Shimano Sustain - Problems and more problems

Hello All,

Just a quick one to see if any one here has experienced problems with the new FG model Sustains. I cant seem to find any reports of issues online however my experience and my friends experiecned has been nothing but continuous trouble, ruining numerous fishing trips. The reels have spent more time with shimano getting fixed under warranty than anything else. Surely paying close to $400 for a reel you should be buying gear you can have confidence in. Ive lost numerous fish to failures with Drag wahes - slipping drag and line clickers on seperate occasions + mates have had their drags lock up and the drag adjuster free-spinning on the spool. So, is anyone else experiecning problems??? Look foward to hearing anyone elses experiences as im completely miffed on how a top end reel continues to let me and my mates down.

Cheers

Jarrod


Posts: 43

Date Joined: 26/02/13

 Lemons fix it and flog it

Mon, 2013-10-14 11:45

 Lemons fix it and flog it off... get a old or new saragosa.

brendo83's picture

Posts: 40

Date Joined: 29/05/13

 Not like the old sustain fe,

Mon, 2013-10-14 12:12

 Not like the old sustain fe, came with two spools and were absolute workhorses arnt they suppose to improve on the old model! 

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Home is where you leave your shit when you go fishing

81macca's picture

Posts: 270

Date Joined: 02/07/09

My 2500 Sustain melted in the

Mon, 2013-10-14 14:15

My 2500 Sustain melted in the sun! The reel was on a rod in the car at Exmouth last Christmas. When I pulled it out to throw a lure around I noticed the reel foot was no longer straight. Shimano replaced it no worries and said it was the second of the same problem in Aust. Shimano reels seem to have gotten a bit precious of late and the after sale warranty service from over east is shit house.

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I actually fish.

Posts: 2925

Date Joined: 27/12/06

service

Mon, 2013-10-14 14:51

not wrong about the service there been on the receiving end myself, bream fanatic is right some reels are just duds, cut your losses and flog it off to get something diferent

scottnofish's picture

Posts: 1617

Date Joined: 28/08/07

yeh heaps of problems

Mon, 2013-10-14 15:44

http://fishwrecked.com/forum/time-change-my-reels-diawa-i-think

got my replacment on wednesday by friday the sidplate was loose again and creeking as i wind,piece of shit

81macca's picture

Posts: 270

Date Joined: 02/07/09

spin reels

Mon, 2013-10-14 15:58

Sent three stellas to Shimano, 3000 for a service, 10000 was absolutely fingered and 5000 was grinding under heavy load. The 3000 came back spot on. The 10000 and the 5000 pretty much had all new internals fitted. Took the 5000 out last weak and was really stiff but freed up during the day WTF? And also the bail wont click all the way over when first cranking . Took shimano over 4weeks to return the reels. All these reels are less than 2 years old. The 5000 does get a beating but the other two not really. The 10000 really disappointed me as 90% of its work was swithching sails on 10kg line (3.5kg of drag).

No dramas from their Tiagras though they are bullet proof!

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I actually fish.

Posts: 18

Date Joined: 02/03/13

 I'd consider switching over

Mon, 2013-10-14 16:52

 I'd consider switching over to daiwa.. for the little extra of what you pay for the sustain you could get the new certate, and in my opinion it creams all over the sustain... not to mention its all properly water proof and all in all a much stronger built reel over the sustain.

TROOPY's picture

Posts: 162

Date Joined: 30/05/11

 I've got a sustain fg 5000

Tue, 2013-10-15 19:52

 I've got a sustain fg 5000 and I've had no problems with it yet, still is very smooth. Used it about a dozen times and has landed many snapper and a few big rays. Tho I've never had the reel full locked or anything like that. Heading upto shark bay at the end of November so I guess I'll find out then if it's got staying power

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1 from the beach is worth 10 from a boat

Posts: 865

Date Joined: 30/12/09

yep crap imo. had nothing but

Wed, 2013-10-16 06:20

yep crap imo. had nothing but issues with mine after the first 6 months usage.  

