squeaky, creaky pedal puzzler---NO ONE WILL SOLVE THIS!

[Mike McCoy]

Action bracket knob loose and bracket rubbing on the bolt threads.....??

Mike

Tom Sivak wrote:
> List
>  
> Fixed a squeaky pedal today and the solution to the probem was one 
> that never occurred to me, nor will anyone on this list solve it, 
> including you, Paul Revenko-Jones! 
>  
> Now, I'm not saying I'm any better than you guys; it's much harder to 
> figure something like this out from cyberspace.  I had the distinct 
> advantage of having my hands on the piano (and an hour and a half of 
> time). 
>  
> But what I am saying is that the squeak came from somewhere you'll 
> never guess.  (So, think outside the box!)
>  
> The piano: a Yamaha P202 from the 80s.  The squeak occurred on the 
> release of the damper pedal.  It was a creak more than a squeak.  Like 
> a rusty door hinge, it would creak 4 or 5 distinct times rapidly in a 
> row, almost like a cricket.  It was LOUD.  (You could actually release 
> the pedal slowly and hear each individual creak.  It sounded like 
> somebody cracking their knuckles.)
>  
> Here's what I did that DIDN'T fix it:
> 1.  Floor board was loose at the front where the movers damaged the 
> bottom a bit.  Put more screws in to keep it from moving upon 
> depression of the pedal.  That didn't fix it.
> 2. Lubricated EVERY friction point from the pedal itself to the damper 
> lift rod connectors in the action.  Nope.
> 3. Tightened the screws on the pedal floor bracket and also the 
> bracket that holds the horizontal lever that connects the pedal to the 
> vertical damper rod.  (This actually eliminated a clunk that happened 
> on the downward movement of the pedal but didn't affect the creak on 
> the upside.)
>  
> At this point, with the clunk gone,  I realized that the creak was 
> coming from above the keys, not below.  Sure enough, I could 
> disconnect the vertical damper rod from the pedal assembly and with my 
> hands, push the damper lift rod up and there was the squeak, clear as day.
> So I focused on what was above the keys. 
>  
> 4. I removed the action and moved the damper lift rod with my finger 
> and there was no creak.  Perfectly silent.  Hhhhmmmm....maybe it's the 
> rod itself. 
> 5. Yes!  I found that the pedal rod had a deteriorating rubber nipple 
> on the top and replaced it!  Nope.
> 6. Put new punchings to cushion the vertical damper rod on both ends.  
> Still creaky.
> 7. Removed the action and tightened all the screws in the action 
> brackets.  I did find a couple that were slightly loose, but...nope, 
> still there.
> 8. Tightened case screws on the interior of the piano.  (OK, at this 
> point, I was grasping at straws.)
>  
> So...here's your big clue, since this will be hard enough even with a 
> clue:
>  
> *The creak only occurs when the action is in the piano.  And it 
> happens whether you lift the dampers using the pedal or push up the 
> damper lift rod with your hands.  Yet, take the action out of the 
> piano and lift the damper lift rod with your hands, and there's total 
> silence.  Back in the piano,  there it is again!*
>  
> Any ideas?
>
> Prove me wrong.  Somebody solve this one.  I dare you.  LOL! 
>  
> I won't let this go on too long, but anybody got an idea?
>
> Tom Sivak
> Chicago
>  
>  
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