Reel Repair by Alan Tani

Welcome! => San Diego Long Range => Spirit of Adventure 2015 => Topic started by: Porthos on June 21, 2015, 01:03:38 AM

Title: My setups that worked and the one that failed.
Post by: Porthos on June 21, 2015, 01:03:38 AM
What worked for me:

(http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m153/Amadeus_Surf/DSCF1188_zpsl4u64wam.jpg)


Since the conventionals were a known quantity, the two Fin-nors were the setups of more interest that needed more proving. Both were used for yoyo-ing, the 50lb with a blue and white Sumo Jr. and the 100lb with a blue and white Sumo 6. Both hooked up to YT on the retrieve.

The 50lb-er (with 15 lbs drag from top of spool) got the bigger one (the darker back one underneath the more silver one):
(http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m153/Amadeus_Surf/CAM00028_zpscgk6n8ff.jpg)

...with no issues. Guessing about 44 inches.

The 100lb-er (with 22 lbs drag from top of spool) got this one (the smaller one at the bottom):
(http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m153/Amadeus_Surf/LT100_100_YT_zpsxbep9kxs.jpg)

...but 2/3 of way into the fight, the handle came OFF!!! Deckhand JP help slam the handle back on to the handle shaft and I made sure the last 1/3 of the fight was retrieved with little or no lateral force on the handle. After the YT had been gaffed (guessing about 40 inches), a closer inspection of the handle showed that the securing bolt had snapped.

(http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m153/Amadeus_Surf/DSCF1192_zpspo8distl.jpg)

(http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m153/Amadeus_Surf/DSCF1193_zpscrokfo3m.jpg)

The breakage occurred about 2-3mm below the screwhead. When I swap the broken handle with the intact one from the 50lb-er, the 100lb-er still cranked just as smoothly. Will be contacting Fin-nor...

All-in-all, a great trip regardless of equipment failure.
Title: Re: My setups that worked and the one that failed.
Post by: swill88 on June 21, 2015, 04:31:28 AM
Thanks for the detailed report.
Title: Re: My setups that worked and the one that failed.
Post by: Big Tim on June 21, 2015, 04:41:47 AM
No Bueno dude on the breakage...I'm glad you were able to finish the fight, but I wonder if there was a defect in the screw from the factory? Screw comes loose due to not properly tightened, (yes) handle breaks under heavy load, (yes)..but that was either over torqued or a defective screw..or to shallow of a hole causing it to bottom out? Hope you find the cause & thank for the report
Title: Re: My setups that worked and the one that failed.
Post by: theswimmer on June 21, 2015, 01:12:48 PM
I also wonder about the source for fasteners.
The guys I know who are still racing will use nothing but USA manufacturered fasteners.
Same thing with all my rigging at work, if it doesn't say USA I won't buy it.
I just replaced a 7 ton hook and 2  8 ton shackles, bill was $381 and worth every penny.
Title: Re: My setups that worked and the one that failed.
Post by: Keta on June 21, 2015, 01:37:14 PM
Not all SS alloys are the same and most are not fastener quality.
Title: Re: My setups that worked and the one that failed.
Post by: Dominick on June 21, 2015, 02:02:14 PM
Porthos when those things happen it makes for a great story and a greater memory.  I had a screw come loose on my Penn International 50 while hooked up to a YFT.  It was my friend Joe's turn on the rod so I tightened he reeled a turn or two and I had to keep doing that until we got it in.  We were laughing all the time while Joe abused my reel working ability.  Dominick
Title: Re: My setups that worked and the one that failed.
Post by: Rancanfish on June 21, 2015, 03:23:06 PM
Good post on the equipment.

You are the only person that has reported use of his 970 that I've heard.  Can you tell me what you thought of the performance?

You don't want to tighten the sideplate screws too much is all I know.   8)
Title: Re: My setups that worked and the one that failed.
Post by: johndtuttle on June 21, 2015, 03:49:46 PM
Sorry you had trouble and thanks for the report.

Probably just an uber cheap fastener from the factory that wasn't totally up to spec. A replacement will probably hold up fine.

The LT-100 is an enigma that seems to be a "loss leader" intended to gain market share and recognition for Fin Nor. No one can explain the pricing otherwise despite my friend Alan Hawk's belief that anyone could do the same.