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 Get busy living, or get busy dying!

jng's picture

Posts: 488

Date Joined: 03/08/07

Having some issues with mine,

Wed, 2013-10-16 06:41

Having some issues with mine, my drag locks up on its self, getting tighter and tighter as the line is peeling off. Mine will be going back for warranty

scottnofish's picture

Posts: 1617

Date Joined: 28/08/07

just upgraded mine

Wed, 2013-10-16 07:22

to a certate 3500HD custom will see how that goes instead,anyone want to buy a sustain 5000 used twice

Posts: 193

Date Joined: 17/01/12

Thanks for the feedback guys,

Wed, 2013-10-16 09:41

Thanks for the feedback guys, looks like its not just me! Very dissapointing that a high end reel can be put into full scale production with serious manufacturing defaults. I wouldnt isolate this an Australian stock issue as my mates who I speak of purchased from Dubai and the States with similar problems to those metioned above, in particular Jng's problem of the drag locking up on its self, getting tighter and tighter as the line is peeling off. I Have been a life long Shimano supporter and love my Stellas and Stradics but after the problems with my sustain its enough for me to try a Daiwa. The last Daiwa I owned was in the 90's with the old rear mount drag, was a great reel, so will be interesting to see how they have progressed!!!

dant's picture

Posts: 504

Date Joined: 13/03/13

im taking mine back today for

Wed, 2013-10-16 10:56

im taking mine back today for a look, doesnt make the clicking noise when peeling of drag, or is that just an easy fix?, been impressed with it otherwise very smoothe

Posts: 193

Date Joined: 17/01/12

Mate same thing happend to

Wed, 2013-10-16 11:01

Mate same thing happend to mine, the line clicker will have shit its self. Pull the spool off and check to see if its in place. Mine shatterred to pieces and made a big grinding noise while a big Sail was peeling off line. unbelievable a simple part like that can have issues is a fuck knows how many generation reel.

Posts: 193

Date Joined: 17/01/12

Scottno fish, I wouldnt give

Wed, 2013-10-16 11:08

Scottno fish, I wouldnt give you 5 bucks mate!

Posts: 193

Date Joined: 17/01/12

What Diawa reel is equivilent

Wed, 2013-10-16 11:09

What Diawa reel is equivilent or close to the Sustain FG 6000?

Chris fish's picture

Posts: 847

Date Joined: 23/02/11

 I have a sustain 2500fg and

Wed, 2013-10-16 11:38

 I have a sustain 2500fg and what I've done with it Shimano never had that planned for a bream sized reel. Thrashed it and it spent 2 weeks at steep point with me no wash, in the sun all day every day, fishing cliffs for pinkys to 70cm with a locked drag the whole trip and tailor to 97cm. If it was ever going to break what I've put it through would of destroyed it.

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always looking for a new challenge!!

Chris fish's picture

Posts: 847

Date Joined: 23/02/11

 I will add as well that I've

Wed, 2013-10-16 11:42

 I will add as well that I've had the reel for a while and after having various daiwa reels like certates ect I enjoy using the sustain and feels smoother and more comfortable than the daiwa equivalents I had. Checked the drag washers after the trip and after being spooled over 10 times by big shark mackerel on the trip they still look like new and have handled everything I've thrown at the little reel.

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always looking for a new challenge!!

dant's picture

Posts: 504

Date Joined: 13/03/13

cheers ninety mile - ive had

Wed, 2013-10-16 11:43

cheers ninety mile - ive had a look inside and the little metal cross over bit, which i guessing is the part your referring to and its loose as, i was thinking thats the problem, but im no expert on reels as thats never happened to me before.

Posts: 193

Date Joined: 17/01/12

No worries dant.Good to hear

Wed, 2013-10-16 12:04

No worries dant.

Good to hear a few positive stories too, however surely with regard to the Sustain at $400 you would not expect the number of replys here who have experienced similar problems with a <1yr old reel 

 

dant's picture

Posts: 504

Date Joined: 13/03/13

Hi Ninety Mile - went down

Thu, 2013-10-17 10:09

Hi Ninety Mile - went down and had my reel fixed last night, even the reel tech thought it was a very flimsy line clicker, it had moved over the hinge, just had to put it back in - will know for next time, but yeah you would think it would be alot more reinforced so this wouldnt happen. Can see why they snap.

Posts: 330

Date Joined: 15/03/13

The sustain comes with a

Thu, 2013-10-17 15:58

The sustain comes with a kickstand. Sold.