Is there a tool for this?

tmccartney

Junior Member
I have trouble sometimes getting the wing nuts on my tom brackets tight enough to keep the toms rotated correctly (so they're not resting on the kick), and if I CAN get them tight enough, I have trouble loosening them for disassembly. The old "use a pair of sticks as a wrench" trick doesn't always work.

Is there a special wrench I can get for this purpose, one that won't damage the chrome? Or should I suck it up and use some regular pliers, maybe with a rag to protect the nuts?
 
Pliers, multi grips et al, will work for sure.

I'm more concerned with why you'd need these tools in orders to get the fitting that tight, in order to hold it in the first place. What hardware are you using? I'd argue that if it won't hold when hand tightened, then there is a fundamental flaw with your hardware (i.e, the begining of the threads stripping out)........you shouldn't need that much pressure to hold the tom in place.
 
......you shouldn't need that much pressure to hold the tom in place.

+1 what he said. Either something is stripped, or you're demanding too much from your hardware. I know that I've had NO problems with my 12" and smaller toms, but 13" or bigger are prone to slippage. Get a better mount. I've had no problems with DW hardware in this regard, but tons with Gibraltar, Gretsch, and Ludwig...
 
Are you using a memory lock? You should NOT have to tighten things that much.

Something else, is to take the wingnuts off and add a bit of grease, they won't loosen while playing...

Post pics of your setup so we can see what you are dealing with...
 
Gibby makes one, or you could do it the old skool way, use your sticks. Sandwich the wing screw between your sticks at their middle and turn using both hands, one at one end of sticks, one hand at the other end. This only works if you have room for the sticks.




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My hardware's all packed up and loaded at the moment, but I guess I need to take a good look at the L-rods and see if the splines are all worn out. I bought this kit used.

That Gibraltar wing key looks like just the thing.

Thanks, everyone!
 
I'm actually having the same problem with my DW drums. The bass drum rail mount will slip forward a bit with the weight of the 12" x 8" tom. If I place the memory lock it seems OK. My dealer ordered a new rail mount which should be in any day. I never had problems with any type of ball mount systems at all. In fact in over 45 years I haven't had a problem with my vintage pearl kit's tom mount and that's basically the same as the DW. It just goes to show even some of the better hardware has its problems now and again.

BTW, you can only go so far with a pair of pliers. Some hardware is very easily stripped with a little too much pressure. I would rather get one of those kitchen plastic discs, I don't know what they're called, but they're used to exert more friction to open jar lids. I keep one in every gig bag for anything that might get stuck or needs tightened, it seems like a safer bet.

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Dennis
 
Definitely sounds like you need memory locks. Unless it's the joint of the tom arm. If that's the case - are you using a gear joint? A ball joint or the Pearl GyroLock would be a better route to go. They eliminate gears so you can set your toms up in any position without worrying about getting stuck between gear teeth.

P.S. be careful with tightening because if you're between gears, you're going to destroy the teeth and you'll have a dead spot.
 
This is why I don't use DW, Tama, Gibraltar, or Ludwig hardware anymore (any of the L-arm types). The Yamaha tom arm and mount works, and you don't have to use nut-crushing, hammer of Thor, uber strength, to make it work.
 
This is why I don't use DW, Tama, Gibraltar, or Ludwig hardware anymore (any of the L-arm types). The Yamaha tom arm and mount works, and you don't have to use nut-crushing, hammer of Thor, uber strength, to make it work.

When used properly, there is no problems with any of the L-arm mounts... when used properly..
 
When used properly, there is no problems with any of the L-arm mounts... when used properly..

Yep...

I've had issues with L-rods before but it was mostly me; not the hardware.

If you mount your tom at an angle, it will want to droop down eventually and rub your kick drum as you described. Try to mount it where it's already hanging straight down at you from the rod (hope that makes sense). Otherwise you will have to use a small memory lock on the L-rod.

This is exactly why I eventually went to putting my rack tom on a snare stand. I also like the added benefit of having everything move independently of each other.
 
Do you have 10.5 L-arms and 12mm tom mounts?. If so you will never get them tight properly.
 
Gibby makes one, or you could do it the old skool way, use your sticks. Sandwich the wing screw between your sticks at their middle and turn using both hands, one at one end of sticks, one hand at the other end. This only works if you have room for the sticks.




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I have a WingKey and I love it. You shouldn't have to use a tool to tighten wing nuts, but occasionally the tool is helpful to loosen them.
 
Yep...

I've had issues with L-rods before but it was mostly me; not the hardware.

If you mount your tom at an angle, it will want to droop down eventually and rub your kick drum as you described. Try to mount it where it's already hanging straight down at you from the rod (hope that makes sense). Otherwise you will have to use a small memory lock on the L-rod.

This is exactly why I eventually went to putting my rack tom on a snare stand. I also like the added benefit of having everything move independently of each other.

It doesn't matter what angle you put your toms at. When used properly, there shouldn't be ANY problems. Using memory locks on the tom arms are there to help.

Timely maintenance goes without saying, which means inspecting your gear and fixing potential problems...

For example, and I don't care for him, but his setup illustrates my point. Look at Lars, his toms on his larger setups at quite an angle. Even mounting a 16" rack tom at one time. ALL using the L-arm mounts. All those kits had memory locks except for the Granstars which had hex shaped L arms..

It can be done, if done right....
 
Can someone take a CLOSE UP of the assembly in question? My big fear is that you may strip your assembly and instead i could devise a solution and let you know what it is. Just trying to help.
 
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