Parts > Rods & Bars
Foosball Rods & Bars
Almost every manufacturer has different components and materials that make up their rods. Rods can have a huge impact on the speed of the foosball game. They are one of the most expensive parts on your table and some manufacturers try to cut corners on their rods because it can be easily overlooked by rookie players.
Some tables come with heavy rods that make the game slow and sluggish. This will hinder your ability to perform foosball shots because it will be hard to maneuver the rods laterally. All quality tables are made with hollow light-weight, chrome rods that provide a smooth glide back and forth between the bearings so you can obtain maximum ball control and shot performance. Adversely, manufacturers that make solid rods are skipping a step in the process to hollow them out which makes them heavier and harder to push in and out of the table. Some models have safety plastic end caps at the end of their bars that may hide whether or not their rods are hollow. These plastic end caps are a great way to protect kids when the bars are moving in and out, especially since their head may be even with the rods. We recommend looking behind the plastic ends to ensure your table has hollow rods for maximum performance.
Types of Foosball Rods
Hollow
If you are looking to truly learn the game of foosball at a high level some day, make sure the table you buy has rods that are hollowed out. This manufacturing process will reduce the weight of the rods by approximately 50%, allowing for a lightweight bar that easily slides in and out of the table to perform shots at a high level. All serious builders that make tournament level tables will carry this style of rod design for the American style. |
Solid
Solid bars are used on low end tables because it skips a step in the manufacturing process to keep them as a single, solid piece. Having a solid bar isn't a best practice because the lighter the rod the easier it will slide in and out of the table bearings. In every sport everyone is trying to get a fraction of an edge on their competition and having solid rods will only slow down your ability to take complex shots. |
Telescoping
Telescopic rods are primarily seen in European table models. It is a more intricate design because it requires your rods to fold in from the core into a sleeve. The sleeve has a handle, and it is this thicker section of the rod that the player controls. The sleeve slides over the core, causing the remainder of the rod to retract into itself rather than poking through the table. The benefit to these rods is the safety because they will not slide out of the table end and hurt someone on the other end. |
Universal Full Rod Sets
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How to Install Foosball Rods & Bars
Installing rods is a really simple task if you know what you are doing. There are a total of 26 men with a 3 goalie model and 22 men with a single goalie model. Just make sure you line up all 4 rods on each side of the table before you begin. The rods should go in the following order on each side of the foosball table: 3 or 1 man goalie rod, 2 man defensive rod, 5 man midfielder rod, and 3 man offensive rod. Just make sure you do not swap the order of the 3 man goalie rod and the 3 man offensive rod before you begin putting them through the table. You should be able to tell which rod goes where by measuring the longer rod and using it as the offensive rod. The offensive rod should be about 2 inches longer than your goalie rod. The hardest part is actually installing the men and bumpers on the rod in the right order.
Installing rods is a really simple task if you know what you are doing. There are a total of 26 men with a 3 goalie model and 22 men with a single goalie model. Just make sure you line up all 4 rods on each side of the table before you begin. The rods should go in the following order on each side of the foosball table: 3 or 1 man goalie rod, 2 man defensive rod, 5 man midfielder rod, and 3 man offensive rod. Just make sure you do not swap the order of the 3 man goalie rod and the 3 man offensive rod before you begin putting them through the table. You should be able to tell which rod goes where by measuring the longer rod and using it as the offensive rod. The offensive rod should be about 2 inches longer than your goalie rod. The hardest part is actually installing the men and bumpers on the rod in the right order.
How to Straighten a Bent Foosball Rod or Bar
Are you thinking about buying a replacement rod for a bar that has been bent? Before going out and buying a brand new replacement rod, you can try to bend the rod back to its original position. Foosball rods can become bent over time because some players push down too hard on the rods when they play. Bars can easily bend if the rod is pulled all the way out and then leaned down on during play. The leverage of the person pressing down will cause the rod to bow right where it goes into the table. In order to straighten the bar back out, find the origin of the bend and place that spot where the rod meets the table. Make sure you spin the rod to where the bow in the rod is facing downward and the rod handle is going up towards the ceiling. Then slowly apply pressure to the rod in a downward position. Make sure not to apply too much pressure and do this in steps so you don't over bend the rod in the opposite direction. Make sure people are not leaning down on the rods so you don't run into this problem again in the future.
Foosball Replacement Rod Price
Foosball bars are an expensive part of the foosball table, especially for Tornado and Dynamo tables because of how high quality each component of the table is. Replacement bars can be purchased for about $30-40 US individually or you can buy a set of 8 rods for about $250 US. Universal sets can be purchased a little cheaper because of their different metal used.
Are you thinking about buying a replacement rod for a bar that has been bent? Before going out and buying a brand new replacement rod, you can try to bend the rod back to its original position. Foosball rods can become bent over time because some players push down too hard on the rods when they play. Bars can easily bend if the rod is pulled all the way out and then leaned down on during play. The leverage of the person pressing down will cause the rod to bow right where it goes into the table. In order to straighten the bar back out, find the origin of the bend and place that spot where the rod meets the table. Make sure you spin the rod to where the bow in the rod is facing downward and the rod handle is going up towards the ceiling. Then slowly apply pressure to the rod in a downward position. Make sure not to apply too much pressure and do this in steps so you don't over bend the rod in the opposite direction. Make sure people are not leaning down on the rods so you don't run into this problem again in the future.
Foosball Replacement Rod Price
Foosball bars are an expensive part of the foosball table, especially for Tornado and Dynamo tables because of how high quality each component of the table is. Replacement bars can be purchased for about $30-40 US individually or you can buy a set of 8 rods for about $250 US. Universal sets can be purchased a little cheaper because of their different metal used.
Foosball Rod Safety
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As a parent with small children, plastic or rubber safety end caps on your rods is a must. While not all tables come with these as a default accessory, it is highly recommended to add these to the end of your bars to ensure no one gets jabbed with a rod while the game is being played. Sure, this won't completely prevent an injury from the bar getting pushed from the other side but it will greatly reduce the odds of someone getting their eye poked out. Let's make sure our kids are safe and purchase these added accessories for a few extra dollars.
Learn more about bar end cap safety > |
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