I respooled my 50e last night and felt something "weird" as I was tightening the reel back into place on my 893. I didn't think much of it at the time since it tightened down fine, but then I was shocked to see the cork above the reel seat with a giant crack through it. This is obviously not good and I sure as heck hope I don't have to waste my Wild Card on this. What do you guys think?

 

 

 

 

Have you read other site's posts of issues with the NRX handles?

 

Here a quote from Shimano rep on another site about NRX issue:

 

Bantam1

"GLoomis has made 4 running changes now to correct the issue. The new foregrip cork has changed and the hole has been slightly enlarged to prevent it from splitting. They also went to a compressed cork section on the front to make it stronger. The reel seat issue has been eliminated now by changing the internal design slightly. This allows for a better bond with the epoxy that holds it onto the blank. A small carbon shim has been added to some models to further improve the contact area.

Now to further explain before the panic starts. Not every rod had a problem. So far around 1-2% have come back with issues. These rods have been replaced under warranty. Certain models had no issues at all such as the spinning and lighter 2 power rods. So if your rod does not have an issue do not worry. We also saw most of the cork issues appeared to happen from people cranking down the foregrip too tight resulting in the cork splitting because of the clearance issue. This was changed a few months after the NRX was released. We are aware that not all reels may fit correctly in this reel seat. Shimano reels do not seem to have an issue. If you are using another competitors reel and have an issue then contact us. We can provide you with a shim that can be used to make the reel fit a little tighter in the reel seat.

If you have a rod issue contact us by calling 877-577-0600 (US) and we will help you out with getting the rod replaced."

The response above is what I'd expect from a good company. You should have no problem getting a resolution.

Manufacture defect for sure. Also a bad design with a cork foregrip. They will take care of it for you, save your wildcard for non defect issues.

Thanks guys... the reassurance is quite comforting and I'll definitely try the number!

Also, just in case things don't go right with the call.  I'd definitely would send a message to Bantam1, you can reach him at the TT board.  He's very responsive and helpful.

You get what you pay for.   OOPS!!!

You get what you pay for.   OOPS!!!

 

Yeah in this case he gets a brand new rod for free. Not too bad, especially since this rod dominates any rod out there for sensitivity.

Yeah in this case he gets a brand new rod for free. Not too bad, especially since this rod dominates any rod out there for sensitivity.

Couldn't have said it better... already received confirmation they'll take care of it and I can hold onto the Wild Card. I'll send off the rod early next week and see how long it takes for them to get me a replacement.

Couldn't have said it better... already received confirmation they'll take care of it and I can hold onto the Wild Card. I'll send off the rod early next week and see how long it takes for them to get me a replacement.

Did they mention to you about cutting the rod up to reduce the cost of shipping? Some times they will give you the ok to do it so you can save on the shipping fee especially since it is an obvious quality defect. Ask them if they did not mention it. They told about the same thing but after the fact.

Yeah in this case he gets a brand new rod for free. Not too bad, especially since this rod dominates any rod out there for sensitivity.

I owe NRX and GLX rods. I would think that for $500 plus a pop you shouldn't have all the hassles I'm reading about. i.e.  defective reel seat, splitting cork, and brittleness in the NRX line.

Thanks Dwight... that idea sounds fantastic since it's definitely not cheap shipping a 7'5" rod.

 

Jign... I would agree if they hadn't fixed the issue after that first run. I have a few other NRX's and gave them a thorough inspection after this and they all look great.