Spinner drags overkill

[Newell Nut]

After a failure today I believe that drag upgrades to Penn SS reels may be a waste of time. I just upgraded my 850SS and set the drag at just under 15 lb by slipping the drag as a 15 lb dumbbell started to leave the ground.
Today I hooked up what appeared to be a large red snapper that headed for the reef and when I tried to put on the brakes the handle sheared off in the reel. If a handle shaft can't take nearly 15 lb of drag then what is the point of upgrading?

[Keta]

Ouch, I'm planning on fishing my 7500SS as a 30 pound reel @ 10# drag.

[Alto Mare]

The reel can handle the additional drag numbers, don't count it out just yet. Your problem is not a new one, Penn was aware that's why they made the pivot beefier:

The one on the left happened on one of my reels at 10 lbs, the one in the middle is for a 9500ss and the one on the right for the 750ss.
put a drill to it and go clockwise, that pivot will work itself out of the gear.

[Newell Nut]

Mine sheared off at the gear. Can't make that beefier. Not sure if I can get it out. No gears are available either.

[Alto Mare]

Yes, that's where they usually fail, even with the gear lip. A spinner gets fished a little different than a conventional, on a big fish you use the rod to help bring it in, the line gets retrieved when the rod is lowered.
Put the gears in a box and send them up, I already worked on that problem and it would be easier if I did it.
I'm going to send you a new set that will take the heavier pivot, the gears that you have now won't work.
Better yet, put the complete reel in the box along with the handle I just sent you and I'll take it from there.

[foakes]

Should be able to clamp the gear in a wood-faced vise -- drill a small hole -- then ease it out by hand -- with an easy-out bit attached to a t-bar handle or ratchet.

You will still need part #15B-850, the standard pivot.  The 850 & 750 use the same part number.  My parts only go up to the 15B-650...and I do have that.

I might have some handles with the correct pivot already attached -- but I have no way of knowing for sure without the reel in hand.  You would be welcome to whatever I have that may work.

There should be someone else on the board with the right part.

Best of luck--

Fred

[Newell Nut]

Yes, that's where they usually fail, even with the gear lip. A spinner gets fished a little different than a conventional, on a big fish you use the rod to help bring it in, the line gets retrieved when the rod is lowered.
Put the gears in a box and send them up, I already worked on that problem and it would be easier if I did it.
I'm going to send you a new set that will take the heavier pivot, the gears that you have now won't work.
Better yet, put the complete reel in the box along with the handle I just sent you and I'll take it from there.

Okay Ole Buddy, it will be in the mail Monday. Thank you very much for saving the day and my reel.

Dwight

[Alto Mare]

No problem Bud.
As I said earlier, you're not the first:
http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=8753.msg77697#msg77697

Fred, thanks for always trying to help out, you're a good man .
From the looks of things down your end, it appears you don't need much, but just in case you get into a jam, give me a shout, you never know....

[ChileRelleno]

Sal...  You're a righteous individual. 

[foakes]

Same here, Sal --

If I have it, it's yours...

Best,

Fred

[locknut]

Not a good outcome. Can I offer an opinion, here in NZ as most places when setting drags particularly on game reels we use a spring scale and pull the line of the reel at a fast walk. Lifting a dead weight will give you a much heavier drag than the 15lbs you have, that's the weight it takes to start the drag not pull off line at a good speed you have probably more like 20lbs drag at the speed a fish will run. These older reels unfortunately will not allow you to crank like a winch at the drag setting you can achieve. It is really important to crank on the down stroke. I had the unfortunate experience of hooking a 100kg Striped Marlin on a 7500 Spinfisher catching bait wow I had not a chance of stopping it eventually ran over the line chasing it. Sometimes its just horses for courses. I sure hope you can salvage the reel.

Jeremy

[floating doc]

Good point on startup vs running drag settings. I wonder how much more drag was at the reel to pull fifteen pounds at the rod tip.

[Alto Mare]

I might be wrong, I do know that some stainless steel don't stick to magnets, but this older pivot shown on the handle appears to be aluminum .

I tried to grind it and it was very soft, felt softer than wood.
Floating doc, on my spinners I've increased the drags 5 to 7 lbs, the reel choosen has a lot to do with it, this particular reel could handle it. More travel with the drags will give you a much smoother reel at the numbers you where fishing it prior to the upgrades. If you get carried away, you could control it by using the correct line...These are some nice reels, too bad they don't copy from them.

[Keta]

Most SS is non magnetic and soft, but not softer than wood. 

[Alto Mare]

Well, not all wood is soft , there is a type called iron wood that we need special blades to cut it.
The pivot on the left is stainless, and sticking to the magnet, that one must have some other types of metal mixed in.
That older pivot that you see on the handle is very soft, the ones from a later model, still being a 750ss and not a 7500ss, is much stronger and it still doesn't stick to the magnet.