Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Has anyone had any occasions where their straplocks keep coming apart?

I've even tried tightening the nuts with a spanner but they still keep working loose, I find mysef having to check and tighten them before each time I play my 4003 and at last night's gig at the end of the night I found one of the chrome nuts and a washer on the floor next to my rig even though I'd tightened them earlier, albeit by hand only.

I'm sure it can't be just me that has problems with these? Really they need some sort of a serrated washer or something to stop the nuts from un-screwing themselves, I didn't really want to go to the extremes of super-gluing them on but am getting a bit fed up with having to continually check & adjust them for tightness all the while.

Any suggestions anyone?

Two of my other basses have Dunlop straplocks - I think they're brilliant! No issues whatsoever with them, it's a shame they won't fit on a Ric, well they would if you replaced the strap bolts with traditional screws but I'm not prepared to do this. I think they're better than the Schallers IMHO, easier to use and seemingly more secure?

I've never had any problem with them loosening up, but you could always try some Loctite thread locker. Loctite 222 low strength will hold 'em just fine and make it easy to take apart if/when you want to...
http://www.amazon.com/Loctite-38653-Pur ... B0002KKTT0

cjj wrote:I've never had any problem with them loosening up, but you could always try some Loctite thread locker. Loctite 222 low strength will hold 'em just fine and make it easy to take apart if/when you want to...
http://www.amazon.com/Loctite-38653-Pur ... B0002KKTT0

Thanks for the suggestion CJ, seems to be a fairly simple solution. I've done a quick web search - it seems 10ml is the smallest size here in the uk. I'll be very surprised if no one else hasn't had issues with these straplocks coming undone though.

I always think of Loctite 'cause I seem to have a bunch of old bottles of it around, but yeah, it's kind of spendy stuff.

You could probably put some aliphatic resin type wood glue such as Titebond II on the threads too. It won't stick too well, but might "gum up" the threads enough to hold 'em. Can't hurt to try it...

Yes it does seem to be quite expensive stuff so the smaller the tube/bottle the better! Would clear silicone sealant do a similar job?

If the threads were a bit longer I might have tried to put a second nut on top which would act as a lock-nut.

Yeah, silicone would probably work too, but it always seems messier to put on. Pretty much anything to gum up the threads should work. That's really all Loctite does, it's just more scientifically made to have specific hold strengths and is made specifically to hold on metal threads...

cjj wrote:I've never had any problem with them loosening up, but you could always try some Loctite thread locker. Loctite 222 low strength will hold 'em just fine and make it easy to take apart if/when you want to...
http://www.amazon.com/Loctite-38653-Pur ... B0002KKTT0

Yep, make sure you use the low strength or you might not be able to get them off when you need to, if you use the threadlocker type, which is meant to be long term or permanent.

rickenbrother wrote:

cjj wrote:I've never had any problem with them loosening up, but you could always try some Loctite thread locker. Loctite 222 low strength will hold 'em just fine and make it easy to take apart if/when you want to...
http://www.amazon.com/Loctite-38653-Pur ... B0002KKTT0

Yep, make sure you use the low strength or you might not be able to get them off when you need to, if you use the threadlocker type, which is meant to be long term or permanent.

Ok Joey, I hear what you're saying, that was a bit of a concern as I do really like the strap I use and have had it for a number of years (comfort strap). Looks like the Loctite is the best option!

Realistically, you only need about 1 drop per thing you want to lock, so it will last a LONG time. That's why I have so much around, back when I used to farm full time, I had it for rebuilding engines and other such stuff, kind of used it on everything. But you never seem to use it all up. It's useful for all sorts of other stuff too, like when the rubber feet on the deck furniture kept coming out. A drop on each, and they ain't gonna fall out anymore...

On my thickest strap, it would work loose. I loctited all of them just to be safe.

I stuck the original screw in my drill and then ran it against a metal file for just a few seconds (until the head dropped into the Dunlop all the way). Reinstalled and tighten. Been solid as a rock ever since.

Baker69 wrote:Would clear silicone sealant do a similar job?

You may want to reconsider using anything with silicone on/in your instrument; it's bad for your finish, especially if the finish is to be repaired (or the entire thing refinished) at some point down the road.

DriftSpace wrote:

Baker69 wrote:Would clear silicone sealant do a similar job?

You may want to reconsider using anything with silicone on/in your instrument; it's bad for your finish, especially if the finish is to be repaired (or the entire thing refinished) at some point down the road.

I think the idea was to use it to lock the threads on the strap portion of the strap lock system. I'm not sure, but I'm thinking that cured silicone rubber isn't going to affect the finish/refinishing the same way that silicone surface treatments will. I seem to recall that silicone rubber tubing on stands was OK and wouldn't damage the finish (whereas vinyl tubing or PVC is bad), which wouldn't be a lot different than cured silicone rubber on the strap portion of the lock...

All that, or you could just get a 10-24 screw and the Dunlops and grind the screw to fit, which is what a lot of us did. I believe someone in the UK just bought a box of 100 and offered to supply those in need. Anyone have a link or remember who?

cjj wrote:

DriftSpace wrote:

Baker69 wrote:Would clear silicone sealant do a similar job?

You may want to reconsider using anything with silicone on/in your instrument; it's bad for your finish, especially if the finish is to be repaired (or the entire thing refinished) at some point down the road.

I think the idea was to use it to lock the threads on the strap portion of the strap lock system. I'm not sure, but I'm thinking that cured silicone rubber isn't going to affect the finish/refinishing the same way that silicone surface treatments will. I seem to recall that silicone rubber tubing on stands was OK and wouldn't damage the finish (whereas vinyl tubing or PVC is bad), which wouldn't be a lot different than cured silicone rubber on the strap portion of the lock...

Loctite is your best option IMO. Or just slightly squeeze the nut in a vise for an inteference fit. Don't go too far or you will never start the nut. Another option is to center punch the flat side of the nut close to the theads to cause an interference.