Cutting a truss rod

beyondat · #1 07-09-2011, 01:40 PM

Whats good, for starters I have no experience with this. Now that I have taken out my broken truss rod and my new traditional truss rod has arrived from stewmac I am ready to install. It just dawned on me that I have no idea of the length it should be but I do know that it need to be cut. Would it be a good idea to cut it to the same length as the broken one? It seems like it would make sense but better safe than sorry. Thanks for any help

T-Bird · #2 07-09-2011, 10:51 PM

Hi.

Unless one's making a TR from scratch, I have never heard that the TR needs to be shortened.

That would require a lot of work, rolling new threads or welding a new anchor, for starters.

Care to elaborate a bit?

Talking about a Ric?

Regards
Sam

Rockingbird · #3 07-09-2011, 11:07 PM

Which rod? What neck is it going in?

beyondat · #4 07-10-2011, 07:57 AM

Its a 5-string mim neck. it had a broken rod that i removed and planned to replace with a newly purchase traditional rod from stewmac. i figured that I would cut it to match the length of the broken rod since the new one is longer. i want to make sure I have enough threads so it doesn't max out. looks kinda tricky.

Rockingbird · #5 07-10-2011, 08:46 PM

STEWMAC.COM : Traditional Truss Rod Kit

^This one? If so, I think you have the right idea. You'll just need to find a way to cut the threads on one end.

BOOURNS · #6 07-10-2011, 09:02 PM

It says right in the pic that you have to "cut to length" then thread the rod. It even shows the die to use. Make sure you use some oil on that rod when your using that die itll make your life alot easier.

beyondat · #7 07-10-2011, 09:34 PM

I actually already threaded the rod but was just unsure of the length to cut it. Thank God I kept the old truss rod.

bassgod0dmw · #8 07-11-2011, 06:58 AM

Well, you're going to need to thread it again after you cut it...unless you made threads multiple inches onto the rod.

berwick63 · #9 07-11-2011, 07:09 AM

Well.. If it's not already on the anchor, why not cut that end instead of cutting off factory threads and making your own..? That seems pointless. That stewmac rod says "This kit includes a 24" x 3/16" stainless steel truss rod, threaded on one end for the adjusting nut" So if it's threaded..why would you cut the threads off and rethread it..? Instead, cut the anchor end.. and then peen it over, file smooth.

beyondat · #10 07-11-2011, 07:19 AM

I'm not gonna cut the nut end. The anchor end is what's in question here. I've threaded it and my next step will be to cut to length. It's a big step that could render my rod usless if cut too short.

bassgod0dmw · #11 07-11-2011, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by berwick63

Well.. If it's not already on the anchor, why not cut that end instead of cutting off factory threads and making your own..? That seems pointless. That stewmac rod says "This kit includes a 24" x 3/16" stainless steel truss rod, threaded on one end for the adjusting nut" So if it's threaded..why would you cut the threads off and rethread it..? Instead, cut the anchor end.. and then peen it over, file smooth.

For that rod, the supplied anchor is threaded as well so both ends of the rod get threaded.

Quote:

Originally Posted by beyondat

I'm not gonna cut the nut end. The anchor end is what's in question here. I've threaded it and my next step will be to cut to length. It's a big step that could render my rod usless if cut too short.

Just cut the rod to be the same length as the old rod, nothing scientific about it.

What I was saying is since you've already threaded it, you're going to end up cutting those new threads off when shortening the rod to length. Thus making you re thread that end...

Basically, you probably should have cut the rod first and then threaded it.