Shimano GT 4000

[kevind]

I have a reel that i bought on the forum and i've noticed when using it it will go into free spool mode and then back to locked randomly all the time. i took the reel a part and removed the grease as there seemed to be a lot but its still happening. Anyone experience this? I thought it might be the springs but they look ok. I believe it happens after reeling in the line then it will go into free spool then reel it in a little then will lock again.

 

[Goathorns]

Ya. come to think I had this problem a few years ago. I think it is due to missing or assembled wrong washers spacing things out in a wrong manner. compare to a good working reel and see.

 

[Salmon Seeker]

My cousin has that reel and he would accidentally flip the switch sometimes while fighting a fish resulting in a nasty birds nest. he ended up just removing the free spool switch so that wouldnt happen, and put gorilla tape over the hole. we dont really need to use free spool anyways, just loosen the drag to lower the downrigger.

 

[kevind]

Ya. come to think I had this problem a few years ago. I think it is due to missing or assembled wrong washers spacing things out in a wrong manner. compare to a good working reel and see.

Thanks ill open it up and see if that might be the problem.

My cousin has that reel and he would accidentally flip the switch sometimes while fighting a fish resulting in a nasty birds nest. he ended up just removing the free spool switch so that wouldnt happen, and put gorilla tape over the hole. we dont really need to use free spool anyways, just loosen the drag to lower the downrigger.

I'm 100% sure the switch didnt get touched. Even happens when rod in the holder tightening up the line after dropping the rod down on the down rigger.

 

[Newf]

https://www.reelschematic.com/reel-...ematics/shimano-moocher-schematics/#gsc.tab=0
I haven't copied and pasted links here before so this may not work but you can copy and paste to your browser to get the schematic for your reel. It may help when you pull it apart.

 

[Rockfish]

My cousin has that reel and he would accidentally flip the switch sometimes while fighting a fish resulting in a nasty birds nest. he ended up just removing the free spool switch so that wouldnt happen, and put gorilla tape over the hole. we dont really need to use free spool anyways, just loosen the drag to lower the downrigger.

I like having the free spool option on some of my reels as it saves seconds when you need to get the gear down fast. Sometimes the bite only comes on for 15 or 20 minutes and the faster you get the gear back down, the more likely you are to get a second fish or third on that bite. There are also lots of tide lines in JDF and sometimes you only have 30 feet of clear water to get the gear down before you surface foul it and sometimes you want it down fast because some seagull has taken an interest in your bait on the surface.

In those situations as soon as the flasher is in the water and has resistance, I turn off the free spool switch and give the rod a fast long forward pull to set the distance from the flasher to the release clip. Of course you have to stop it without letting it free spool or you can have a birds nest but it does not take long to get good at it. I find having to turn the drag down on my MR3 and pull the line out by hand slow and tedious compared to the reels with the free spool option, but still love it for other reasons.

 

[Salmon Seeker]

I use a Diawa M One and a quick twist of the drag frees it up enough to get my line out and clipped on and send it down with the rigger. and i dont have to palm it as it goes down. Free spool has been nothing but trouble whenever I tried to use it. To each his own i guess. Its worth noting though that the shimano 4000gt seems to have a design flaw with the free spool lever, making it even more worth while giving up on and pulling it out entirely. That reel also has terrible stock drag, much better when replaced with carbon fibre from Smooothdrag.

 

[Kildonan]

I like the free-spool. Sometimes I jig, the free-spool is essential.
I use Longstones but have tried the 4000 and the drag system is ****. It’s in a drawer in my shed, it may never see the light of day again. LOL

 

[Salmon Seeker]

I like the free-spool. Sometimes I jig, the free-spool is essential.
I use Longstones but have tried the 4000 and the drag system is ****. It’s in a drawer in my shed, it may never see the light of day again. LOL

$6 including shipping for carbon drag washers that fix that issue. From smoothdrag.com

 

[Corey_lax]

Weird.... I can’t say I ever had that issue. A few times I had to apply pressure on the tension knob while tightening the drag because it seemed like it wasn’t grabbing but never had it free wheel on me.

 

[kevind]

Weird.... I can’t say I ever had that issue. A few times I had to apply pressure on the tension knob while tightening the drag because it seemed like it wasn’t grabbing but never had it free wheel on me.

I have to do that a lot with the diawa moochers i have. This shimano is completely different were it just goes into free spool. will even happen during a fish battle which is no fun and dont trust it till i get it sorted out.

 

[Newf]

I just opened one of mine up and the only way I can see it happening is if the gear or the lever is badly worn or the screw holding the lever in place is loose. Either way, should not be too much of a fix,,,, a couple of parts or tighten up a screw.

 

[kevind]

I just opened one of mine up and the only way I can see it happening is if the gear or the lever is badly worn or the screw holding the lever in place is loose. Either way, should not be too much of a fix,,,, a couple of parts or tighten up a screw.

the clicker gear looked a little worn but the drag gear and lever looked ok. I have to take it a part again and ill see if something was put together the wrong way

 

[kevind]

Thanks for the help peeps I got it sorted out. Ended up being the free spool knob wasn’t tight enough and was catching the drag lever and not allowing it to close.

 

[Olde School]

Those GT4000s are about the best reels IMO.
Now if someone will machine a sweet frame for them....