pauldconyers Posted January 2, 2020 Posted January 2, 2020 Last year I went about finding me a reel for a deep diving crank rod for mostly 5XD's and 6XD's. I have a 7'10" Quantum Tour KVD MH rod and I went with 10# FC on it. On the advice of some posts from a few years ago on hear I ended up choosing ABU GARCIA ORRA WINCH 5.4:1 based upon many reviews that it was as solid as a tank, had excellent torque for big cranks and that it casts a mile. Had trouble finding one as they were not longer in stores and such but found a brand new one online for a great price and pulled the trigger. It is super smooth, was perfectly brand new and all that but I am not getting NEAR the casting distance I should be I feel. I would admit that while I have used bait caters for years do not yet feel I really have this thing dialed in but feel I should be getting more than I am. I mean, I have the exact same rod in 7' with an Shimano SLX reel and 12# FC and I easily get 25 feet more with a heavier line and a rod 10 inches shorter. What am I missing here? I am not one to take apart a reel or anything but could possible apply some oil here or there if I needed to but being brand new should I have to do that really, even if it sat around for 3 years or whatever unused? Just wanted some opinions I guess. Quote
Super User jimmyjoe Posted January 2, 2020 Super User Posted January 2, 2020 15 minutes ago, pauldconyers said: it sat around for 3 years or whatever unused? If it were me in your situation, I would flush bearings and re-lube. Also, that's a magnetic reel. The SLX is centrifugal. They don't cast the same. Are you more accustomed to magnetics or centrifugal? jj Quote
pauldconyers Posted January 2, 2020 Author Posted January 2, 2020 8 minutes ago, jimmyjoe said: If it were me in your situation, I would flush bearings and re-lube. Also, that's a magnetic reel. The SLX is centrifugal. They don't cast the same. Are you more accustomed to magnetics or centrifugal? jj Hmm, never thought of that. The Lew's MH2SH Mach II I have is a magnetic I believe and I can adjust and throw that thing an insane distance. But yes the SLX is centrifugal. And the 2 Curado K's I have arriving tomorrow are SVS it looks like. Based upon what I am used to does that tell you anything? Again I feel the Lew's is a fairly similar setup. Regarding these 2 Curado K's I ordered I assumed they would act fairly similar to the SLX reels I have, is that not the case? Quote
swhit140 Posted January 2, 2020 Posted January 2, 2020 I would do a full service on the reel, disassemble, flush the bearing. Lubricate/grease the reel and see if that helps. 1 Quote
Super User jimmyjoe Posted January 2, 2020 Super User Posted January 2, 2020 1 minute ago, pauldconyers said: Hmm, never thought of that. The Lew's MH2SH Mach II I have is a magnetic I believe and I can adjust and throw that thing an insane distance. But yes the SLX is centrifugal. And the 2 Curado K's I have arriving tomorrow are SVS it looks like. Based upon what I am used to does that tell you anything? Again I feel the Lew's is a fairly similar setup. Regarding these 2 Curado K's I ordered I assumed they would act fairly similar to the SLX reels I have, is that not the case? Probably. My only point was that some people are accustomed to one system much more than the other. Good luck with your Orra. jj Quote
Delaware Valley Tackle Posted January 2, 2020 Posted January 2, 2020 If you’re not comfortable servicing the Orra yourself send it in and I’ll clean and evaluate any other issues found. 1 Quote
Super User FishTank Posted January 2, 2020 Super User Posted January 2, 2020 Most reels I buy, I will take them apart and re-lube them from the get go> Some have too much grease and others not enough. It is rare in my experience to have a reel that is absolutely perfect out of the box. 2 Quote
Super User MN Fisher Posted January 2, 2020 Super User Posted January 2, 2020 8 minutes ago, FishTank said: Most reels I buy, I will take them apart and re-lube them from the get go> Some have too much grease and others not enough. It is rare in my experience to have a reel that is absolutely perfect out of the box. ^ This - every reel I buy gets a full service before I take it out on the water. Quote
Postman Posted January 3, 2020 Posted January 3, 2020 I don’t really understand the ‘need’ to take apart or service a brand new reel. For someone who uses reels but is not a person who repairs them, this seems a little obsessive. Unless you’re a reel repair person, how do you know how much grease is ‘too much’? I’ve even seen some debate over which oil/grease to use or no oil at all in bearings. I’d likely make the thing worse doing this myself and don't know anyone who services reels. None of the stores here do it and might expect to get an odd look if I brought a brand new reel to someone for servicing. Quote
Super User WRB Posted January 3, 2020 Super User Posted January 3, 2020 On January 1, 2020 at 8:40 PM, Delaware Valley Tackle said: If you’re not comfortable servicing the Orra yourself send it in and I’ll clean and evaluate any other issues found. ^^^this^^^ Have the reel professionally serviced to get top performance from it and peace of mind. Tom 1 Quote
Super User MN Fisher Posted January 3, 2020 Super User Posted January 3, 2020 19 minutes ago, Postman said: I don’t really understand the ‘need’ to take apart or service a brand new reel. For someone who uses reels but is not a person who repairs them, this seems a little obsessive. What I've found is that they over-pack the grease at least on the worm shaft...my Supreme came with the grease caked into the worm shaft enough that it was overflowing onto the level-wind tube. It was also a more viscous grease than I use. I haven't taken it apart to check the main gears yet, but if it's like the President I got last year...it needs a full clean/re-lube to function at it's best/ Quote
