Shimano seize, grr hate it, any solutions

I’ve been struggling with shimano Saharas mostly 1000 size but also one 2500 getting this mysterious and aggravating seize at random times, tried cleaning them but to no avail, do all shimanos do this I’ve heard that symetres have the same issues and def don’t want to pony up the cash for a Stradic if its going to be the same story, if anyone has any suggestions for a bulletproof spinner I’d appreciate it greatly, I put reels through way more than usual wear and they need to be able to handle a little water as I primarily wade fish

What a sweet screen name!

Sorry to hear that about you saraha 2,500’s. I have 3 now and never had that problem and always thought they were pretty good reels for the $$.

Maybe you could go back to Shimanno with a warrenty claim??

I love the Saharas for what you pay but when they get funky it’s really frustrating just want one reel that works ALL the time I’m usually a one setup guy as carrying more than one rod through the woods is not an option so spending a little more would be ok as long as it could take a beating, oh and if you guys are looking for a steal on rods the scheels guide and limited guide are the cats [censored] I use a 6 ft light for walleyes and smallies wading and it’s super responsive fun for fighting and doesn’t lack the backbone to drive the hook, also balances like a dream with size 1000 reels

I have one 2500 sahara and it does the same thing. I also have 2 symetere, 1 saros and 2 stradics which have been flawless. I thought it was just a bad one. They changed the style is yours one of the older models?

Two of the problematic ones were the old silver ones and I got a new black and gold one that went haywire in the first month that one makes grinding sounds once and a while too, they all now reside in the shoebox of shame alongside a banged up supreme a pair of Abu cards, a sienna with the anti reverse cooked (thanks steelhead), and three Mitchell avocet golds oh and two quantum accurists I think I just need to spend a little more funny thing is the old hard plastic t handle sedonas were dynamite my first reel I bought when I was 10 was a size 2500 lasted seven years I had to get it repaired a couple times but damn I lived on a river and fished literally weeks without missing a day during summer vaca literally sun up to sun down and caught thousands of walleyes smallies pike cats sturgeon etc and it never skipped a beat if I ever found some holdovers I’d buy all of em I could get my hands on

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I have one 2500 sahara and it does the same thing. I also have 2 symetere, 1 saros and 2 stradics which have been flawless. I thought it was just a bad one. They changed the style is yours one of the older models?

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Mine is the “older syle” which was discontinued last yr sometime and has been trouble free for me. Are you saying the newer style does this??

Mine is the older style.

I have had both shimanos and pfluggers with bad seals in them. It a rubber dust seal o ring. It splits and binds up causing the spool to lock up every now and again. Start at the top taking the spool off, then what ever the next part is that spins around and its under there. It was about a 1.5″ to 2″ oring. I just grabbed one out of a plumbing repair kit in my truck. Bet you could find one at any local hardware store in the plumbing dept.

That would be my guess.

Should add I have not had any issues with those reels since replacing the o ring.

I use primarily Saharas and Symetres and have seen that happen in older model reels in the 1000 series. Usually some good cleaning gets them back on track. The seal that Mike mentions is interesting as I’ve not seen one go bad but that could cause a bind. I always thought it was more of a cleaning issue surrounding the instant anti-reverge bearing binding….pretty close tolerances there. That seal might be a more plausile place to look though.

Thanks for the tip Mike.

If you aren’t having any sucsess, give This guy a try.
Just helped me out big time on a Shimano Stella that Shimano no longer worked. Reel once again is like brand new!
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John Burback
Tuned Up Custom Rods CEO
651-341-1129
[email protected]

Mine has something to do with the anti reverse. Any time I back reel then start to crank it binds.

I have 8 Symetres, can’t say I have had the issue in any ? I have 2500’s in F & R, and a couple 4000’s ??