Reel Repair by Alan Tani

Conventional and Bait Casting Reel Rebuild Tutorials and Questions => Okuma Tutorials and Questions => Topic started by: ijlal on January 25, 2012, 12:13:01 PM

Title: Broken Reel Foot - Okuma Convector CV55W
Post by: ijlal on January 25, 2012, 12:13:01 PM
Hi Alan and all!

Hope you are doing good.

I sold a new Okuma Convector CV55W about 3 weeks back. The customer, after fishing with it just two times, brought it to me saying the steel reel foot broke apart while fighting a 20# fish. He also showed a deep scratch mark on the Aluminum reel seat of the rod at the place where the foot broke. The reel was supposedly clamped down as well. How this could happen on a reel tightly fit on the reel seat beats me. It is not the same as the graphite frame breaking apart. Kindly see the attached pics and advise what might have caused the breakage.

Thanks,
Ijlal

Title: Re: Broken Reel Foot - Okuma Convector CV55W
Post by: ijlal on January 25, 2012, 12:15:32 PM
A couple more pics......
Title: Re: Broken Reel Foot - Okuma Convector CV55W
Post by: Alto Mare on January 25, 2012, 12:32:09 PM
I might be wrong, but from your pix  that part appears to be some type of cast aluminum alloy. That part should be made out of stainless steel, but I can't really tell.
Title: Re: Broken Reel Foot - Okuma Convector CV55W
Post by: ijlal on January 25, 2012, 12:37:05 PM
Quote from: Alto Mare on January 25, 2012, 12:32:09 PM
I might be wrong, but from your pix  that part appears to be some type of cast aluminum alloy. That part should be made out of stainless steel, but I can't really tell.

Alto,

I can confirm it is steel or some ferrous alloy due to its magnetic properties.

Thanks!
Ijlal
Title: Re: Broken Reel Foot - Okuma Convector CV55W
Post by: wallacewt on January 25, 2012, 12:58:57 PM
in the 1st 2 photos the right side of the broken reel foot looks a lot thicker than the left side.is that rust?old or new rust?if the reel foot was mounted on top of the reel seat instead of in it and the clamp was tightened ???if you could get the owner to guamtanamo bay for a friendly little fish,just replace it and add 1/2 on the next 2 you sell.gd luck
Title: Re: Broken Reel Foot - Okuma Convector CV55W
Post by: Irish Jigger on January 25, 2012, 04:22:54 PM
The iron oxide would indicate the seat was cracked prior to  salt water ingression.  You would need to examine the aluminium reel fitting on the rod to see how the reel seat was loaded/overloaded when the rod clamp was fully tightened.
Looks very like Chinese stainless steel. ;)
Title: Re: Broken Reel Foot - Okuma Convector CV55W
Post by: Jimmer on January 25, 2012, 05:11:08 PM
The reel clamp must have stressed the metal on the foot. If this was a new CV55W with the plastic hold plate the hold plate would have blown out at the AR dog pin, then the new smaller sized AR roller bearing on the handle shaft would have failed on a good fish, long before the reel seat broke, IMHO. - Jimmer
Title: Re: Broken Reel Foot - Okuma Convector CV55W
Post by: ijlal on January 25, 2012, 06:02:21 PM
Quote from: Jimmer on January 25, 2012, 05:11:08 PM
The reel clamp must have stressed the metal on the foot. If this was a new CV55W with the plastic hold plate the hold plate would have blown out at the AR dog pin, then the new smaller sized AR roller bearing on the handle shaft would have failed on a good fish, long before the reel seat broke, IMHO. - Jimmer

No, it's probably the older version as it has an Aluminum hold plate. Everything else except the reel foot is intact and in perfect order.

Thanks!
Title: Re: Broken Reel Foot - Okuma Convector CV55W
Post by: Squirmypug on January 26, 2012, 02:35:28 AM
Sometimes steel has defects in it, looks like a crack opened up because of something in the steel and then just broke.  :(
Title: Re: Broken Reel Foot - Okuma Convector CV55W
Post by: ijlal on January 26, 2012, 07:53:48 PM
Do you think Okuma will replace the part?
Title: Re: Broken Reel Foot - Okuma Convector CV55W
Post by: Tile on January 26, 2012, 08:06:03 PM
The breakage is the result of metal fatigue coupled with a defect in the metal. You should search for a new foot, unrivet the old one and bolt the new one in its place (this requires drilling out the rivets).
Title: Re: Broken Reel Foot - Okuma Convector CV55W
Post by: alantani on January 27, 2012, 12:50:15 AM
it's a warranty item, but that might be tough in pakistan.....  :-\
Title: Re: Broken Reel Foot - Okuma Convector CV55W
Post by: ijlal on January 27, 2012, 07:22:09 PM
I took the frame to a machine shop, got the rivets removed, had the foot welded and have refitted with screws and nuts. Let's see how it holds  :-[

Thank you all for your inputs! Really appreciate it.  ;D
Title: Re: Broken Reel Foot - Okuma Convector CV55W
Post by: Tile on January 27, 2012, 08:25:48 PM
Post some pics of the repaired reel foot.
Title: Re: Broken Reel Foot - Okuma Convector CV55W
Post by: ijlal on January 27, 2012, 11:12:22 PM
Hey Tile,

I am afraid the pics are not too good. I should have taken pics before assembling the reel. The weld itself is not a very fine job but seems strong enough to hold, will have to wait and see how it performs out at sea.

Title: Re: Broken Reel Foot - Okuma Convector CV55W
Post by: Bryan Young on January 27, 2012, 11:44:45 PM
Nice. Good repair job.
Title: Re: Broken Reel Foot - Okuma Convector CV55W
Post by: ijlal on January 27, 2012, 11:46:20 PM
Thanks Bryan!
Title: Re: Broken Reel Foot - Okuma Convector CV55W
Post by: Tile on January 27, 2012, 11:50:16 PM
The repair job is ok. You should grease the screws and the reel foot. Also you can consider putting acorn nuts and Grower washers to prevent them from unscrewing. From what I see the foot is held in place with M4 screws.
Title: Re: Broken Reel Foot - Okuma Convector CV55W
Post by: ijlal on January 28, 2012, 12:06:28 AM
Quote from: Tile on January 27, 2012, 11:50:16 PM
The repair job is ok. You should grease the screws and the reel foot. Also you can consider putting acorn nuts and Grower washers to prevent them from unscrewing. From what I see the foot is held in place with M4 screws.

Tile,

I totally agree it's an okay job or even less. Problem is here, we don't get everything as you do in the US. Even finding SS nuts and bolts of this size of good quality is an ordeal here. Furthermore, I put together the reel in a hurry as I'll be fishing for 6 consecutive trips starting Sunday. ;)  Am going to search around for better fixtures, and would certainly add grower washers. As for acorn nuts, I doubt I'll be able to find any this size. A thin coat of Penn reel grease as already been applied though it may not be visible in the pic. Just wanted to hand over the reel to the customer till I get better bolts and nuts.

Thanks!
Title: Re: Broken Reel Foot - Okuma Convector CV55W
Post by: alantani on January 28, 2012, 12:12:39 AM
good work on the reel seat.  also, you know, we CAN ship things to you.  anything you need, let us know.  
Title: Re: Broken Reel Foot - Okuma Convector CV55W
Post by: ijlal on January 28, 2012, 12:21:42 AM
Thank you so much Alan! Will let you know if anything's needed; for now, I'll manage with what is available here.

Have a great day!