shimano calcutta 401 te??

i just bought2 new calcutta te’s and i am planning on pairing them with a nice power handle. i have heard from a friend that if u put a power handle on these reels sometimes the handle breaks the shaft or can mess up the reel…wondering if anybody has heard of or had this problem ever?? just trying2 get a bit more info before i start2 mod out my new reel2 fit my power fishing style! thanks4 any advice

You want the Trinidad 12/14 handle, and it has to be recessed so that there will be enough threads exposed to keep it attached securely. It’s an awesome upgrade. You might also want to consider swapping the plastic bushing on the spool shaft out for a ball bearing. The following link will get you what you need: http://www.davesreelservice.com/pages/calcutta-handle-upgrade.php

thanks a bunch john!! that was a quick reply…and TOTALLY the info i was looking4. it’s exactly what my friend told me about not having enough threads exposed and having2 mod out the calcutta powerhandle.

why would u swap out the plastic piece4 a ball bearing?? sounds good as who wants plastic in a $400 reel. thanks4 the info again john

Sounds like im not the only one that has snapped them off and used a 3/8″ endmill to cure the problem!

The bearing helps keep the spool and gears in alignment when you’re really cranking on hard pulling baits, like cowgirls. I don’t think it’s a must-do modification, but for the few bucks it will cost you I think it makes sense. I made the bearing mod to my TE before I even started using it, so I can’t say if it made a difference, but from what I understand the only substantive differences between the LJV version and the standard TE are the handle and the bearing instead of the bushing.

If you call the guy at Dave’s reel repair (Mark) he’ll tell you everything you could want to know about the TE. He’s a great guy and a wealth of info.