Penn Spinfisher V 4500: Service Tutorial

Started by johndtuttle, October 23, 2012, 10:48:27 PM

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Tile

#15
I wish that Penn would make the whole geartrain out of marine grade bronze on the Spinfisher V series. Maybe someone with a CNC could make some aftermarket geartrain parts and make them real classics.
In solid fiberglass we trust

johndtuttle

Quote from: Tile on October 25, 2012, 08:56:01 PM
I wish that Penn would make the whole geartrain out of marine grade bronze on the Spinfisher V series. Maybe someone with a CNC could make some aftermarket geartrain parts and make them real classics.

There are a number of improvements that people have suggested including the gears, additional bearings, handles, seals yadda yadda....simply put, you have to accept that you are looking at a $139 reel. If you want more features, then you need another reel altogether which Penn is considering in the future. I think you would find that they have crammed an awful lot into the reel for that price.

Every Reel company needs a "complete" line up with different models in different categories and price points ie Daiwa makes everything from the Sweepfire (~$25) all the way to the Saltiga (~$1400). The Spinfisher V is intended to do just that, fit a niche that many can afford, not be all things to all people.

best

Alto Mare

I was looking at that test when the reel was spinning in a tub filled with water :-\, Penn had cameras hooked up to the reel to moniter water intrusion. I'm not shooting myself on the foot here, I love Penn's..... I just believe that's a joke.
I will still be getting one, I have to see it for myself.
I dunked my ss spinners many times, they never froze up on me :-\.
Forget about all the reasons why something may not work. You only need to find one good reason why it will.

0119

The surf fishermen seem to think it was made as their own cheap alternative to the Van Stal and Zeebass.  They wont even consider that other forms of fishing are also the target markets for this reel.  I for one after seeing the bend over backwards commitment of the Penn rep. on the other forums, am willingly to give Penn a try again.

johndtuttle

#19
Quote from: 0119 on October 27, 2012, 01:50:02 AM
The surf fishermen seem to think it was made as their own cheap alternative to the Van Stal and Zeebass.  They wont even consider that other forms of fishing are also the target markets for this reel.  I for one after seeing the bend over backwards commitment of the Penn rep. on the other forums, am willingly to give Penn a try again.


It's important to sort through it all and realize what the reel is and isn't. Some have latched on to the tests (like the dunking while reeling that Sal mentions above) and think it is capable of more than it can reasonably be expected. Penn is quite clear that the reel is not a "skishing" reel or one you can use on your rod as a staff for wading. You need a Torque or VS/ZB for that. You can't crank it under water without getting into trouble as the main shaft isn't sealed and there are bearings that are only shielded (not remotely waterproof) that would be in direct contact with salt water.

It's just intended to have more water/salt resistance than any competitor at it's price point for shore fisherman dealing with sand, splashes and spray and the occasional knock. And it is hard to dispute that it would be and a great choice for that fisherman or someone fishing from a kayak.

In that sense it is more "all purpose" than other companies offerings, imo, but some other offerings might still be a better choice for fishing from a boat where the fishing is not as rough and tumble.

And it's still just a $140-180 reel and when you recognize that spinning reels, in general, are even less of a value for the buck than conventional reels due to their relative complexity there is only so much one should expect.

best

Tile

I just want the main gear, the idler gear and the crosswind block made of bronze for better durability.
In solid fiberglass we trust

johndtuttle

Quote from: Tile on October 27, 2012, 04:38:02 PM
I just want the main gear, the idler gear and the crosswind block made of bronze for better durability.

Well, then you add a couple of ounces and it becomes the heaviest reel in it's class. For a reel primarily designed for all day casting that can be a deal breaker for many. The Finn Nor Offshore is almost identical to an old Penn SS, and is notoriously heavy, so much so that they are not recommended for much of anything other than living forever.

All of the above refinements (with Stainless Gears even) I listed are under consideration by Penn for a reel more directly competitive with the Shimano Saragosa ie up to ~$299 in the largest sizes in the future.

And then people will complain about the price  ;D.

Alto Mare

You're right John, we're never happy no matter what.
I was checking out that 7500ssv, I belive it's a great deal for the money. Can't wait to get my hands on one.

Tile, the 7500ssv has been claimed to handle 35# of max drag. We all know we're not going to push a spinner at that number setting, but what that tells us is that the gears are fine just as they are.
Sal
Forget about all the reasons why something may not work. You only need to find one good reason why it will.

johndtuttle

#23
Quote from: Alto Mare on October 27, 2012, 08:28:56 PM
You're right John, we're never happy no matter what.
I was checking out that 7500ssv, I belive it's a great deal for the money. Can't wait to get my hands on one.

Tile, the 7500ssv has been claimed to handle 35# of max drag. We all know we're not going to push a spinner at that number setting, but what that tells us is that the gears are fine just as they are.
Sal

Yep I really do think so, if we set aside some time for the true tale to be told (ie months of use).

When I am in Carmel I am 5 minutes from the beach and often go down there to test a new lure etc and really don't like setting my Shimanos down in the sand much. So I was curious to see if this would be decent like my old SS etc. And we have Stripers here so I frequent SOL and of course, it has been followed there very closely.

