My guess is that when you play, your stick has wear marks at the midpoint of the shaft. Your sticking places the left (backbeat) stick simultaneously on the snare head and slightly on the rim. It gives the backbeat a nice crack. I would also assume that the tension rods that slip are the ones in the 7 and 8 o'clock positions. If this is correct, you play a backbeat very much like me. In the past, I've used "luglocks", which are silly little nylon pieces that are round with a flat area that keeps it from spinning. It works for me. If this is not the case, then you might want to think about taking the lug apart and checking the threads.

My 79 Tama toms are suffering from the same problem, but obviously that's not the backbeat reason cited above. I'd guess the female sections just wear a bit over the years down to continued, though slight vibration. Mcjnic's right, Lug locks are the best betfor this.

Thanks guys. mc - you could have a point with your style diagnosis, it is around 7 & 8 o'clock positions that pop mostly.

Are Lug locks something you can pick up at a guitar center? Excuse my ignorance, but I do my best to stay out of big box stores - they creep me out and they don't have enough junk piled in corners for me.

It's been happening since forever.

It's the lugs right under where my sticks hit, of course, and years ago I bought some lug locks and found them obnoxious.

So I just watch for it and tighten them as needed.

I use calf now but even when I used plastic I always messed with my drums at gigs about as much as a guitar player does his guitar. Plastic or calf they are always constantly going out a tiny bit... even moving them does it, same as a piano.