hey all, I wanted to see if I could attempt to determine what was going on with my reel before sending it into lews. I have a tournament pro, and when I first bought it, it was fantastic. When pitching jigs or other stuff that requires very hard hooksets and hard reeling, I noticed that when reeling down hard and that sudden stop when setting the hook, the reel makes a very loud zipper like noise, and the spool keeps spinning for a few seconds while making this noise, then it completely stops. Its very weird and have not experienced anything like this with any of my lews reels, I even took the line off to see if maybe some line was caught up or something, but it continues to do this, even when reeling in pretty hard ( and then a sudden stop) still caused this issue, and I was in my room not even fishing! lol

 

anyone have any ideas as to what this could be?

 

 

basically: reel down hard, set the hook, loud zipper noise as soon as I set the hook and the spool starts to spin uncontrollably (In the same direction as when reeling in), then it stops as if it never happened and bye bye fish.

So you're saying your drag begins to slip and then just locks up. Pull out the drag washers and see if you've got crud between them.

would it be the drag? it feels as though its the spool or something because the spool will continue to spin for a bit while making that noise and just randomly stop. it doesn't happen on "soft" hooksets you could say, but only on hard hooksets. its very weird. thanks for the help PAGreg

The zipper noise sounds like 2 gears that aren't engaging. I know the sound you are taking about but it's weird to explain. I'd send it back for repair or replacement.

It's the spool engagement pin slipping on the pinion slots.  Stop doing it.  There's no real world fishing situation where this would happen.  Many reels do it, and it can sometimes be resolved by stretch or replacing the yoke springs.  Otherwise, it's a fail safe.

Ok I think Im going to send it back to Lews, and see what they can do, its just so weird cuz it happened on my first taking it out, and has happened ever since then. Thank you  guys for your help. Really appreciate it.

If I understand you correctly, you are reeling fast, and stopping the handle quickly?  Then spool continues to spin, while making an obscene chatter/clicking noise? Your next reel will do this as well, if you repeat the preceding.  If you do this repeatedly, you will wear out the pinion engagement slots, and it will get worse.

It's the spool engagement pin slipping on the pinion slots. Stop doing it. There's no real world fishing situation where this would happen. Many reels do it, and it can sometimes be resolved by stretch or replacing the yoke springs. Otherwise, it's a fail safe.

This right here ^

I had a Lews that did that on occasion. I don't have that reel any more but I would just smack the side plate and it would engage again. I know it not a real fix but it only ever happened a handful of times in the course of like 2 years.

If I understand you correctly, you are reeling fast, and stopping the handle quickly?  Then spool continues to spin, while making an obscene chatter/clicking noise? Your next reel will do this as well, if you repeat the preceding.  If you do this repeatedly, you will wear out the pinion engagement slots, and it will get worse.

yes this is exactly it, just difficult for me to explain. Is this something that can be fixed by either doing it myself or sending it back to lews? or is it just how a reel operates if I continue to do that? Im not intentionally doing it, but I think it could be just the way I fish, I honestly don't really know

On my lews team lite, I tried to "recreate" what is going on with my tournament pro, and could not at all get that obscene noise. It also doesn't happen on my two other tournament pro's, only one of them.

It's because yolk springs are broken in at different rates. Send it in, but it's no guarantee that it will go away, even if they replace the yoke springs, spool, and pinion.

It's because yolk springs are broken in at different rates. Send it in, but it's no guarantee that it will go away, even if they replace the yoke springs, spool, a

ok im going to send it in to lews, thanks so much for your help, I really appreciate it

You're welcome.  Post back on this thread when you get it resolved. And don't keep trying it on the other reels.

will do. that was only a one time thing and definetly won't do it again hahaha!

Yup, even reels of the same model often have their own personality. Just because they don't act exactly the same doesn't necessarily mean something's "wrong" with one. Good advice so far, only thing I'll add is that unless it's a warranty issue you'll likely get better service from an independent reel tech than the factory whether it's me or one of the other guys. 

talked to lews customer service today, really nice people and said they'd check out whats going on based off of what I said to them and your guy's info. its sent now and hopefully it comes back all fixed