Here is a quick fix for some of you who has an Avet 50 or 80.
Most of the time its due to bad bearings but this one was an easy trouble shoot. I wish I could do the picture thing like Alan Tani but i'm not as computer saavy and patient enough to do so.
Now most of the time when a bearing or 2 is frozen, this is the problem. But my new 80 gave up on just a few good sized Ono... well more like 50 of them. I knew it couldn't be the bearings since its new and I took it apart and greased the drag and overlubed the bearings. Now I'm stumped. I took apart my other 80 to see what parts should be moving freely and which doesn't. Bam.... found the problem!!!!
When the low gear was engaged, the larger main gear should rotate freely around the crank shaft assembly. A small bar disengages from the high gear and moves up into the smaller low gear. If the two gears are still engaged then you'd have the binding between both gears which makes it super hard to crank and ultimately stripped gears. I had a hell of a time trying to pry the larger high speed gear out but with some handle cranking and twisting of a large screwdriver it slowly made its way out.
Now if you really want to know how this happened, let me tell you. While cranking and in the heat of a quadruple Ono strike, we shift to low gear and crank away. The instant lock up of the handle turning and the gear mechanism locking into place bends pieces. Well that little bar that slides up and down to lock either the low or high gear into place bent the inner edges of the high gear and the slot in the main handle crank shaft. The gear could not rotate anymore and was basically locked in place. Now this is where a dremel or small file comes into play. Just dremel the sharp inner edges of the high gear and a little of the shaft groove. All done. Now the 80 is back to normal and ready to slay some... well hopefully marlin once I equip my boat with a flying gaff and a knowledgable crew. I go solo most of the time.
Just figured i'd let you guys know if you run into problems with your trolling Avets. The handle shaft assembly might not be a weak point, but that little tweak might ruin your fishing day. I'm lucky I caught it at home and not locked into a 770 lb marlin like the Ihu Nui did when they won over $400,00 dollars.
Linear Mode
