Removing 'Level Wind' on 321GTI

4 REEL · 01-31-2008, 02:32 PM

Has anyone done this? If so, any glitch's to lookout for? How do you plug the holes left?

Nordic Sun · 01-31-2008, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4 REEL

Has anyone done this? If so, any glitch's to lookout for? How do you plug the holes left?

Did it to all 8 of them. Be sure to put all the cross peces and screws back for support.
Bob

4 REEL · 01-31-2008, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ODIN

Did it to all 8 of them. Be sure to put all the cross peces and screws back for support.
Bob

What about the empty space and opening left inside the bar. Does something need to be done to prevent water and crud from getting in?

adobe wall · 01-31-2008, 05:00 PM

Put the worm gear back in (at least that's what I did). All that really needs to be gone is the line guide itself (or whatever they call it)

hth, aw

Nordic Sun · 01-31-2008, 05:10 PM

That's right
Take off the PAWL, the WIRE GUIDE, and I remove the WHITE PLASTIC DRIVE GEAR (just to help it free spool better). Leave the worm gear there.

Go to Penn and down load their diagram.
Bob

alantani · 01-31-2008, 05:15 PM

what you will have left is a squidder sized spool with a graphite frame, two spool bearings and a 4/0-sized penn 113h senator side plate. 25#'s of drag should be a piece of cake. a penn 4/0 power handle finishes off the reel very nicely. alan

Tinman · 01-31-2008, 08:49 PM

Take the darn level winds off. In my opinion, level winds have no place on the ocean. They are delicate, reduce casting distance, and darned painful if you get your finger pinched in one.

Pilar · 01-31-2008, 09:50 PM

They make reels without the level wind.

WP · 02-01-2008, 01:22 AM

You can always try the WP method of removing the level wind from a 321...but most are smarter than me

The fingers will thank you for not doing it my way

Level winds are evil things!
Dave

Bill Monroe · 02-01-2008, 06:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tinman

Take the darn level winds off. In my opinion, level winds have no place on the ocean. They are delicate, reduce casting distance, and darned painful if you get your finger pinched in one.

Do you take them off the older Penns as well?

Silver Eagle · 02-01-2008, 07:14 AM

Wife said touch her new reel and someone is going to get hurt.......Ray

djchaser · 02-01-2008, 11:43 AM

I hate leel winds!! With that said,they are a bit easier for fishing long straight drops with no casting involved. My wife likes to fish them and The kid had a easier time learning with it. Some guys say they dont hold up on tuna runs ,but I have 2 320's that would not agree.If you want to cast out your line there are much better reels allready made for that. just my

Nordic Sun · 02-01-2008, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Monroe

Do you take them off the older Penns as well?

Bill
I have taken them off everything except my old 09's.

They are nice for novice salmon fishermen, that get excited and can't remember to use their thumb when retrieving. But that's the only reason. Any big fish could cause problems.

DJ CHASER I have a toothless drive gear from one of my 320's if you want it. A young man stuck his thumb betwen the wire guide and the side plate when a halibut took off. OUCH!

Bob

Tinman · 02-01-2008, 03:28 PM

Bill, I would take them off Penns too. The only reason I can see for a level wind is when you are salmon trolling. Instead of counting pulls, you can count the number of level-wind passes. If you know how much line goes out per pass, you know how deep you are.

But you can accomplish the same thing with a Penn Squidder. Turn off the anti-reverse and it becomes direct-drive. Count the number of times the handle turns.

Bill Monroe · 02-01-2008, 03:31 PM

What's the pan on the level winds? Too much friction? (I'm gonna take them off, though)

fyshndad · 02-01-2008, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Monroe

What's the pan on the level winds? Too much friction? (I'm gonna take them off, though)

The prawl wears out and then the line builds up in one spot because the wire doesn't go back and forth

I hate level wind reels in the salt except for salmon

Nordic Sun · 02-01-2008, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Monroe

What's the pan on the level winds? Too much friction? (I'm gonna take them off, though)

A couple of things

1. Some times when retying gear, the line will end up not coming off the spool right behind the guide. So eventually the line will be on one side of the spool and the guide on the other. It happens, it can be fixed but, when you have bait in the water..............well you just don't. The issue is when a fish runs, and you don't use heavy leader, or reset your drag, or what ever there is a chance you will bust him off. The other thing that happens with this cross spooling (especially when using braid) the line will bind down in the spool, and your stuck.

2. With tuna, they run so fast that if anything catches in the worm gear/pawl set up it will lock up.............

3. when casting that little guide and all it's ancillary parts have to run real fast to keep up.

4. It is only there for evenly placing the line back on the reel. With practice you can do almost as well.

5. I tried to use the darn things despite what I was told by the old guys. I finally succumbed to their wisdom..........funny thing now I am one of the old guys.

Pilar · 02-01-2008, 04:18 PM

Bill, they fail the simplicity test. Saltwater reduces everything to the most simple level. Complicated things just don't last very long.

Bill Monroe · 02-01-2008, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pilar

Bill, they fail the simplicity test. Saltwater reduces everything to the most simple level. Complicated things just don't last very long.

Unless they're painted Hays gray...

Thanks all...heading out to the shop, Leatherman tool in hand.