Lew's Tourney Pro Problems Again... :(

[averagebass123]

So i posted another topic on this about a month ago and i tried a few of the things that people suggested and most of it worked, but problems slowly came back. Casting distance is awful right now. I measured how long i could cast with a 3/8 oz single spinner spinnerbait (the h&h one) and i got 60 feet. This isn't too horrible of a cast, but for how much the reel costs i expect better.

 

Right now with the reel i have it set with 2 centri. brakes, and magnetic brakes around 3. I set the spool tension tight enough so the lure falls slowly when you press the spool release. The reel always starts out on a cast nicely, but then a loop or two will form and then I get like 10-20 loops by the end of the cast. I am not sure which brake needs to be adjusted in this situation. I have messed around with the brakes a TON and it seems that the only two ways i can set the reel are 1- short cast distance, spool slows down very fast during cast or 2-long cast, but loops and then small backlash.. I have owned several other baitcasters and NONE of them do this. I can usually dial them in to a nice mid-ground where i can get long distance and no 'lash.

 

I have heard so much about this reel being great, and everyone's favorite to use, but i just don't see it. I would take a h20 mettle over this anyday, but i'm stuck with this reel and i just want to figure it out. If i can't figure it out soon i will probably end up selling it.

 

Here's what i did last time that worked:

 

1. cleaned spool shaft
2. dried off bearings as much as possible with cu-tip
3. put a little oil on the track that the centri. brakes rub against so they weren't so strong / didn't cut down distance as much
4. put 1 drop of oil on side plate bearing
5. 1 drop oil on shaft bearing and a little bit on the shaft part
6. new line- berkley smooth cast 12 lb mono
7. new rod - h20 blue ethos

I have heard alot about "flushing" out the bearings and reapplying oil, but i am hesitant. Does it help significantly? Any other suggestions?

 

If anyone has ever had this problem please help!

 

EDIT: If you're wondering why i didn't just clean it over again, the reason is they didn't really help when i did it again the other day ( #1-5 ). I was still having the same short casting distance.

[rippin-lips]

I own multiple Lews reels and have never had an issue. You might of just gotten a bad reel. It does happen here and there. Can you take it back and exchange it?

[Hi Salenity]

It sounds to me like you are oiling the wrong places and haven't flushed the bearings.

The TP is finicky and if its not dialed in it won't work good.

I have a 5.4 carbon black I'd trade if your interested.

[averagebass123]

I own multiple Lews reels and have never had an issue. You might of just gotten a bad reel. It does happen here and there. Can you take it back and exchange it?

Did you have to flush the bearings on your Lew's reels when you got them? Also what settings do you use on the brakes for say a 3/8 oz spinnerbait or a 1/4 oz-1/2 oz crankbait?

[rippin-lips]

Never flushed anything out. I've added a drop of oil here and there and that's it. I throw cranks on my bb1 so I can't say for settings. My TP's have 2 brakes on and Mag braks on 1-2 normally.

[rippin-lips]

You had me curious so I just did a test. 1/4 swim jig with no trailer was 80ft 5" Brakes on 2/2 no thumbing just let it go. 6'10 H falcon bucoo micro with #50 power pro. Really a mh power though.

Side arm cast throwing hard but nothing crazy.

[averagebass123]

You had me curious so I just did a test. 1/4 swim jig with no trailer was 80ft 5" Brakes on 2/2 no thumbing just let it go. 6'10 H falcon bucoo micro with #50 power pro. Really a mh power though.

Side arm cast throwing hard but nothing crazy.

The only lure i can cast far is a 1/2 oz. rat-l-trap, but i'm pretty sure any reel can throw it a mile hahaha. I will try that test after school and i bet i will get 50 feet with 1/4 oz jig. I will try the exact same brake settings too.

[Capt.Bob]

I think from your post on the favorite baitcast reel thread that you aren't happy with any of your baitcast reels, this usually indicates a problem with your technique, it requires a lot of practice to get good with a baitcasting reel, but once you learn it they are great.

[CiMo]

I'm not sure I see a problem, throwing a 3/8oz spinner bait 60 ft is a good distance and should be more than enough unless your fishing a huge lake or super wide river and trying to get dead in the middle of either.... 60 ft should be plenty, but flushing the bearings couldn't hurt at all it could only improve them, but if you do that get ready to re-adjust your settings you're use to cause that will surely change it. Just my 2 cents and hope it helps. Good luck with it and keep yer' line tight when ya got em hooked.

[jherm87]

My tournament has two centrifugal brakes on. I can crank the magnets to 7-9 and throw 3/8 baits a significant distance into the wind. Sounds like you are wanting a baitcaster that you can press down the thumb bar and throw. I started dragging my thumb on the spool the whole time when I started, to help train my thumb. Take a little more spool tension out, you shouldn't have to throw so hard and just thumb the spool.