The Quantum Cabo 100 is a very similar design and even shares many identical features but is nearly $200 more from the same parent company (Zebco) and it seems they have wrung every penny out they could to bring the LT-100 to market.

Regardless, those that get one of the good ones enjoy the reel.  ;)
Title: Re: My setups that worked and the one that failed.
Post by: Big Tim on June 21, 2015, 03:54:26 PM
Quote from: Dominick on June 21, 2015, 02:02:14 PM
Porthos  I had a screw come loose ...  Dominick


Only once  ;D
Title: Re: My setups that worked and the one that failed.
Post by: Porthos on June 21, 2015, 04:08:37 PM
Quote from: Rancanfish on June 21, 2015, 03:23:06 PM
Good post on the equipment.

You are the only person that has reported use of his 970 that I've heard.  Can you tell me what you thought of the performance?

You don't want to tighten the sideplate screws too much is all I know.   8)

It cranked in YT nice and easy, but I also had the benefit of the 24-349 handle...if it was the original 24-970 with 1" less, probably would of hated it.
Title: Re: My setups that worked and the one that failed.
Post by: Alto Mare on June 21, 2015, 04:26:50 PM
You're talking too loud Porthos::). Yes, it was the handle, those reels are worthless. Guys steer from them ;D.

Sorry to hear about your reel,  breaking down with the fish on its no fun. I'm glad you still got it to the boat, a sign of a well aged fisherman.

Can't blame Fin-nor for that one, Penn and a few others have done the same. A reminder that today they use junk.
As long as  their name plate is on their product, most get away with it :-\ .

Thanks for the report, very helpful to many.

Sal
Title: Re: My setups that worked and the one that failed.
Post by: johndtuttle on June 21, 2015, 04:54:29 PM
Quote from: Alto Mare on June 21, 2015, 04:26:50 PM


Can't blame Fin-nor for that one, Penn and a few others have done the same. A reminder that today they use junk.


It's true and even possible the different fasteners came from the same supplier in China.

Any trip down to the hardware store reveals the same stuff. Got a box of wood screws the other day that the heads twisted off of every one. Improperly (or never) hardened.
Title: Re: My setups that worked and the one that failed.
Post by: Rancanfish on June 21, 2015, 05:19:20 PM
Yes, sad that to save a buck, we have sacrificed quality. 

Title: Re: My setups that worked and the one that failed.
Post by: Dominick on June 21, 2015, 05:49:36 PM
Quote from: Big Tim on June 21, 2015, 03:54:26 PM
Quote from: Dominick on June 21, 2015, 02:02:14 PM
Porthos  I had a screw come loose ...  Dominick


Only once  ;D
Sadly that's all it takes.  :D ;D Dominick
Title: Re: My setups that worked and the one that failed.
Post by: MarkT on June 21, 2015, 05:56:06 PM
The only epic fail I saw was Randy's Terez rod breaking! I had a number of connection failures on improved albrights. I must've crossed some lines up so they cut into themselves.
Title: Re: My setups that worked and the one that failed.
Post by: joel8080 on June 21, 2015, 09:04:23 PM
My reel failure from the SOA trip, did not happen on the trip but at home, My TRQ 12 which I love and brought in 1 of my YT's on the trip was ready to get it's shower and I heard clunk looked down and both the Eccentric lever and Screw fell off the reel, saved them and I could not belive how short the screw was the threads was just a few turns on the screw also I checked and nothing broke off inside the reel.

I have some time till the next SOA trip to solve the problem. And my TRQ 200 worked perfectly and brought in over 20 YT and never skipped a beat.

Joel 8080
Title: Re: My setups that worked and the one that failed.
Post by: Porthos on June 21, 2015, 09:19:04 PM
Quote from: joel8080 on June 21, 2015, 09:04:23 PM
My reel failure from the SOA trip, did not happen on the trip but at home, My TRQ 12 which I love and brought in 1 of my YT's on the trip was ready to get it's shower and I heard clunk looked down and both the Eccentric lever and Screw fell off the reel, saved them and I could not belive how short the screw was the threads was just a few turns on the screw also I checked and nothing broke off inside the reel.

I have some time till the next SOA trip to solve the problem. And my TRQ 200 worked perfectly and brought in over 20 YT and never skipped a beat.

