[pianotech] practice rail issue

[Paul McCloud]

Hi, Marshall:
I can't understand the muffler rail situation without pictures.  I've worked on tons of Young Changs, but nothing like what you describe.  The muffler rails on the Young Chang pianos I worked on had a rod bent 90 degrees at the end, and which engaged the left bracket of the muffler rail.  The spring connects to that bracket, with the other end of the spring hooked to a screw eye inside the case.  The spring pulls up on the bracket, so if the pedal rod isn't hooked to the bracket, the spring will lift the rail as high as it can.  What I think is happening is that the connecting rod to the pedal is grossly misadjusted.  There is a plastic turnbuckle just behind the knee board which adjusts the muffler rail.  Often that turnbuckle is broken, or the rod which threads into it has come out.  Of course, that would mean that the pedal is no longer connected to the muffler rail at all.  Something doesn't add up, so it would have been better if you had some photos of it.
As far as the squeaking damper lift rod, you need to find where the damper rod hangersbrackets are, and use some kind of lube (Protek or Goose Juice) there.  No need to remove the lift rod.
Hope that helps.
Paul McCloud
San DIego  

----- Original Message -----
From: "Marshall Gisondi" <pianotune05 at hotmail.com>
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Sent: Tuesday, February 5, 2013 7:27:51 PM
Subject: [pianotech] practice rail issue


View 0205131922.jpg in slide show
Hi Everyone, 
My last piano today was a Young chang G116 The practice/mffler rail was doing this odd thing. my customer said it was broken. So I looked at it and when I hooked it up, it would come toward me rather than over the hammers when the pedal was depressed. By inspecting the picture, is it possible that the spring is bad causing it to flip to the wrong dirction? The part with the red felt that connects to the pedal rod seems to be facing the wrong dirctino. the reason I think it's the spring is due to the fact that if I try to face the part with the red felt in the correct direction, the spring flips it back to the wrong position. Plus the spring looked odd in the middle when I took it out of the piano. This practice rail is the typie that sits on a bolt and a round nut I guess flat on top turns and tightens the rail in place. The part with the spring that catches the pedal pushes into a hole in the side of the piano, but hangs loosly.. What are your thoughts? 

The other problem is that the damper lift rod squeeks when I depress the sustain pedal. There is a creaking sound around that area when I depress the pedal. Is ths only way to correct this to take out the action remove dampers number t hem of course and lubricate that damper lift rod? What would be a good remody for that rod? Woudl goose juice do the trick? Thanks 
Marshall 

Marshall Gisondi 
MARSHALL'S PIANO SERVICE 
215-510-9400 
http://www.phillytuner.com