Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Sometimes the factory tape on the rods gets caught up in the channel and prevents the rods from working properly. I have fixed 2 in last year where the tape was overlapped too much. The ones that work well have very little overlap.

Ted's right on with his observation. I do re-wrap the rods, but the tape MUST be severely angled when wrapping so the overlap is about 1/16" or even less. I use thin 3M tape, too (#2600) available at places like Home Depot.

The direction you wrap the tape has a lot to do with how easily the rods will re-insert. You should wrap from the threaded end back to the bottom.

Last trick: Wax the tape with paste wax like Johnson's floor wax or Meguiar's in a can. Wax lightly, then wipe with a clean soft cloth to buff the wax and make the tape nice and slick.