with with lithium grease and put it all back together with a new head. Long process, but our drums are in great shape.
So, all those little O-rings on the tension screws tend to be just a PIA. Over the 8 years we have had our drums, we have lost 3 or 4 of them, and I was just wondering how vital they are to replace. Sounds like I can do without them, but will check out a bulk buy when I am next in a good, old-fasioned hardware store.

Goat Skin · 04-05-2012, 07:56 AM

Frankly I've never relied on the O rings for anything. Being from Utah, the home of Morton Thiokol, where the failure of one of their o rings was blamed for a horrible disaster, despite their warnings of sub-freezing launch restrictions, I avoid O rings like the plague.

When I change out heads, I give the tenison lugs a WD40 bath. This always removes any unwanted muck from the threads and I haven't had a double threading problem since I started this practice. Actually I haven't seen double threading since the HTS200 days.

We also used to apply vaseline to the lugs before threading them in, but I've heard this has caused more problems than solved. What are people using now?

Andrew Adams · 04-06-2012, 02:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goat Skin

We also used to apply vaseline to the lugs before threading them in, but I've heard this has caused more problems than solved. What are people using now?

White lithium grease.

Tom MacKenzie · 04-06-2012, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew Adams

White lithium grease.

What Andrew says.

tomm

rpeitzsch · 04-06-2012, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom MacKenzie

What Andrew says.

tomm

What Tomm says.

04-03-2012, 04:57 PM	#11
Drew McPheeters Holy smoking keyboard! Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Colorado Springs, CO Posts: 2,348	Re: Little Black Rubber Thingies Double post __________________ "I'm fixin to R-U-N-N-O-F-T"

04-03-2012, 07:22 PM	#12
Andrew Adams Forum Clasp Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Bellows Falls, VT Posts: 958	Re: Little Black Rubber Thingies They are indeed to prevent them from falling out, when the rim is removed and tipped upside down. Mthey don't prevent dust from working their way into them, since dust gets on the lug, then gets threaded into the hole. That one little rubber ring (or plastic on Pearls) won't really stop that. They aren't necessary if you are careful with them. In fact, when SFU was playing Pearls, they actually took them off, hoping that removing them allowed the drum to resonate more. __________________ If you try, you run the risk of failing. By not trying, you ensure it.

04-04-2012, 07:59 AM	#13
Drew McPheeters Holy smoking keyboard! Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Colorado Springs, CO Posts: 2,348	Re: Little Black Rubber Thingies My experience is that I have less thread fowling. YMMV. Also, not a huge concern here, but still happens, the o-ring helps prevent water from getting down in the threads as well. Keeping the lugs captive is of minor value IMHO. Unless it is an emergency situation before a performance, I take each lug, and chase the threads through a die, and clean and apply fresh lubrication. __________________ "I'm fixin to R-U-N-N-O-F-T"

04-04-2012, 11:03 AM	#14
Tom MacKenzie Forum Clasp Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 998	Re: Little Black Rubber Thingies Also when re-installing the tension screws place them in the socket, and turn them counter-clockwise with a bit of downward pressure until you hear a click, then turn them clockwise to tighten. The click means that the threads are aligned. I got this from Graham Brown who got this from Hugh Cameron. __________________ tom.mackenzie@sympatico.ca

04-04-2012, 03:05 PM	#15
drum76 Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Middleburg, Virginia Posts: 92	Re: Little Black Rubber Thingies Bonnie, I just got to tinker with four new HTS 800s today. I had to take off the batter hoops to get those darn carry hooks off! There are two sizes of black "O" rings on this model. The larger size prevents the tension bolt inserts from falling out from below the suspension ring when the tension bolt is completely unscrewed. The smaller ones on the tension bolts are designed to hold the bolt in place even if it works loose (bottom head) and are also really handy during top head changes. I'll have to borrow the words of Randy Jackson of American Idol: PREMIER IS BACK BABY! AND IN IT TO WIN IT! p.s. I thought Andante had engineered out the dust??? __________________ As a plea for standardisation in drumming let us quote the effect of fifteen Bands, as a massed Band, beating fifteen different settings - the result -"Bedlam," to say the least of it. Drum Major John 'Pop' Seton DCM, BEM

04-04-2012, 06:42 PM	#16
Bonnie Pedersen Forum Silver Medal Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Covington, Louisiana Posts: 407	Re: Little Black Rubber Thingies Thanks for all the information. We do not have the luxury of changing out heads more than about once every year or so, so when I change heads, I take out every tension screw and receiving lug, inspect, soak in degreaser, regrease with with lithium grease and put it all back together with a new head. Long process, but our drums are in great shape. So, all those little O-rings on the tension screws tend to be just a PIA. Over the 8 years we have had our drums, we have lost 3 or 4 of them, and I was just wondering how vital they are to replace. Sounds like I can do without them, but will check out a bulk buy when I am next in a good, old-fasioned hardware store. __________________ Reality is only an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.

04-05-2012, 07:56 AM	#17
Goat Skin Forum Silver Medal Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Utah Posts: 460	Re: Little Black Rubber Thingies Frankly I've never relied on the O rings for anything. Being from Utah, the home of Morton Thiokol, where the failure of one of their o rings was blamed for a horrible disaster, despite their warnings of sub-freezing launch restrictions, I avoid O rings like the plague. When I change out heads, I give the tenison lugs a WD40 bath. This always removes any unwanted muck from the threads and I haven't had a double threading problem since I started this practice. Actually I haven't seen double threading since the HTS200 days. We also used to apply vaseline to the lugs before threading them in, but I've heard this has caused more problems than solved. What are people using now? __________________ A drummer is erudite when instruction and reading followed by digestion and contemplation have effaced all rudeness that is to say smoothed away all raw, untrained incivility.