Joel 8080

There's Marshall's Hardware by Miramar that's worth a try for a slightly longer screw.
http://www.marshallshardware.com/
Title: Re: My setups that worked and the one that failed.
Post by: Alto Mare on June 21, 2015, 09:34:39 PM
Quote from: joel8080 on June 21, 2015, 09:04:23 PM
My reel failure from the SOA trip, did not happen on the trip but at home, My TRQ 12 which I love and brought in 1 of my YT's on the trip was ready to get it's shower and I heard clunk looked down and both the Eccentric lever and Screw fell off the reel, saved them and I could not belive how short the screw was the threads was just a few turns on the screw also I checked and nothing broke off inside the reel.

I have some time till the next SOA trip to solve the problem. And my TRQ 200 worked perfectly and brought in over 20 YT and never skipped a beat.

Joel 8080
Joel, you did good out there, you still got it! ;)
Title: Re: My setups that worked and the one that failed.
Post by: joel8080 on June 21, 2015, 10:06:42 PM
Sal

I figure when I loose it some one will be kind enough to put me in a wheel chair and park me in front of a Girls College.

Joel8080
Title: Re: My setups that worked and the one that failed.
Post by: theswimmer on June 22, 2015, 02:26:19 AM
Quote from: Big Tim on June 21, 2015, 03:54:26 PM
Quote from: Dominick on June 21, 2015, 02:02:14 PM
Porthos  I had a screw come loose ...  Dominick


Only once  ;D

Nice!
Title: Re: My setups that worked and the one that failed.
Post by: Porthos on June 23, 2015, 03:41:59 PM
FOLLOW UP ON THE FIN-NOR HANDLE:

I emailed Fin-Nor on Saturday 6/20 and got a response for my address on Monday 6/23. Today, 6/24, got this:

Hello Waiman,

We are sending you three handles.  One of them is made for the Finnor LT100.  The other 2 are Quantum handles that we would like you to try.   You will receive 2 separate orders.  Please let us know how the Quantum handles work verses the Finnor handle.

Thank you for contacting us,

Fin-Nor Service
6105 E. Apache
Tulsa, OK 74115
800-588-9030


Will post another follow-up once I get the handles.
Title: Re: My setups that worked and the one that failed.
Post by: Rancanfish on June 23, 2015, 03:48:44 PM
That's a cool response from Fin-nor.

But how will you know how they work until you get to Yellowtailing it again?
Title: Re: My setups that worked and the one that failed.
Post by: Dominick on June 23, 2015, 03:54:24 PM
Quote from: Rancanfish on June 23, 2015, 03:48:44 PM
That's a cool response from Fin-nor.

But how will you know how they work until you get to Yellowtailing it again?
Randy, Porthos can always do the bricks in the little red wagon or a kid on a bicycle thing.  That is great service from Fin-Nor.  It sounds like they want some follow up with the different handles.  A test ala Sal or Gary with pictures would be both enlightening and entertaining.  Go for it Porthos.  Dominick
Title: Re: My setups that worked and the one that failed.
Post by: Hamachi on June 25, 2015, 02:41:48 AM
Don't forget the delrin washers.
Title: Re: My setups that worked and the one that failed.
Post by: Hamachi on June 27, 2015, 10:30:20 PM
What worked. 338 Newell w/Tiburon p-20 frame, side plates and rings altered to accept frame. What I did was a little different than the tutorials. I lined up the outer bolts first, that way the smallest adjustment the side plates was necessary. Matched up to a seeker black steel 8' rod and forty big game was one of my go to setups for bait. Next up a 440 progear w/five stack penn 113 h thin with 40 also on a bt6480 cal star. Next was a torium 14 w/40 braid and a 6ft. Seagaur top shot. Just keep retying until there is no top shot left. 5 up 5 down modified Albright was used to attach the fluro to braid. On a teramar 80m. 440 Newell on an 8' Californian for iron w/40 big game.
  I lost three in a row just before deep color on a lexa 400 w/50 braid on a psw 809hxf so back in the rack it went. Just unlucky, I guess. Other reels that went were a 220 Newell and a tibbed out tld 30 for an almost bulletproof lineup. Besides pulling a few hooks with the lexa and getting "sealed" several times I landed just about everything hooked. Between me and Ken, must've landed 60 or so. (He got about 50 I think).lol! Oh, I mostly used extra large ringed owner "j" hooks, 6/0 I believe, until I switched to 6/0 mustads, it really didn't seem to matter.
Title: Re: My setups that worked and the one that failed. "Fin-Nor 1000"
Post by: 1Forecon on June 28, 2015, 02:42:05 AM
Wow- nice bunch of YT, good eats on the grill! I was so gonna buy a Fin-Nor 1000 to jig with when I got to FL last week, but no one had any in stock locally. Hate to say it, but I'm glad it was you and not me. I wouldn't have had a "spare" handle around like you did. I hope you get a better replacement part. That sucked!