I don't know how long you've been using them now, but it takes some time, I almost gave up on baitcast reels in my first couple weeks, now it seems to be trying to skip baits under the docks that screws me.

Turn up the brakes of you have to, or stitch to a spinning reel, no shame either way in my eyes

[Fishwhittler]

Here's what I'd try:

 

1.  Remove the bearings from the palm-side cover and from the spool shaft.  There should be a spring clip holding the bearing in the side cover, but the bearing on the shaft is held in place by a steel pin running through the spool shaft.  This must be removed with spool pin pliers.  If you've done this before you'll know what I mean.  If you haven't it's still easy, but you must use the right tool for the job or you can easily damage your reel.

 

2.  Stick the bearings on the end of a wooden pencil or a plastic pipette and spray them with a little WD40.  Flick the bearing with your finger a few times to work it in.  The bearing should spin slowly at first and then more quickly as the WD40 loosens up the factory lube.

 

3.  Put 1/2" of pure acetone in a glass jar with a lid and soak the bearings in this for 10 minutes or more, giving the jar a shake from time to time.  If you can see a lot of gunk in the acetone after the soak, repeat.

 

4.  After they're rinsed in acetone, remove the bearings from the acetone bath and let them dry (or blow-dry them with compressed air).  Test the bearings by putting them pack on the pencil or pipette and spinning them.  When clean they should spin for at least 8-10 seconds.

 

If the above doesn't work the first time, try more WD40 and spinning followed by a rinse in clean acetone.  It's imperative to follow up the WD40 with acetone because WD40 leaves a thin film over the surfaces inside the bearing.  The acetone removes this film.

 

5.  Lubricate the flushed bearings with a single drop of light reel oil, spin them a few times to work the oil in, and reassemble your reel.

 

A few other things that will also help are polishing the ends of the spool shaft, polishing the points on the spool shaft where it contacts the pinion gear, polishing the brake race, and polishing the inside of the pinion gear.  The first two can be accomplished with a dremel tool and a standard buffing/polishing attachment.  I like to use a liquid plastic polish or even car wax, just make sure you clean off the residue with acetone.

 

Polishing the brake race and the inside of the pinion gear are a bit more tricky.  What I do is take a q-tip, cut it down to a 3/4" stub, remove most of the cotton padding, and then chuck the stub in a dremel tool.  Works like a charm for polishing the inside of the pinion gear.  Rinse the polished surfaces with acetone to remove any residue.

 

Put a drop of oil on each of the two spool-shaft contact points when reassembling your reel.  Also put a single drop of light oil on the brake race and wipe it around with your finger.  The brake race shouldn't be really oily, just enough so that your finger comes away shiny if you touch the brake race.

 

I hope this helps.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Spinnerbaits are hard to throw long distances without backlash due to the poor aerodynamics. Making sure the bait and rod are an appropriate combo is also important. If you still think the reel needs something flushing the bearings is critical. Simply adding new oil over the over done factory lube will more likely make a bad matter worse. There is no need to lube a spool shaft either.

[averagebass123]

I'm not sure I see a problem, throwing a 3/8oz spinner bait 60 ft is a good distance and should be more than enough unless your fishing a huge lake or super wide river and trying to get dead in the middle of either.... 60 ft should be plenty, but flushing the bearings couldn't hurt at all it could only improve them, but if you do that get ready to re-adjust your settings you're use to cause that will surely change it. Just my 2 cents and hope it helps. Good luck with it and keep yer' line tight when ya got em hooked.

I fish at a lake and at some big ponds (10+ acres). If i'm trying to cover water fast, and keep my bait in the strike zone, I need to get longs casts. I can cast probably 40+ yards with an h20

[averagebass123]

Spinnerbaits are hard to throw long distances without backlash due to the poor aerodynamics. Making sure the bait and rod are an appropriate combo is also important. If you still think the reel needs something flushing the bearings is critical. Simply adding new oil over the over done factory lube will more likely make a bad matter worse. There is no need to lube a spool shaft either.

I only put a drop on the end of the spool shaft so it gets on the bearing on the side opposite the side plate.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

I only put a drop on the end of the spool shaft so it gets on the bearing on the side opposite the side plate.

That won't work. You don't want oil where the spool shaft passes through the bearing (never polish that spot either). The oil wn't get where you want it that way either. Take the cast control knob off to access that bearing, the side palte off for the non-crank side and pull the spool to raech a bearing behind the spool shaft pin. Sounds more and more like too much lube in the wrong places is bogging things down. Email or call if you need more help offline. 

[rippin-lips]

I agree with DVT. If I can get 80' with a 1/4oz jig then you're doing something wrong. Either in technique or equipment.

[hatrix]

I don't really know your skill level but. If you have that many brakes on and still get loops it might be your technique. ALL my lew's reels have 1 brake on and usually 0 mags and up to maybe 2 or 3 in strong wind. I never use tension either unless throwing big heavy lures.

