I think he means the wheel SLIDES in and out freely as if the anchor end is loose, not that it moves in and out in the threads.
I am not sure I understand what you are saying. Is there a wobble in the wheel? If it moves closer or further from the end of the neck, I am pretty sure it is supposed to.
I have an ATK305 and it doesn't do that. I would pull the neck and see how the wheel attaches to the truss rod mechanism. Maybe it attaches with a bolt through the middle and it has become loose or is missing.
It's behaving exactly as it should. No worries.
That is, I assume, a double-acting style truss rod with a spoke wheel head. You can tell because the head is not up against the heel of the neck. Yes, as you turn the wheel it will thread in closer to and out further from the heel. That's normal operation, nothing wrong with it. You may not notice it on most instruments because generally, you are only turning the wheel maybe a quarter of one turn when adjusting the relief. But if you turn it all the way through from forward to reverse, you'll see the in and out movement.
Now, on older single-acting truss rods with spoke wheel heads, it's different. The whole nut and wheel bears against the heel when the rod is tightened up. Usually, the wheel is up solid against the wood. Tightening it, you shouldn't see it move laterally. If you loosen it, it will just unscrew and come out.
Does it do this when the truss rod is under tension, or only if slack?Sorry, I meant it slides in and out without turning the wheel.
Does it do this when the truss rod is under tension, or only if slack?
Huh. Well, that's new to me, a design I hadn't seen before. So the wheel is a separate part that slips onto the hex end of the truss rod, and tightens with a set screw on the side. In your case, the set screw had come loose and the wheel was sliding on the hex. Interesting.
WOW! New one to me as well. Don't know what I think of it - it's clever, but may be problem prone.Oh, I see. That's even funkier. They made up a two piece adapter to convert a normal style truss rod into a spoke wheel rod. Okay. I'd be a little concerned about the parts vibrating loose and rattling. If that's a problem, you could lightly glue them together with a drop of blue Loctite. That may be what they are doing from the factory, and yours just broke loose.
Oh, I see. That's even funkier. They made up a two piece adapter to convert a normal style truss rod into a spoke wheel rod. Okay. I'd be a little concerned about the parts vibrating loose and rattling. If that's a problem, you could lightly glue them together with a drop of blue Loctite. That may be what they are doing from the factory, and yours just broke loose.
It's a photograph. Oh, you mean the post before the photo..... yes, nice.@tzohn , nice drawing!
Great. I like it when I’m right lol. It happens so rarely...,Correct, it slides in and out without turning the wheel.