I love your revived/upgraded 30h did good. Keep fishing the classics. Looks like you had a great trip otherwise.
Title: Re: My setups that worked and the one that failed.
Post by: Porthos on July 01, 2015, 04:25:51 AM
The replacement handles for the LT100 arrived. Here they are:
(http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m153/Amadeus_Surf/DSCF1196_zpslrpnlqwh.jpg)

The one on the right is the direct replacement, and it has a flatten-sides knob versus the original egg one.

The left one is the Quantum handle that Fin Nor Service want me the try out. It has a one-piece, machined arm also with a flatten-sides knob.
(http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m153/Amadeus_Surf/DSCF1197_zpsccdxbgxp.jpg)

When lining up the handles, original and replacements, there are visible variations in the thread pitch:
(http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m153/Amadeus_Surf/DSCF1199_zpsxitvcms2.jpg)
From left to right, 1st LT100 (purchased May 2014) handle, 2nd LT100 (purchased Feb 2015), replacement LT100 handle, and replacement Quantum handle.

In fitting the replacements, here are the results:

LT100 replacement handle

Quantum replacement handle

A rather interesting outcome to say the least, pointing to notable variations between different LT100 production runs.

For now, I'm going to go with the Quantum handle as the replacement for the broken one on the Feb 2015 LT100 since the one-piece arm has less parts to subject to Murphy's law. I will, however, have the other handles along and nearby for "just-in-case."


Title: Re: My setups that worked and the one that failed.
Post by: johndtuttle on July 01, 2015, 03:00:35 PM
Talk to Fin Nor and get a replacement main gear as well. They obviously have increased the handle shaft size (made it beefier) and you want this upgrade imo. If they have gone this far they will likely send out the new gear as well.

Title: Re: My setups that worked and the one that failed.
Post by: Porthos on July 01, 2015, 03:14:36 PM
Thanks John for the confirmation of my suspicions that Fin Nor had done some internal retooling corresponding to the handle differences. The results were sent to them as well, so we'll see what their response is.
Title: Re: My setups that worked and the one that failed.
Post by: 1Forecon on July 01, 2015, 10:10:35 PM
Looks like I'll be waiting to hear what you hear from them too. I think I'll be holding off on that FN1000 spinning reel purchase until you get some answers. I personally would have lost my cookies(read: I am not a very patient person by nature :'( ) already with that business your dealing with.

Good luck, staying tuned.
Title: Re: My setups that worked and the one that failed.
Post by: Porthos on July 01, 2015, 11:39:37 PM
The perspective that I hold is that the LT100's were less than $240 for the pair, and I still have two functioning reels even with the anomalies in the replacement handles.

Had the reels been $1000 - $2600 for the pair, I'd be lacking patience as well.

For now, the LT100's will be getting the same attention all my other reels get until their next spectaclar fail since all things must come to an end. As Dominick said earlier, the potential is there for some great fish stories.
Title: Re: My setups that worked and the one that failed.
Post by: johndtuttle on July 01, 2015, 11:55:49 PM
Quote from: Porthos on July 01, 2015, 11:39:37 PM
The perspective that I hold is that the LT100's were less than $240 for the pair, and I still have two functioning reels even with the anomalies in the replacement handles.

Had the reels been $1000 - $2600 for the pair, I'd be lacking patience as well.

For now, the LT100's will be getting the same attention all my other reels get until their next spectaclar fail since all things must come to an end. As Dominick said earlier, the potential is there for some great fish stories.

That's the spirit. It's a very inexpensive reel and brand new to the market. It is common to have some development issues once a reel goes into production. That's very different from prototypes etc....The reel has made a big splash in the market for the money and I would expect Fin Nor has great interest in it's success.