Sometimes less is more. With minimal brakes you don't need much effort to really get some distance on your cast and if you throw to hard your brakes will engage harder and slow your cast down to much sometimes.

A dirty pinion gear can really reduce your casting. Pop out your spool and rip a little off a q-tip so it fits and clean the dirt out. That is something I do fairly often and makes a big impact while only take a couple minutes tops to do.

[.RM.]

That won't work. You don't want oil where the spool shaft passes through the bearing (never polish that spot either). The oil wn't get where you want it that way either. Take the cast control knob off to access that bearing, the side palte off for the non-crank side and pull the spool to raech a bearing behind the spool shaft pin. Sounds more and more like too much lube in the wrong places is bogging things down. Email or call if you need more help offline. 

X2.............

[averagebass123]

That won't work. You don't want oil where the spool shaft passes through the bearing (never polish that spot either). The oil wn't get where you want it that way either. Take the cast control knob off to access that bearing, the side palte off for the non-crank side and pull the spool to raech a bearing behind the spool shaft pin. Sounds more and more like too much lube in the wrong places is bogging things down. Email or call if you need more help offline. 

I didn't put too much on the spool shaft, but i will clean that up. Took the reel  for a few test casts today and it is doing better after the last clean/lube i did a few days ago. (i hadn't really tested it alot until today) and it can cast a 1/4oz strike king red eye shad a good 30-40 yards. I am not at all complaining about that, but it still cannot cast other stuff to great... I mainly have trouble with hard baits that are hollow and have lots of drag while flying through air, but no weight. Something like a silent crankbait is tough.

 

What brake settings do you use for lighter lures? I think the reason i have trouble with these is that they don't have enough force when casted to spin the spool alot so the centri. brakes are less useful. Should i just use mag brakes for lighter stuff?

[TNBassin']

I'm pretty sure your reel has the same brake system as a Gen 3 STX I had. If it is, then you should really only need 2 brake tabs on(opposite of each other)and set your spool tension accordingly for heavier baits. For lighter stuff, I would go all mags but that's just me or you could try only having one centrifugal brake on in combination with a low mag setting.

[new2BC4bass]

Light lures require a fair amount of casting skill.  From what I read, centrifugal brakes work at the beginning of a cast while magnetic brakes work at the end of a cast.  I have both types, plus a TP.  I have no problem backlashing any of them.    I can tell you that a smooth rod reversal is critical with a light lure on a magnetic brake reel.  Very easy to over-run or backlash at the beginning of the cast otherwise.  Especially if you have a light spool and minimum spool tension.  I've got 3 Daiwa reels designed for light lures that I can backlash real quick with light lures.  The spools start up very fast given that I use minimum spool tension.

 

It would be great if you knew someone who is excellent with a baitcaster.  Not only could he (or she) try your reel, but they could watch you cast and maybe offer some advice.  Wish I had an expert to watch me cast.

[Fishwhittler]

Spinnerbaits are hard to throw long distances without backlash due to the poor aerodynamics. Making sure the bait and rod are an appropriate combo is also important. If you still think the reel needs something flushing the bearings is critical. Simply adding new oil over the over done factory lube will more likely make a bad matter worse. There is no need to lube a spool shaft either.

 

Perhaps not on Shimano reels with the Super Free system or on reels with two-part spool shafts.  On reels that have no pinion bearing and a one-part spool shaft, I've found that polishing and a light coat of oil on the friction surfaces makes a noticeable improvement in casting performance and casting noise.

[BrettD]

When casting light lures it requires and very well trained thumb and a reel with as little braking as possible. Hatrix summed it pretty good. When Im using something less then 3/8oz I only have one centri. brake on and the mag usually on 2-4 depending on wind. The reel will backlash if your thumb isnt well trained.

[Capt.Bob]

There is your problem, I have never set more than one centrifugal brake on any of the 8 Lew's reels I own. some use no centrifugal brake, and as others have told you, there are more problems caused by over lubing than not enough. Think half a drop of oil!!! and adding oil, is not going to work with factory packed bearings!!! FLUSH means just that!!! Then you will see what one drop per bearing will do. DVC and .RM. know what they are talking about,,,,,,,,,,but from what you are telling us, is you are not listening. You can't kinda remove and add again, take it down and start dry. Only then will you be able to make an intelligent assessment. If you keep just kinda doing a half way strip and flush and clean, and then add more, you really are probably causing your own problems. I would send it in tell them what's wrong and have it properly serviced one time, then you know, and if it isn't you the service tech will let you know there is an issue with the reel, and Lew's will take care of it!!!!! This is how we all learned. 

[jhoffman]

The number one reason I tear into every reel I buy before I ever fish it is this....

 

#1 - they are way over greased in the gear case, i want good stuff in there too like cals

#2 - I have NO IDEA what they used for lube

* being that I have no idea what they used, I have no idea of what its doing to the speed

* you never mix lubes