Pianotech

  • 1.  Replacing Casters on a Yamaha G5

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 10-11-2022 14:09

    I have a client who has a G5 from 1993. He wants to replace the standard size casters that it came with with the big 3-1/2" ones. Two questions: 

    First, I don't have a Jack-in-the-Box. I assume I'll have to get one?

    Second, does anyone have experience doing this on this model? I'm mostly trying to make sure I'll be able to pull off the old casters and put on the new ones without any unforeseen difficulties, such as having to enlarge the hole, etc. 

    Thank you in advance,



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    Benjamin Sanchez, RPT
    Piano Technician / Artisan
    (256) 947-9999
    www.professional-piano-services.com
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  • 2.  RE: Replacing Casters on a Yamaha G5

    Posted 10-11-2022 14:56

    I can't answer about the casters and whether you might have to modify anything. Go prepared for all possibilities  Drill, bits, screws, plugs, etc  

    You can make a jack easily enough. I'd go to Harbor Freight or Auto Zone and get a cheap jack. Then make a box for it out of plywood. I made mine from the wood of a reed organ. It's open on the front but quite functional. 



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    John Formsma
    New Albany MS

    "Sneak up on optimal."
    --Ron Nossaman
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  • 3.  RE: Replacing Casters on a Yamaha G5

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 10-11-2022 15:54
    Isn't this going to raise the pedals higher off the floor?

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    Steven Rosenthal RPT
    Honolulu HI
    (808) 521-7129
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  • 4.  RE: Replacing Casters on a Yamaha G5

    Member
    Posted 10-11-2022 16:13
    I would recommend getting a scissor motorcycle jack and have some short 4 x 4 pressure treated posts for spacers. Jackstands and hydraulic jacks work but beware of a sudden hydraulic leak. You will likely need to do some woodworking surgery as well since the current production caster stems may differ plus you are changing out the sizes. Best to talk to Yamaha about this. I found out the hard way that current production on G2 casters have a larger and longer caster stem. Still have not finished the job because of scheduling conflicts but I had the leg off took out the old caster and it was a no go. I purchased a high quality Forstner bit that can be used in a hand held drill which has to be mounted in a drill press type attachment. Normally this work would be easy to do in a workshop on a horizontal boring machine or the correct sized drill press. As pointed out the bigger casters may raise the pedals.

    The casters are not exactly cheap and there could be a supply chain backlog. I had to wait 15 weeks and only 2 arrived. 2 weeks later the 3rd one came

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    James Kelly
    Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
    Pawleys Island SC
    (843) 325-4357
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  • 5.  RE: Replacing Casters on a Yamaha G5

    Posted 10-11-2022 16:17
    The legs would have to be trimmed shorter. There might be legs you can buy from Yamaha for this. Cobbling these up would be a major PITA. Maybe David Hughes has something. Plus, there might be a finish matching issue.

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    Regards,

    Jon Page
    mailto:jonpage@comcast.net
    http://www.pianocapecod.com
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  • 6.  RE: Replacing Casters on a Yamaha G5

    Posted 10-11-2022 16:20
    To replace casters on these, you don't need a jack-in -the-box, although having one is handy. But the Moon Dog Grand Piano Tilter will give you access to the caster sockets without having to remove the treble and rear legs.

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    Regards,

    Jon Page
    mailto:jonpage@comcast.net
    http://www.pianocapecod.com
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  • 7.  RE: Replacing Casters on a Yamaha G5

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 10-11-2022 16:43
    Is the client doing this to make it easier to move? If so and it's for moving on a hard floor, perhaps the 3-wheeled grand leg dollies would be an easier way to go.

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    Steven Rosenthal RPT
    Honolulu HI
    (808) 521-7129
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  • 8.  RE: Replacing Casters on a Yamaha G5

    Posted 10-11-2022 18:07
    I installed leg dollies on a Steinway last week in a church with a smooth floor. The Hamburg S&S had the sockets as an integral part of the caster so I had to angle the grand with the Moon Dog Tilter to remove the casters. Having installed many of these and witnessed how they twist and bang up the corners of the leg, I made spacers for the end of the leg to sit in to keep the dollies from twisting. I've used felt in the past but this time I used ⅜" rubber player tubing to line the bottom. The leg sits squarely in the 'box'. The tubing was becoming hard so it was a good use of it.

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    Regards,

    Jon Page
    mailto:jonpage@comcast.net
    http://www.pianocapecod.com
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