Shimano Vanford question/issue

[NorthernBasser]

I recently purchased a Vanford 3000. I paired it with a 6'9" med-light Zodias. Great looking setup. 

 

I took it out for the first time a few days ago and noticed how uncomfortable the reel feels in my hand. The problem is the distance between the reel foot and the 'arm' of the reel is smaller than any other reel I've ever used. So my knuckle actually rubs on the bend ('arm'?) where the reel foot angles down and connects to the body. 

 

Strangely, I haven't seen this mentioned in any reviews I've read. Does anybody else have this issue? Is it possible it's just an issue on the reel I got...as in being a defect (unlikely)?

 

Here it is compared to a Tatula and President. You can see how narrow that gap is compared to the others. 

 

 

 

[bulldog1935]

I don't have a mid-size Shimano frame, but here's a small frame Vanquish 2000

and the large frame on my Stradic 5000

Neither one looks as short  or sharply bent as your Vanford - magnesium frame and aluminum frame v. composite Vanford

 

 

If you watch TackleAdvisor's youtubes, you always see him bending the foot on composite reels.  Shimano may have intentionally shaped the Vanford Ci4+ foot this way to improve strength and stiffness. 

@Mobasser ^^^

dude, you started a 3rd thread on the same topic

[NorthernBasser]

1 hour ago, bulldog1935 said:

I don't have a mid-size Shimano frame, but here's a small frame Vanquish 2000

and the large frame on my Stradic 5000

Neither one looks as short  or sharply bent as your Vanford - magnesium frame and aluminum frame v. composite Vanford

 

Looking at stock photos, it looks like it's the norm. I just can't believe I haven't seen any reviews mentioning it. It's quite uncomfortable, and I have average size hands. 

 

[JustJames]

I don’t see any issue you described between all Daiwas and Vanford, but I have small hand/small fingers and I always hold the reel between my pinky and ring fingers. 
 

[WRB]

Move your finger forward so the pinky is where the ring finger is in the photo. Better alignment with the spool bail.

Why a 3000 size reel with braid and  ML rod?

Tom

 

[jimmyjoe]

44 minutes ago, WRB said:

Move your finger forward so the pinky is where the ring finger is in the photo. Better alignment with the spool bail.

 

   Definitely not with my hand.            jj

[NorthernBasser]

1 hour ago, WRB said:

Move your finger forward so the pinky is where the ring finger is in the photo. Better alignment with the spool bail.

Why a 3000 size reel with braid and  ML rod?

Tom

 

It's not comfortable that way. And it doesn't align better with the bail. 

 

And better question, why can't you use braid on a 3000 spool? Or use a 3000 with a med-light rod? 

23 minutes ago, jimmyjoe said:

 

   Definitely not with my hand.            jj

Yeah, mine either. 

[bulldog1935]

1 hour ago, NorthernBasser said:

...  And better question, why can't you use braid on a 3000 spool? Or use a 3000 with a med-light rod?

 

Of course you can stack braid on a deep spool, but you may not get optimum line lay result. 

Deeper spools just work better with mono - Tica 2500 comparison - I have both a Tatsu spool, which lays 10-lb perfectly, and a stacked braid spool, finishing with 16-lb, which works, without wind knots, but isn't the good line lay result, with slight hour-glassing. 

 

[fishhugger]

@northern basser your photos don't show what i assume is the issue --- i notice with my new shimano sedona uh, 2500? that when the roller bearing comes near my fingers, which are around the stem, that it (the bail/roller/etc) seemed kind of 'close'...   but i merely noticed it, enough to kind of wonder. but that's it.

 

edit: i assume i didn't understand the op....

[WRB]

What the OP is showing the reel stem bends differently then Shimano Stradic reels. The Vanford starts to bend away from the reel seat foot about 9/16”, the Stradic is close to 3/4”, or 3/16” less room for the fingers.

I have both Stradic and Vanford 2500 size reels and measured them side by side. The Vanford has a long cast spool increasing the reel overall length. I believe Shimano changed the stem shape to move the spool back similar to the Stradic for balance.

Tom

[bulldog1935]

Vanford, Stradic, Stella, Vanquish, Twin Power, etc.- all Shimano worm-drive reels introduced since '18 Stella interchange spools. 

They have identical stroke in the same reel bodies, and the internal parts exchange. 

For small frame, they're all S-27 spools. 

For medium 2500S/(SHG-FL), they're all S-20 spools. 

For large frame, they're all S-28 spools. 

https://www.jpfishingtacklenews.com/shimano-stradic-19/

https://www.jpfishingtacklenews.com/shimano-20-vanford/

https://www.jpfishingtacklenews.com/new-shimano-stella-18/

in 2500S, all have 17 mm stroke

if your stradic is different, then you don't have a '19 Stradic 2500S /FL

holy crap - is contradicting really that important? 

[WRB]

Measuring the Vanford 2500 the spool is 1.88 long with line width .74, Stradic is 1.74 long with width .68.  Not interchangeable on my reels. My Stradic is a 90’s vintage!

