Penn SSVI Service Tutorial and First Look Heya fellas, this new Flagship reel is coming out in a few weeks and PENN sent one along for our perusal. I think we will find every quibble about the old SSV resolved in this stout offering and "IPX5" sealed reel (more on that later) that is leaps and bounds better sealed than anything offered before for the money spent.
In addition to seals in key areas are a top notch machined gear train that has been well proven in the Clash and Slammer III proving that PENN has been listening to us smelly fishos and is committed to offering real value.
Overall, while we may not have returned completely to the days of the "Z" series of over built tanks (with modest drags and wide open to salt) in some ways we are living a Golden Age of spinners with seals and quality gear trains, superb drags and lightweight performance for modest coin.
Meet the Spinfisher VI 4500:
(https://flic.kr/p/26LdPyf)
(https://flic.kr/p/KQmR8e)
(https://flic.kr/p/KQmR6R)
(https://flic.kr/p/Mon9uu)
Did I say lightweight? 12.5oz for a reel that will hold over 300 yards of 20# braid and put out 20# of drag. Note that PENN actually rates the reel for a given thickness of braid...we all are familiar with the varying claims and thicknesses of braid out there...if you wonder if your favorite flavor will fit take a look at this thread that has a measurement of the thickness and actual breaking strengths of popular braids:
https://www.stripersonline.com/surftalk/topic/663798-line-testing-abs-and-kbs-a-work-in-progress/
Partly how PENN does this is with a modern graphite rotor which also makes the reel easier to spin. The body remains all metal for rigidity under max drag. Line Roller and Rotor:
[url=https://flic.kr/p/26TBg8f]
(https://flic.kr/p/MW2Kzr)
The line roller is a simple affair as we can expect at this ~$159.95 reel (price on the street may be less). Bearing, bushing and brass roller.
(https://flic.kr/p/KQAjKT)
Standard stuff here under the cover:
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2aAjc6A]
(https://flic.kr/p/2aAjbYS)1003181449 (https://flic.kr/p/2aAjc6A) by johndtuttle (https://www.flickr.com/photos/20496507@N07/), on Flickr
This chart explains "Ingress Protection" better than I ever could and what the manufactured good tests to is established by an independent lab:
(https://flic.kr/p/289eqEc)ip_rating_chart (https://flic.kr/p/289eqEc) by johndtuttle (https://www.flickr.com/photos/20496507@N07/), on Flickr
So we can see an IPX5 rating is for protection from "jets of water with limited ingress permitted". What this means is that when you spray down your reels you are not spraying the salt deeper into the reel like any non-sealed spinner or conventional reel. We'll see numerous seals and "hydrophobic polymers" used to seal the reel and keep it free spinning.
Under the spool we see the Spool support assembly that includes the tried and true brass bushing to stabilize the base of the spool with clicker and seals:
[url=https://flic.kr/p/Mon9ih]
Drag Stack:
[url=https://flic.kr/p/MW2KmF]
(https://flic.kr/p/26LdPSb)1003181418 (https://flic.kr/p/MW2KmF) by johndtuttle (https://www.flickr.com/photos/20496507@N07/), on Flickr
Under Spool Assembly:
[url=https://flic.kr/p/Mon9jE]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2bBH65A]
Rotor:
[url=https://flic.kr/p/Mon8Sh]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/KQmQCM]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/Mon99E]
Cool Hydrophobic Polymer seal for friction-less sealing of Pinion Assembly. The rotor and the top of the body nest together to create the seal:
[url=https://flic.kr/p/26LdPDW]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/26LdPBb]
Its nests in these grooves under the rotor. Note the corresponding hydrophobic polymer bushing under the rotor:
[url=https://flic.kr/p/26TBgdA]
Sealed on the under side:
[url=https://flic.kr/p/Mon949]
Like most PENN spinners you have to remove the Main Shaft to safely remove the Pinion Assembly:
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2bBH5eh]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2aAjcD9]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2bBH5Co]
Top of Pinion Assembly:
[url=https://flic.kr/p/Mon96U]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/26LdPku]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/Mon96U]
A few whacks (protect your hand) into your palm and it drops out:
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2aAjcv3]
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2bBH5nU]
(https://flic.kr/p/MW2Kat)1003181434 (https://flic.kr/p/2bBH5nU) by johndtuttle (https://www.flickr.com/photos/20496507@N07/), on Flickr
(https://flic.kr/p/2bBH5sU)1003181433 (https://flic.kr/p/2bBH5sU) by johndtuttle (https://www.flickr.com/photos/20496507@N07/), on Flickr
Nothing fancy-schmancy for the ARB:
(https://flic.kr/p/28gvXpK)P1120668 (https://flic.kr/p/28gvXpK) by johndtuttle (https://www.flickr.com/photos/20496507@N07/), on Flickr
The Body has a familiar and reliable plan:
(https://flic.kr/p/26LdPFu)P1120654 (https://flic.kr/p/26LdPFu) by johndtuttle (https://www.flickr.com/photos/20496507@N07/), on Flickr
(https://flic.kr/p/MvGDBN)P1120664 (https://flic.kr/p/MvGDBN) by johndtuttle (https://www.flickr.com/photos/20496507@N07/), on Flickr
Crosswind Gear:
(https://flic.kr/p/26TBg3W)P1120665 (https://flic.kr/p/26TBg3W) by johndtuttle (https://www.flickr.com/photos/20496507@N07/), on Flickr
It rides on the nylon washer above and this brass bushing:
(https://flic.kr/p/26TBgau)P1120666 (https://flic.kr/p/26TBgau) by johndtuttle (https://www.flickr.com/photos/20496507@N07/), on Flickr
Side Plate with Body Seal and note the screws to retain the Bearings:
(https://flic.kr/p/Mon9bo)P1120652 (https://flic.kr/p/Mon9bo) by johndtuttle (https://www.flickr.com/photos/20496507@N07/), on Flickr
Seal of the handle opening:
(https://flic.kr/p/26LdPmS)P1120650 (https://flic.kr/p/26LdPmS) by johndtuttle (https://www.flickr.com/photos/20496507@N07/), on Flickr
The Handle is peened on permanently like the old SSV for low maintenance. Nice to see it was well greased already from the factory:
(https://flic.kr/p/Mon8Y9)P1120638 (https://flic.kr/p/Mon8Y9) by johndtuttle (https://www.flickr.com/photos/20496507@N07/), on Flickr
Thanks John. Nice!
Hello John... always a pleasure seeing you here.
Thanks for making it easy on us to take a look on these new products.
Sal
Quite interesting-thanks.
Frank
Thank you John.
I've torn down one myself and they look more durable. Time will tell on the exterior finish.
Good Day, I was doing maintenance on my Penn Spinfisher VI 4500, & removed 4 shims & I'm not sure where to replace them. Two are copper colored & the others chrome. Need your assistance please.
nice, thanks for posting this. anyone have a link to schematic for this? i'm no spiinning reel guy, and have one that got dunked in nacl h2o needs complete disassembly and {hopefully} reassembly...
So these have been out a few years. Has anyone developed a strong positive or negative opinion on them after using it for a bit?
Quote from: ReelClean on June 03, 2021, 10:51:38 PM
IPX5 my ar$e! It works in reverse also: OPX5 (whatever gets in can't get out).
I have written off two chinese built Penns this year due to internal corrosion. The grease they are using seems to hold all the salt and converts itself into blue/grey crystals/concrete; I can only presume the graphite or Li in the grease reacts with the salt. I am guessing that the water came down through the pinion seal judging by the rusted ARBs. Also, the "sealed" sideplate bearings were rusted solid.
In both cases the pinion gear bridge in the body just corroded away. Both these were smaller bodys where the bridge has only a couple of mm of metal over the top as you can see in one of the photos. I have done a couple of 6000 size and they were still sealed and the grease in good condition.
IMHO, get a 'Gosa!
cheers
Steve
Dollars to donuts those reels were deeply submerged (and possibly cranked underwater) and then put away with zero service for significantly more than one year. Comparing **one reel** to **one other reel** without knowing their full histories is just not scientific information (ie knowledge).
Handi2 and myself have brought back to life even less expensive Penns that were found at the bottom of the ocean or bays. The above reels likely saw something along those lines of abuse, imo.
IPX5 prevents splashes from entering the reel and it does according to thousands of guys that have fished the reels. But ANYTHING will leak if submerged deep enough and everything requires service once salt gets inside. Yes, even Saragosas but the Slammer gears are far tougher.
ps and you can find photos of Saragosas that have leaked and corroded too out there.