St. Criox Mojo problems

[JohnnySaxatilis]

My reel seat is F'd on my 10' mojo. My VS200 does not fit correctly in there. The seat is simply too small for the width of the foot of the reel, and although it will be secure when i jam it on with a cockeye appearance, its sketchy. And I've already had an encounter where the reel almost fell off while fighting a fish becuase i thought it was tight when it wasnt.

Anyway I talked to a few people about what to do, and I was thinking about sending it to someone local who builds rods and having pretty much the whole lower blank redone, becuase of other damage as well. This along with putting on an adjustable reel seat that actually fits, and lowering the placement of it. I understand the warrantee will be void if that kinda work will be done, but the chance the company replaces the reel seat is probably slim to none becuase they'll say I jammed it on too tight.

So, I was wondering if anyone could point me in the direction of someone around the area who could maybe give me a quote or suggest anything.

Thanks fellas

Johnny

[toaster816]

Johnny, I have the 10ft legend paired with a vs200 and might be experiencing something similar to you. Not sure if the Mojo and legend share the same reel seat (they likely do). My problem is how the seat sits on the lower half of the reel foot. When it is screwed tight it comes in off slightly to the right. I have never experienced it coming loose but it does make it very difficult to secure and remove. It doesn't bother me when I fish, just taking off/putting on the reel doesn't feel "right". Have you considered just sending it in to st. croix? Their customer service is second to none, I think a new rod will cost you $50 (shipping costs only)

Interested into hearing peoples suggestions for rebuilding the reel seat.

[JohnnySaxatilis]

yeap exactly whats goin on with mine toaster.

Honestly I'd rather just have someone local here fix the lower blank and make it the way I want it, than hassle with the company. (Lowering of the seat, replacing the cork tape, and shrink etc) Ive also worn through part of the shrink wrap grip to the blank from rubbing up against my canal bike riding a fish back to the car.... its in rough shape. You can even see where the plier marks are on the reel seat thread from trying to get it off.

I wonder which would be cheaper though? trying to get a custom replacement from st criox? or goin through a rod builder?

[toaster816]

Originally Posted by JohnnySaxatilis

yeap exactly whats goin on with mine toaster.

Honestly I'd rather just have someone local here fix the lower blank and make it the way I want it, than hassle with the company. (Lowering of the seat, replacing the cork tape, and shrink etc) Ive also worn through part of the shrink wrap grip to the blank from rubbing up against my canal bike riding a fish back to the car.... its in rough shape. You can even see where the plier marks are on the reel seat thread from trying to get it off.

I wonder which would be cheaper though? trying to get a custom replacement from st criox? or goin through a rod builder?

They must be the same reel seats then. I don't think st. croix would custom anything, just send you another factory mojo. You can strip the grip yourself to bare blank, I believe the reel seats are just glued or epoxied on, maybe a heat gun could coax it off? I would prefer no reel seat at all and just tape the bastard on. I'm sure it would be a quick remedy from a professional builder, can't imagine it costing you too much.

[numbskull]

You can cut a reel seat off with a hacksaw. Cut diagonally and spiral around the seat, then pry it off. Once off, use a heat gun to soften the epoxy and arbors and cut/scrape them off. Another seat will cost you about 10 bucks, cork tape a few bucks, xflock shrink wrap about $17 bucks. The new seat will need to fit over the butt of the rod. Build arbors with masking tape, fill the gaps with epoxy and slide the new seat on. It is not hard to do, but will cost you one or two hour's labor if you can't do it yourself. Before you try this you might want to see if you can enlarge the offending original hood with a dremel tool.

Alternatively, you may do better to send it back to St Croix, get a new rod, sell it, then have a custom built the way you want it.

[Mike P]

Given how frequently the reel seats come loose on the Mojo rods, you may not even have to cut it. You might be able to get the old seat off with heat. They may use 5 minute epoxy to mount them. Worth a shot before you take a hacksaw or Dremel to it.

You may have to replace the shrink wrap foregrip, too.

[JohnnySaxatilis]

thanks for the input everyone, i'll look into widening of the hood with the dremmel. might be a delicate thing (that sounds dirty)

I untimately want the thing customized cuz its beat to shiz. the whole shrink wrap on the lower blank is guna have to get replaced reguardless, due to shifting the seat local, (its way too high for me) and huge hole . any local rod builders around here known?

[zimmy]

st croix has had the same problem w/ reel seats for 20 years, at least. You's think they would get on that problem.

[Saltheart]

Put it in the seat the best you can then wrao it with black tape. The reel will stay put.

[Pete F.]

Originally Posted by Saltheart

Put it in the seat the best you can then wrao it with black tape. The reel will stay put.

And your hand will be warmer

[luds]

Originally Posted by Saltheart

Put it in the seat the best you can then wrao it with black tape. The reel will stay put.

Been there and done that and it works but sucks if you want to move the reel between rods. Take it to cms or another rod builder and have them remove the seat and epoxy on a slap on seat as a replacement. They worh great with vs reels. I've had the same problem wit fuji seats. They just don't work that great with van staals.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[JohnnySaxatilis]

Originally Posted by luds

Been there and done that and it works but sucks if you want to move the reel between rods. Take it to cms or another rod builder and have them remove the seat and epoxy on a slap on seat as a replacement. They worh great with vs reels. I've had the same problem wit fuji seats. They just don't work that great with van staals.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

thats what im tryin to do, but finding a local rod builder has been harder than i thought.