Tom

[jeffalessi801]

Hey guys, not sure if this is the official vanford thread but I do have a question regarding bearings. I want to upgrade the plastic and brass bushings in this reel however I can’t get a strait answer about this 4x8x2.5 bearing that needs to go where a brass insert currently is, is this the correct size or is it possibly different like speculated? And is there anymore bearings I’m missing from this screen shot, it seems as if I need 5 or 6 total bearings.. I would like to replace all bushings even the tuff to get ones. Sizes and the amount of necessary bearing would be very appreciated. Thank you! (Unfortunately file was to big) seems to be 2 bearings of size 3x6x2.5 another 2 4x8x2.5 and 1 or 2 7x11x3.0 and then some shims size 4x6x0.01 anyone care to elaborate, thanks very much. 

[The Bassman]

2 hours ago, jeffalessi801 said:

Hey guys, not sure if this is the official vanford thread but I do have a question regarding bearings. I want to upgrade the plastic and brass bushings in this reel however I can’t get a strait answer about this 4x8x2.5 bearing that needs to go where a brass insert currently is, is this the correct size or is it possibly different like speculated? And is there anymore bearings I’m missing from this screen shot, it seems as if I need 5 or 6 total bearings.. I would like to replace all bushings even the tuff to get ones. Sizes and the amount of necessary bearing would be very appreciated. Thank you! (Unfortunately file was to big) seems to be 2 bearings of size 3x6x2.5 another 2 4x8x2.5 and 1 or 2 7x11x3.0 and then some shims size 4x6x0.01 anyone care to elaborate, thanks very much. 

I have four Vanfords and wouldn't remotely consider tinkering with them. Shimano got it right with this reel. 

[JustJames]

@jeffalessi801

check out this video, inside Vanford should be very similar as Stradic FL. I’m with @The BassmanIm happy with Fanford as is.

 

[thunderblack]

The Shimano stem issues was brought up a lot in previous gen reels. People constantly complained about their knuckles being hit I remember a few years back. I hold a spinning set up with 3 fingers in front of the stem and one behind and have not experienced this with Shimano reels but I do not own the new Vanford.

[bulldog1935]

The math and especially mechanics of materials is what's important here. 

Getting stiffness in a metal frame is not near as difficult as getting stiffness in a plastic composite frame. 

Shimano elected to make the stem shorter on their composite-frame reels to get the stifness the reel needs. 

It's simply the trade-off required to get the extreme light weight so many demand now. 

If you remember old chopped-graphite-filled plastic reels from the '90s, too many flopped in the breeze. 

 

this is a Twin Power, with forged body and forged aluminum rotor, and the only medium-frame Shimano I own (a buddy sold it to me since the posts I made above). And that braid spool thing...

[Mobasser]

I don't have a Static or Vanford, but have a newer Sahara 2500 reel. I believe the stem may be shorter on my reel also. It doesnt bother me, but have heard other guys complain. My Sahara works great so far.

[NorthernBasser]

5 hours ago, thunderblack said:

The Shimano stem issues was brought up a lot in previous gen reels. People constantly complained about their knuckles being hit I remember a few years back. I hold a spinning set up with 3 fingers in front of the stem and one behind and have not experienced this with Shimano reels but I do not own the new Vanford.

I don't have issues with the bail hitting my finger. The issue is my knuckle rubbing on the stem where it starts bending downward. There just isn't nearly as much of a gap there now as there are on other reels. All my years fishing, I've never come across this issue.

 

Now, if you are a person who holds the stem between your pinky and ring finger, it likely won't affect you at all. But if you're like me and hold it between you ring finger and middle finger, it will. It's a great reel tho. So I'll just try to get used to holding it between my pinky/ring finger when using that setup. 

[thunderblack]

AH! That makes sense. I read that wrong for sure:)

[WPCfishing]

I bought two Daiwa Luvias 2500 reels.
light weight and very comfortable. I highly recommend these reels. 
Both are on Kistler Z Bone rods. 

 

 

[NYWayfarer]

I am having this issue with my Vanford 1000 reel.
 

I usually hold my spinning reels with 1 finger in front of the stem and 3 behind. The knuckle of my second finger rubs the stem and it is uncomfortable. I am going to train myself to move a finger or two to the front of the stem as it helps but feels strange to me.

 

Normally I would shelf a reel that was this uncomfortable but this reel costs to much and is real quality from the few times I have taken it out. 
 

I trained myself to close spinning reel bails by hand. How much harder can it be to change my grip until it becomes second nature?

[MeatHead1313]

I absolutely love my Vanford, but what rod I put it on makes a huge difference. I've currently got it on a Cajun rods Atled and it's extremely comfortable to fish with, but recently got a St Croix legend elite that I tried putting it on and it was extremely uncomfortable to try and hold. 

[NYWayfarer]

14 hours ago, MeatHead1313 said:

I absolutely love my Vanford, but what rod I put it on makes a huge difference. I've currently got it on a Cajun rods Atled and it's extremely comfortable to fish with, but recently got a St Croix legend elite that I tried putting it on and it was extremely uncomfortable to try and hold. 

I switched rods today from my Bass X to my Avid. The combination of moving one finger forward and the new rod have helped with the knuckle busting. 
 

I had to stop myself a few times from moving my hand to the old position after casting.

[NYWayfarer]

 

Here is a pic of my Vanford 1000 compared to my Sienna 1000 reels. The stem of the Vanford is straight until the first bend where as the Sienna has a slight curve that my finger fits in perfectly. 

 

The $30 reel is more comfortable in hand than the $240 reel from that one design point ?