I really was surprised when I got it in my hands and despite whatever initial trouble it may have (as they sort things out at the beginning) you could really tell how many features Penn was cramming into the reel.

I have handles with knobs for my Stellas that are more expensive than this entire reel...and a handle sure as heck don't have as many features as this reel does.

If you simply accept it as a ~$150 Reel and then look at what you get for that it is a great value, imho. An instant AR bearing with back up mechanical dog is a feature you only see on $600+ spinning reels for example.

best

Cone

I haven't fished one yet but I have held a couple. They feel really smooth and solid. I'm going to hold out till I can get one with the back up dog. I won't be dunking them but I like that they are at least spray resistant. My reels get a lot of spray on my boat. Time will tell how good they are but The Penn name gives me hope!  ;D  Bob
"Quemadmoeum gladuis neminem occidit, occidentis telum est." (A sword is never a killer, it is a tool in the killer's hands.)
   -    Lucius Annaeus Seneca, circa 4 BC – 65 AD

coonhound

Quote from: Alto Mare on October 27, 2012, 12:07:19 AM
I was looking at that test when the reel was spinning in a tub filled with water :-\, Penn had cameras hooked up to the reel to moniter water intrusion. I'm not shooting myself on the foot here, I love Penn's..... I just believe that's a joke.
I will still be getting one, I have to see it for myself.
I dunked my ss spinners many times, they never froze up on me :-\.

As a kid who didn't know any better, I used to swim to the second sandbar with a 750SS on a 9' ugly stick.   That reel spent more time under water than above water.  It's still working like a champ today. 

Either way, this is a nice reel for the $. 

Cone

I band believe the reeling underwater was smoke and mirrors. With the seals on the top and bottom of the spool, if the reel is not tilted to let the trapped air escape from under the skirt it would probably stay dry. Tilt it and let the water get to the shaft where it enters the body and water would get in. JMO  Bob
"Quemadmoeum gladuis neminem occidit, occidentis telum est." (A sword is never a killer, it is a tool in the killer's hands.)
   -    Lucius Annaeus Seneca, circa 4 BC – 65 AD

0119

I think people are reading more into a brief clip.  Theres nothing cranking the reel.  Its the simple movement of the crane dipping the reel into the water, the handle and its bulbous grip resisting the water and that resistance turning it.  Sure its a big show, just like Quantum did showing testing of the Cabo dipped a thousand times.  Pure Fishing is the biggest outdoors conglomerate, they know how to pitch a sale.  People just need to study the clip and surf fishermen have got to stop thinking that a reel was made solely for their purpose and not for fishing in general.

Reinaard van der Vossen

Quote from: johndtuttle on October 27, 2012, 07:50:28 PM
Quote from: Tile on October 27, 2012, 04:38:02 PM
I just want the main gear, the idler gear and the crosswind block made of bronze for better durability.

Well, then you add a couple of ounces and it becomes the heaviest reel in it's class. For a reel primarily designed for all day casting that can be a deal breaker for many. The Finn Nor Offshore is almost identical to an old Penn SS, and is notoriously heavy, so much so that they are not recommended for much of anything other than living forever.

All of the above refinements (with Stainless Gears even) I listed are under consideration by Penn for a reel more directly competitive with the Shimano Saragosa ie up to ~$299 in the largest sizes in the future.

And then people will complain about the price  ;D.

John, if they change all that it will be probably better than the saragossa due to the large underspool drag washers. It could be a real winner :)

johndtuttle

#29
Quote from: Reinaard van der Vossen on November 04, 2012, 07:59:05 PM
Quote from: johndtuttle on October 27, 2012, 07:50:28 PM
Quote from: Tile on October 27, 2012, 04:38:02 PM
I just want the main gear, the idler gear and the crosswind block made of bronze for better durability.

Well, then you add a couple of ounces and it becomes the heaviest reel in it's class. For a reel primarily designed for all day casting that can be a deal breaker for many. The Finn Nor Offshore is almost identical to an old Penn SS, and is notoriously heavy, so much so that they are not recommended for much of anything other than living forever.

All of the above refinements (with Stainless Gears even) I listed are under consideration by Penn for a reel more directly competitive with the Shimano Saragosa ie up to ~$299 in the largest sizes in the future.

And then people will complain about the price  ;D.

John, if they change all that it will be probably better than the saragossa due to the large underspool drag washers. It could be a real winner :)

Well, there certainly is a gap in the Penn Line before you get to the Torque so something is needed. The under spool drag should be very good on anything you should be targeting with a Spinfisher V to be sure. We'll have to see over time how it all holds up as it really is very new and a lot of things have to come together in a completely new design (ie gears, AR bearing etc that will take a beating with such a strong drag).

The basic concept is very sound and the reels feel really beefy in your hand. However, given the metal rotor and such it doesn't crank near as easy as say, a Stradic FJ, but should take knocks far better. Tincture of Time is required to see if each of the chosen parts is engineered just right but they are clearly a huge improvement over the most recent vintage of the series. Pure fishing being so large has probably got them being made in a top notch factory over there which should be a good thing as well.

best