<!doctype html public "-//w3c//dtd html 4.0 transitional//en"> <html> Sounds plausible. How many pianos have those "split" rods, a majority or a minority?  I've seen them, of course, but I have never removed the action from most pianos I tune, or when I did, I didn't think to check this out for any reason. Can anyone verify that Keith's hunch is correct here, or might that liftrod spring be there for some other reason? Regards, Clyde Keith McGavern wrote: <blockquote TYPE=CITE><style type="text/css"></style> Joey, Clyde, Got to thinking more about the actual function/purpose of that lever. It's primary purpose may not necessarily be what I said at all. More likely on a piano that has this added damper lever, the damper lever lift rod is actually two rods, allowing the bass dampers to be lifted independently. So maybe this lever's actual purpose is intended to keep the two rods in contact with one another acting as though it were one. Keith McGavern Registered Piano Technician Oklahoma Chapter 731 Piano Technicians GuildUSA  At 7:02 AM -0500 11/28/03, Clyde Hollinger wrote: <blockquote type="cite" cite>... How important is this liftrod spring? ...</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite>  <blockquote type="cite" cite> Joey Recker wrote: <blockquote type="cite" cite>... On almost every upright and spinet piano I've worked on...  there is an extra damper lever assembly where the action brackets are.  There is no wire nor damper head/felt attached to the lever, but someone took the trouble to put a lever, and sping there anyway.</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite>Why?</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote> </blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite> Joey, That lever is used to insure the damper lever lift rods are moved away from the damper levers when the sustain pedal is released. ... Keith McGavern</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite>Registered Piano Technician</blockquote> </blockquote>  </blockquote> </html>