Do you trust aluminum gears?

Reels are the hottest topic for TackleTour. Everyone wants to know what the latest and greatest is and how they compare to the old guard. What's the best for light stuff, or what's your suggestion for heavy cover. Do we really need different retrieve ratios? It's all in here.
dragon1
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Re: Do you trust aluminum gears?

Post by dragon1 » Mon Feb 27, 2023 2:52 pm

FamKench wrote:
Mon Feb 27, 2023 2:26 pm
dragon1 wrote:
Sun Feb 05, 2023 6:07 am
Just_Bass wrote:
Sat Feb 04, 2023 6:48 pm
Really depends, landing 10lb fish is not as abused as pulling snag with the reel or cranking some big deep crank. I have brass Shimano gears gone bad on a few reels as well as brass from Alphas SV TW. My alde mg 7 and core 50mg as smooth as it can be when sold.
I assume me pulling snag all days ruin the gear set while my finesse reels land numbers of big bass but nothing happens.
One should never pull snags by applying force to the reel the rod. This "maneuver" is also notoriously responsible for broken rods, bent shafts on Daiwa spinners and deformation of BC spools and hard on gears. That's why I always carry a couple sets of gloves to wrap line and pull out snags or snap the line.

Yep, my fish grippers only have 2 uses. For those pesky Northern Pike and wrapping my line a few times around to pull out snags.
That's one of the main questions not asked enough on used rods and especially reels...whether the previous owner pulled against snags to break off with either.
"It is like a finger pointing away to the Moon...don't concentrate on the finger, or you will miss all of that heavenly glory."

mark poulson
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Re: Do you trust aluminum gears?

Post by mark poulson » Mon Feb 27, 2023 4:51 pm

Winching on big fish can do it, too.
I had a big catfish and a big carp both pull so hard that they made my reel feel rough afterwards. Each time, once I replaced the aluminum main gear the reel was smooth again.
I eventually got a brass replacement main gear, and no more problems.
I've only snagged my flipping lure in the base of tulles. It's easy to do if you've snelled your hook and you pull too hard. Now I just wrap my braid around a deck cleat and use my trolling motor to either pull it loose or break it off. 65lb braid is tough stuff. ;)
I have since replaced all my aluminum main gears with brass, and no more worries.
Except for my 13 Fishing Concept Z reels. For some reason their aluminum main gears hold up just fine. Maybe they use better gear material, or maybe it's something to do with their gear tooth design, but, whatever it is, mine are more that three years old and still feel as smooth as when they were new.
Go figure!

dragon1
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Re: Do you trust aluminum gears?

Post by dragon1 » Mon Feb 27, 2023 8:06 pm

mark poulson wrote:
Mon Feb 27, 2023 4:51 pm
Winching on big fish can do it, too.
I had a big catfish and a big carp both pull so hard that they made my reel feel rough afterwards. Each time, once I replaced the aluminum main gear the reel was smooth again.
I eventually got a brass replacement main gear, and no more problems.
I've only snagged my flipping lure in the base of tulles. It's easy to do if you've snelled your hook and you pull too hard. Now I just wrap my braid around a deck cleat and use my trolling motor to either pull it loose or break it off. 65lb braid is tough stuff. ;)
I have since replaced all my aluminum main gears with brass, and no more worries.
Except for my 13 Fishing Concept Z reels. For some reason their aluminum main gears hold up just fine. Maybe they use better gear material, or maybe it's something to do with their gear tooth design, but, whatever it is, mine are more that three years old and still feel as smooth as when they were new.
Go figure!
Good points, and interesting on the Concept Z gears.
"It is like a finger pointing away to the Moon...don't concentrate on the finger, or you will miss all of that heavenly glory."

mylobass
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Re: Do you trust aluminum gears?

Post by mylobass » Wed Mar 01, 2023 12:12 pm

I don't trust aluminum gears. Just too many bad experience's with aluminum framed handguns. I'll stick with brass.

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