Super User Hammer 4 Posted January 3, 2020 Super User Posted January 3, 2020 Bought a new Shimano Citica about 6 months ago, took it out and it wouldn't cast worth a hoot. Got home took it apart, and the bearings were pretty dry..Lubed it up, took it out the next day, and what a difference. So yeah, the factory can go both ways, under lube, and over lubed. 2 Quote
Super User MickD Posted January 3, 2020 Super User Posted January 3, 2020 20 minutes ago, WRB said: Have the reel professionally serviced to get top performance from it and peace of mind. Tom I strongly believe this is good advice. Reels are so much more complex now that I stop after taking the spool out, maybe repack the drag, and let the rest of it be done by someone who knows what he is doing. Quote
redmeansdistortion Posted January 4, 2020 Posted January 4, 2020 2 hours ago, Postman said: I don’t really understand the ‘need’ to take apart or service a brand new reel. For someone who uses reels but is not a person who repairs them, this seems a little obsessive. Unless you’re a reel repair person, how do you know how much grease is ‘too much’? I’ve even seen some debate over which oil/grease to use or no oil at all in bearings. I’d likely make the thing worse doing this myself and don't know anyone who services reels. None of the stores here do it and might expect to get an odd look if I brought a brand new reel to someone for servicing. The reel OP got is some years old, he essentially got a new old stock unit. Most greases tend to thicken over time, especially if the reel hasn't seen any action. A full service will almost always bring it back to life. Quote
Postman Posted January 4, 2020 Posted January 4, 2020 I don't mean to hijack the thread but the OP asked the question "Is there something wrong with my reel?" I've often asked myself the same question; along with is there something wrong with my line, my casting, my adjustments, my set up...ME? I guess the responses to this are both reasonable and unreasonable. I think you might understand my point when you consider a couple of people suggest a complete service of a brand new reel. This recommendation leads to a number of questions...i.e. Why? A reasonable person could assume the reel should come from the manufacturer in A-OK condition or, if it isn't, be able to return/exchange it. Too much grease? How much is too much? How would I know if I'm not an expert in reel servicing or have never used that manufacturer/model reel before to know what's right or not right? My experience is very similar as the OP... The first 'nice' bait casting reel I ever purchased was an Abu Revo Premier (PRM-L) in 2012. I had previously only used spinning gear and decided if I was going to buy a bait caster and not be frustrated, it better be a good one. I spent a lot of money on that Abu reel and a Veritas rod. I used it and was very disappointed in my purchase because the thing did not perform. (...or was it me?) How could I know? Since then, I have gotten other reels which have performed much better. Among them, the same Lew's Mach II reels that Keeper mentioned in an earlier post. I still have that Revo Premier but hardly ever use it not knowing if there is something wrong with it or what. It's never performed. I've been reluctant to spend big $$$ on a high-end reel nor an Abu Garcia product fearing it will be a poor investment. Since then... I bought a Mach II combo owing to the 2016 iCast "best combo" selection and because it was on sale at the local Dick's Sporting Goods. I liked the Winn grips and the general feel of the setup. I'm very pleased! So pleased that I purchased a second combo for my wife as Christmas gift later (...on sale again). Legit... for her... she had tried that Revo/Veritas combo and hated it too. She liked the Lew's so I bought her one. She works that thing like a pro! I also have a Daiwa CC80HSL (about $50 now) which works better for me than that Revo ever did. I got it free when I bought a St. Croix Bass X rod at the MLF RedCrest Tournament! I put it on the Veritas rod with happy results. This makes me wonder if that Revo was 'broken' from the start and I just never knew. I have a Lew's Custom Speed Spool (CG1SHL). I only coughed up the $$$ because it was 40% off during Gander Outdoors (store-closing sale) and those Mach II reels gave me confidence in both Lew's and my ability to use bait casting reels. I put it on that Bass X rod and it's awesome! At this point, I'm very much thinking the Revo was busted from the start. (How could I know?) Now I have one of the brand new Lew's Tournament MP (TS1HMPL) reels which I haven't used yet. It was a gift from KVD himself which arrived on Christmas eve along with an autographed KVD ornament. (I'm not kidding...) It's no 'Leg Lamp' and didn't arrive in a big crate marked "Fragile" but I was pretty excited. I expect it will also out-perform that very first expensive Revo which probably never worked properly. Sadly, I didn't know due to my own inexperience. 1 Quote
GReb Posted January 4, 2020 Posted January 4, 2020 I’d start by flushing all of the spool bearings and the tensioner bearing followed by applying a drop of thin oil to each. Adjust the spool tension to where the spool has the slightest bit of play side to side then make a bunch of casts adjusting the brakes to see if that helps. I actually just had a similar situation with a brand new reel and flushing the bearings made a huge difference. Soaked them in acetone overnight and dried them with an air compressor. 1 Quote
Postman Posted January 4, 2020 Posted January 4, 2020 Thanks... I’ll give it a try. I watched a couple of YouTube videos. One guy only greased the internal gears and the bearings while another applied grease to additional areas and oil to more than just bearings; e.g. the edges of the spool? He was putting oil and grease all over that thing. Probably felt like a basket of french fries. Any recommendations on oil and grease? Quote
swhit140 Posted January 4, 2020 Posted January 4, 2020 Grease- Cal's universal reel/drag grease, Shimano Reel Grease Oil- TSI-321,Shimano,Daiwa 1 Quote
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