LX 6/3 rod clamp

[mmayo]

I think the aluminum clamps I have are much better. I will replace my stock Avet graphite clamp with one that will last. It would seen that a reel that costs $300-$400 by a company that machines aluminum could make a clamp.

PS I took an old metal clamp from Pro Gear drilled it out slightly and I have a great METAL clamp that fits great. I have seen several plastic or graphite clamps broken on the day we leave for 3 or 8 days trips. The tackle store never has the right clamp and they cost a fortune.

[Keta]

You're about the same age as I am and we grew up with "cheep plastic crap". Plastic has come a long ways since the 50's, in fact for some applications modern plastic is stronger and better than aluminum. My brother makes "plastic" water rudders for float planes and they outlast metal ones (in saltwater) by a big margin. Cast carbon reinforced "plastic" is a good choice for a reel clamp and helps keep manufacturing cost down. Other reel manufactures use it too and it's far better than the piece of chromed sheet metal that came on my Penn 50SW.
I did order several EX clamps with the safety lug and use them when I feel a strap on the reel is a good idea.

[Fishrdan]

Originally Posted by mmayo

It would seem that a reel that costs $300-$400 by a company that machines aluminum could make a clamp.

My thoughts exactly. The graphite (or carbon fiber) impregnated plastic seems to be rigid enough for a reel clamp and is certainly more corrosion resistant than aluminum, but I was expecting an aluminum rod clamp from a company that specializes in machining aluminum. All the other Avets I have seen, and own, have an aluminum clamp. But now they are supplying some of thier reels with plastic clamps.

Heck, the $320 EX4/02 I bought last year came with a nice aluminum clamp, but the $400 LX6/3 has a plastic clamp? Just doesn't make sense to me, the consumer. More money, less value? It's certainly cheaper to punch out a few thousand plastic parts than to machine them from aluminum, but I wasn't budget shopping when I bought the LX6/3.

I'm sure the guys at Avet weighed the benefits of having an aluminum clamp VS a plastic clamp, and figured the aluminum clamp was overkill for this class of reel. But to me, getting an aluminum clamp with an Avet was a no-brainer, included in the price of the reel.

:rantoff:
That being said, the plastic rod clamp looks to be sufficient for this reel and I'll go ahead and use it instead of buying an aluminum clamp.

Thanks for the input everyone,
Dan

[1:11]

The MX reels, EX4/0, Pro 30, Pro 50 all come with aluminum, not sure about the SX. The JX and LX for seome reason have, and I believe always have come with the plastic. If in fact the plastic is low grade and resulted in clamp failures, I would agree with your arguement, but being that no failures or at least no large numbers of failures have resulted, its probably not a problem on a 40# reel. A nice looking polish machined aluminum clamp would be nice, but I have since grown to like the stock clamp. It keeps the weight down on your rig.