I noticed how difficult it was to insert an after-market coil cable into the Safari lower rod. I solved this problem by tying a sinker onto a piece of twine and making a slip knot on the other end. I simply tightened the slip knot over the end of the coil cable, as shown, and ran the sinker through the bottom end of the lower rod till it came out of the other end. Pull the string and the cable feeds easily through the rod.