Fixing a Broken DW Lug

johnbarnesiii

Senior Member
Hey guys,

I have an older DW kit (keller era) and a common issue on my snare is that a few of the lugs have been coming loose. They seem to be stripping where the screws go in (pic attached). More specifically, the outer most edge is caving outwards, please see pic.

In the past I've been simply buying new lugs, but the older lugs (non tru pitch) are a little harder to come by so I'm wondering:

1) Is it possible to simply repair the part where its been broken, rather than replace the whole lug?
2) Is there another way to prevent these lugs from coming loose? Perhaps the shock from heavy hitting is causing that specific part of the lug to break. Maybe this was before they wade sturdier lugs. At any rate, is there some reinforcement I can put in, aside from simply going tru-pitch all around, which I'd like to avoid due to cost?

Thanks!
 

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I think that is a metal fatigue fault. I would be surprised if you're the only one who is starting to have problems. I suspect the quality of the metal is not high (probably pot metal). As a result, I very much doubt there's anything you can do to fix it and it might only be a matter of time until other lugs fail.

In my view, you're better off replacing all the lugs on your kit in one go. That might be costly but I can't see any other way that you can satisfactorily rectify the problem. You might be able to source some very decent lugs with the right spacing that are non-DW for a much lower cost, if you're willing to lose the brand identity of your kit - but I would understand why you might not want to.
 
it would be a lot less money to replace the lug screws with longer ones than to replace the whole lug.



These are sheet metal screw washers. They have a neoprene gasket affixed to them and are great as lug screw washers. I would suggest that you take the lug to a decent hardware store and find the right sized screw in a longer length. You should be able to find the washers at a shop that deals with sheet metal or insulation cladding.

There was a time when every drum in my possession had these washers on every screw. They compress nicely, and can be stacked if needed when using on thinner shells such as metal snares.

I know that we have had a few pm's regarding your non tru pitch lugs. If you want to convert I would suggest that you just buy the tru pitch lug nuts and rods. If you do decide to go that route, You will save a pile of dough if you buy from a PDP dealer. I bought a couple of bass drums worth of bass drum rods, and the price difference between the DW and PDP was enough that I was able to take my wife out for dinner and not have to sit on plastic or be served by a caricature.

Whatever you decide, good luck and good drumming.

Barry
 
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