help lubricating pedal and rod on a suitcase

[Abraham]

Would you share any hints on this subject? wich oil to use, which parts to be lubricated... its noisy all the way... thank you

[Rob A]

I'm pretty sure the only bearing parts are where the pins insert into the harp support blocks. There's supposed to be a nylon washer, but sometimes they get lost. I'd put teflon here, and get a nylon washer if yours is missing.

[Ben Bove]

I also want to add - you'll need to figure out what is noisy to your disliking.  There are a couple things that cause noise in the suitcase sustain mechanism:

• Clanky noise when the Rod extending bolt or dowel isn't long enough, and there is a gap when your foot is depressed and then starts to activate the petal.  Sounds like metal parts flapping around
• Creeking noise, which can be caused by friction between the rod extending bolt and a nylon washer in the speaker cabinet at the exit point at the top, lack of felt where the dowel meets the sustain bar on the inside of the piano, or like Rob said where the 2 pivot pins are where the sustain bar rotates.

A good way to test is to pick up and move one side of your piano top at a 45 degree angle to where it still sits on top of the cabinet, but you can see the sustain bolt coming through the bottom cabinet, and test the pedal without activating the piano top.  If the noise goes away, try adding pressure with your finger on the bolt as you depress pedal.  That should let you know which section is causing the problem, top or bottom.  You can also test the sustain rail in the top piano by removing the harp lid, and grabbing it with your hand in the back under the harp.

I've used WD-40, Silicon spray or teflon products which all have a positive effect

[pianotuner steveo]

If the noise is more of a clanking noise, add felt,leather or rubber to the top and bottom of the rod.

[Abraham]

Yesterday I got the time to fix this, then I got my suitcase amp opened and I got the pedal lubricated. So that friction-like sound has definitely gone...

but, about the other "clanky" noise you pointed... there it is! (Yeah I had both...)

Inside the bottom amp everything is ok now, when the top is apart everything works properly. Then it seems there's a gap inside the piano, right before the damper rail. Whenever you press the pedal, it takes a while for the rod block to touch the damper rail, which translates to that clanky noise. So there was supposed to be a nylon washer there?

Also, how do I remove the damper rail so I can put a piece of something there, filling the gap, without getting the whole thing apart?

[Abraham]

nevemind! fugured it out myself! so the top side of the rod had screw-like shape for a reason... doh!

[David Aubke]

I'm pretty sure the only bearing parts are where the pins insert into the harp support blocks. There's supposed to be a nylon washer, but sometimes they get lost.

I'm sorry to be a pedant but the nylon piece is a bushing, not just a washer. I wouldn't point this out except that I think it's critical to its functionality. It extends into the pin hole and acts as a bearing to keep the mechanism smooth and quiet.

[Rob A]

Fair enough, I was not looking at it when I was typing the reply.