[Saltheart]

There is builder named Arthur Kaplan close to you. Try Googling or phone number search. He builds new custom rods for sure but I don't know about repairs but you can call and ask him

I'd be happy to fix it for you but I am over 90 miunutes from S Yarmouth.

[toaster816]

Originally Posted by Saltheart

There is builder named Arthur Kaplan close to you. Try Googling or phone number search. He builds new custom rods for sure but I don't know about repairs but you can call and ask him

I'd be happy to fix it for you but I am over 90 miunutes from S Yarmouth.

What you charge for a repair like this? Replacing the seat with one that fits and possibly rebuilding the lower grip..

[JohnnySaxatilis]

Originally Posted by Saltheart

There is builder named Arthur Kaplan close to you. Try Googling or phone number search. He builds new custom rods for sure but I don't know about repairs but you can call and ask him

I'd be happy to fix it for you but I am over 90 miunutes from S Yarmouth.

thanks saltheart, couldnt find anything quick on your guy, so I ended up talking to a shop in west dennis, sportsmans landing, who subs out possibly to Kaplan? I didnt ask. said it would be a couple weeks, but I didnt get a quote for the costs. Looked at another reel seat that actually fits the vs, lets keep our fingers crossed it comes back before the fall

[scottw]

Originally Posted by JohnnySaxatilis

thanks saltheart, couldnt find anything quick on your guy, so I ended up talking to a shop in west dennis, sportsmans landing, who subs out possibly to Kaplan? I didnt ask. said it would be a couple weeks, but I didnt get a quote for the costs. Looked at another reel seat that actually fits the vs, lets keep our fingers crossed it comes back before the fall

might work out for you in the long run, the mojo blanks are great but the components and the workmanship is not so hot, I removed the grip and reel seat on my 10'6 and found that the epoxy under the seat was reduced to a flaking powdery substance, eventually your seat would probably loosen and skew one way or the other...I taped it, taped the reel on and added a mushroom cap, was able to relocate the reel where I like it and am enjoying it thoroughly now

[Saltheart]

Originally Posted by toaster816

What you charge for a repair like this? Replacing the seat with one that fits and possibly rebuilding the lower grip..

Hard to say without seeing the exact rod and what seat you want and exact handle , etc.

Repairing a rod is far more labor intensive than building a new one. On a new blank you can install a rear grip and seat in 30 minutes but replacing one could take 2 hours depending on the details. In that 2 hours is included the area clean up as repairs that involve grinding or cutting make a big dusty mess the builder must totally clean up or he'll get dust and other crap on the next new rod's finish.

Parts are not cheap. As numbskull listed , just the X flock could cost over $15 depending on size. So say hypolon covered with X flock could be $25 just for parts depending on how long the section is. Now I would think the smart thing for the butt repair would be corktape which will maybe cost $5 for materials and go on in 15 minutes. Even then to do it right you should wrap at least the reel seat end (you could get away with black tape under the butt cap for the other end) and finish.

Anyway , best thing would be to let the builder see it then discuss alternatives and their cost with a builder.

[pbadad]

I have notice this similar problem with Fugi seats. Upon installing the seat, putting on a VS reel the reel twists off center. My own 150 did this. I put a couple of wraps of black tape om foot ends. That secured it. I recently went over to using the ergonomic style Fugi reel seat #20. This fits the reel nicely and stays straight. This seat#20 won't it over some butt daimeters. I did fit it over a 1201M with a minor sizing of the butt end. Food for thought.

[Saltheart]

Sometimes you need to use 22 or 24 seats to hold certain reels lots of times the seat size required to grab the reel are too big in diameter to fit in someones hand comfortably. These issues need to be considered before the build , afterwards some things are hard to correct.

[spence]

Just get a new rod that's what you want either via warranty or purchase. The cost to make the fix by a good builder likely isn't going to be worth it compared to the value of the rod as is...unless you're really superstitious and the rod has some serious Mojo

I'd try the fix myself as a learning experience and be prepared to buy another if I effed it up.

-spence

[JohnnySaxatilis]

Salt i got big hands

its already done we're just waiting for it to dry. The rod builder, Jason, said it was a pretty quick and painless process; he just had to wait for the parts to come in that he ordered, cuz fugi was experiencing heavy parts traffic. I talked to him today and it should be ready for the weekend, just in time for vacation to ack

Spence when I'm old and bitter and don't trust anyone anymore, and own like 20 custom rods like youz guyz, I'll learn how to do all this nonsense to keep me busy in retirement I appreciate everyones input, I'll post pics how it came out

[JohnnySaxatilis]

Well after a fruitless trip to the island with 80% of my time on the 4x4 trails enduring nothing but rediculously nice beach weather, drunk walks on smiths point for like 4 hours predawn on multiple nights back to back weekends; and tons of beahs at cisco, heres the almost finished product of the redone lower blank with the fugi h22 reel seat and new shrink ect. thank you jason! Its niiiiiiiiiiceeeee ACK pics to follow

[JohnnySaxatilis]

Thats Mellisa the owner, and my brother Geoff playin cribbage. We're there kinda frequently when visiting the island

[JohnnySaxatilis]

couple atom 40's, a cordell pencil, a chub creek? and a musso darter? and a gibbs bottle swimmer. found in the garage and arranged by me So theres evidence ppl caught fish here........................................

[JohnnySaxatilis]

The whale that washed up on smiths point and stayed for 3 days. what a lovely smell you have

And my second troll dwelling under the bridge to our neighborhood on smiths point