Piano Truck Installation

[Jon Page]

First, you will need to remove the lyre because once the casters are removed
the piano would be teetering on it. Next, you have to remove each leg to unscrew
the caster socket from the leg, the caster and socket are an integral unit.

I installed a truck on a S&S A yesterday.  To support the piano while a leg is
removed, construct a 'faux leg'.  Mine consists of two pieces of 3/4" plywood
and a sawed-off section of a continuous hinge.  This allows it to fold flat for storage
and transportation.  25 1/2" in length, width: one 5", one 6".  Attach the hinge to the
5" piece, position it on the 6' piece to align the outer edges, affix the hinge to that
position. When you open the two, it will stop a 90 degrees. This is sufficient to brace
the piano.

Before you leave the shop, construct a 'truck stop'.  These are two wedges which are
inserted under the truck as you place the piano leg thereon, keeping that leg from 
pressing the truck to the floor, raising the other arm/s.

'Dy fit' the truck first by positioning the ends beside each leg (same side). Do not tighten the webbing
or arm bolts yet. Lift the bass or treble leg, position the truck and wedge, lower the leg onto the truck.
Repeat for the other front leg.  The wedges under the front legs will prevent the rear arm from rising in
the air (which might nick the leg).  Position truck under rear leg.

Final tweaking can be done by kicking the web and arms, there shouldn't be much, if any,
since you had dry-fitted first.  Tighten all 7 bolts.

Place the casters in a bag or box and give them to the owners to place in storage.
I sometimes place them in a box, label it, and place it on top of the shelf over the rear leg.

The S&S A yesterday posed a particular problem.  The bottoms of the legs were 5" round, too large
for the square cups on the truck.  I didn't want the piano sitting on their somewhat thin edges, so I made
supports. The day before, I removed a leg to measure the dimensions of the 'cup' in the bottom of the leg.
I made three conical-shaped blocks to support the weight and register the legs securely on the truck.
I bolted these to the arms with 7/16" bolts. The legs rested soundly.  ( I forgot to bring my camera).
The support blocks measured: H = 1 11/16",  Tapering: 2 1/4" to 3 3/4~7/8". 

I made an extra set to place on a truck which I installed last summer. This one, same large round legs;
I only used long 5/16" bolts to extend up into installed sockets to keep the legs secured to the truck.
I prefer the support these block provide.  It was this job which got me to thinking of these blocks.

I'll try to remember the camera this time.

Regards,

Jon Page, piano technician
Harwich Port, Cape Cod, Mass.
mailto:jonpage@comcast.net
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