Revo toro not engaging right

[Pianoman]

Hi guys,

I have a revo toro 50 that I've caught a bunch of tuna on. Last season, i started getting this issue: when line is peeling off too quickly, like after a tuna bite, I turn the handle and the reel doesn't fully engage and I get a loud ratcheting sound from it not fully engaging. I can eventually get it to engage by giving it a little slack and then turn the handle some more

Does anyone know what's wrong and how I can fix it?

Thanks!

[alantani]

here you go!  http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=16.0

you guys are really gonna hate me for this.

the revo has a stainless steel ratched gear that bangs up against the kick lever when you turn the handle. this kick lever then pushes to thumb bar up and clicks the reel back into gear. the kick lever is made of a softer alloy. it's some type of pot metal. it is not cast surgical grade 316 stainless steel. that's what it has to be made out of. and it's not. so what is happening is that the top of the kick lever is eventually worn away. now suddenly the reel will not go back into gear. ambassaduer apparently has recognized this problem and has placed a stainless steel insert into the kick lever. this will take care of the problem.

the only issue remaining is to identify those reels that have a kick lever with a stainless steel insert, and those that do not. i know i've missed a couple of staff meetings, but i have not heard of this being discussed prior. here are the photos.



here's the ratched gear and kick lever. see how the kick lever is worn away?



the corner is completely gone!

[Pianoman]

Ah forgot about the kick lever. Thanks Alan!

Cracked the reel open to take a look and it actually looks like it's held up pretty well over the years. Mine has the stainless insert.

I think the issue is the dog not catching when I put the reel in gear because it's spinning too fast when a faster fish takes the bait. I think the dog just knocks on the edges of the ratchet until I give it some slack to slow it down to catch. I tried pinching the ears together but can still replicate the problem.

Any ideas? Would a new dog help? I have a new nacl that doesn't have this problem but haven't fished it yet.

Thanks!

[Gfish]

Pianoman, don't know much about the Revo, but I's able to add a spring to the dog on my older Ambassadur after the ears failed on me, an' it worked great. Took a-lotta tries to get the spring- wire shaped right, but now can enjoy that mild clicking sound!
Gfish

[johndtuttle]

Ah forgot about the kick lever. Thanks Alan!

Cracked the reel open to take a look and it actually looks like it's held up pretty well over the years. Mine has the stainless insert.

I think the issue is the dog not catching when I put the reel in gear because it's spinning too fast when a faster fish takes the bait. I think the dog just knocks on the edges of the ratchet until I give it some slack to slow it down to catch. I tried pinching the ears together but can still replicate the problem.

Any ideas? Would a new dog help? I have a new nacl that doesn't have this problem but haven't fished it yet.

Thanks!

Depending on the Revo model it may also have a free floating pinion gear. Abu calls this "Infinii Spool" and Penn calls it "Live Spindle" and Daiwa has another name for it...(I think it was Daiwa's innovation originally but I may be wrong)...anyways...the Pinion fully disengages from the Spool Shaft and so the reel doesn't like to go in gear when the spool is spinning or under load. The only way to get them in gear if a fish is running with the bait is to slow the spool with your thumb....

This is a trade off of the otherwise superior casting performance of this design.