V- The run down on the M.I.J. T-rods sizes.On the 60's M.I.J. sets most were Odd size Metric threads were thin and fat.When i say Odd size its not like the metric size threads you would fine on 70's sets These were 4M and 5M threads..The 60's were like 3.5,4.5,5.5, the fay threaded ones were 7.5 and 8.5 also they could be 1/4 20 threads,ete.The 70's metric sizes were 4 or 5 threads.It sounds like the T-rods you are looking for are the 60's Odd size 3.5 threaded these are the thin threaded T-rods also the T-rods them self are thinner than the other metric threaded T-rods..If you don't care to keep the drums all original you can change the inserts with the ones you have by filing out the hole in the lug alittle to fit the inserts you have....Mikey

A lot of them are S.A.E. 12-24, which is one of the most common threads for t-rods. It is very close to 7/32 x 24, although the pitch of the thread is a little different but they are so close as to be interchangeaable, with a little thread chasing.----- As Mikey says, some were 1/4 x 20 but that is a pretty beefy rod. There weren't too many of those on small drums---it was more common on the bass drum. When it comes to metric threads; whether it is 5M or 6M only tells a part of the story. It is like saying an imperial thread is 7/32 or 1/4 and leaving the thread count out. Just as in the case of S.A.E.(society of automotive engineers) and S.M.T.(standard machine threads) where there are coarse and fine threads; for instance 1/4 x 20 is coarse and 14 x 24 is fine ( there are also others too; 1/4 x 28 for instance) the metric threads have coarse and fine as well. Trixon and Meazzi, as examples ,used M5 X .8 T.P.M. but there is also the common M5 X .9 T.P.M. as the coarse version.

If anyone is reconditioning older drum kits and is unfamiliar with the parts, I heartily recommend going out or online and buy an S.A.E. and a Metric thread guage. They are small and cheap and will save you many hours of messing around and trips to hardware stores and the like.