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how to put tension shower curtain rod back together?

14 years ago

We just moved into our new home and the previous owner left a tension shower curtain rod for the bathtub. The painters must have taken it down to paint and then never reinstalled it. My son was dragging it around, and somehow it came apart into its two pieces. Now, neither my husband nor I can figure out how to put it back together. The problem is that one of the rods has a metal disc that kind of looks like a propeller or flower shape at the end, and it won't fit into the other rod. We can't figure out how to compress it or fit it in. Any ideas?

Thanks,

Jody

Featured Answer

HU-467925873

5 years ago

I figured it out!!! Take the rubber end caps off both poles and slide the smaller one through, reversing the direction the spring was loaded in to begin with. Then put rubber caps back on.

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Comments (20)

kl_knighton
5 years ago
What is the answer please. Have same issue now.
kudzu9
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
For starters, post a couple of pictures. Not all rods have the same design. Some have springs, some have an internal thread, some have a compression mechanism.
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kl_knighton
5 years ago
This post says the exact type I have from 2009. It has a round metal ring on one side and I can eventually get it to go inside the rod with a lot if trouble but the springs will not compress at all. Ill see if I can take pictures.
kl_knighton
5 years ago
kudzu9
5 years ago
Have you tried rotating the larger diameter tube in a clockwise direction? That flower shape may engage with a screw mechanism inside the larger tube.
kl_knighton
5 years ago
Yeah its difficult to get these pedals inside but even without doing that I can't get springs to compress just screwing with it and moving around. Cheaper to pay $5 at Wal-Mart and be done. There has to be a secret to this. Still trying but I'll give up soon. Thanks
kl_knighton
5 years ago
So I was just now able to screw the spring all the way in but now I can't get pedals in larger rod. Still trying.
kudzu9
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
I’m thinking that the rod is broken in the sense that the petal originally was a force fit done at the factory and inserted in the larger diameter rod. Once it is fixed in place, that holds the mechanism firmly, and the smaller diameter rod screws onto it. If I’m correct, it may be difficult for you to properly get the petal part reinstalled in the larger tube without a vise, a metal punch, and an extra set of hands
kl_knighton
5 years ago
I'm giving up now. My hands hurt from all the twisting. Maybe it is broke. Thank you for the help.
kudzu9
5 years ago
You’r welcome. At least we tried....
kl_knighton
5 years ago
Thank you. I gave up. Just get one at Walmart.
HU-55622104
5 years ago
Thank you so much for your last comment HU-467925873! Thanks to you, I was able to put both ends of my rod together again! You are brilliant!
April Swann
5 years ago
Me too Thankyou
cgcl
2 years ago
Thank you HU-55622104!!!
HU-418591651
last year
I am in Sweden dealing with an old tension rod that only pulls apart. It won't shorten. Thanks to these posts I pulled everything apart and sent the rod with the spring down the tube and it worked. The curtains are up in the kitchen now!

Thank you everyone!
HU-111597915
last year
I'm in France, hit the same issue and thanks to this genius post, voilà, shower curtain gracefully hanging over the bath tub! Kudos to HU-467925873's inquisitive mind and ingenuity.
Hwang Tiffany
4 months ago
HU-467925873 you wouldn’t know how much a desperate woman in Sweden thank you for what you have commented!! Thank you so much for the comment!
Hwang Tiffany
4 months ago
HU-467925873 you wouldn’t know how much a woman in Sweden thank you for your comment!! Thanks a lot, mine was fixed!
C L
4 months ago
Thanks i fixed mine as well.

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