Changing steel downrigger cable

[Bigdad013]

Has anybody every changed the line on their downrigger. I have a Scotty electric, never changed line before, but it'd due now. Any tricks or tools you might recommend.

[tikka250]

what model of scotty is it? in general to service them (hopefully i can remember it all i havent done it in a while) take the top plate off the rig un screw the bolt holding the spool on. take the spool off as well as the brake plates clean the brake plates and turn them over (if they dont look verry worn you can skip this step)then use fine grit sandpaper to buff the break pads slightly. for the spool take the 4 screws off of the spool while the spool is on a flat surface if you did it right once this step is done you will be able to seperate the spool and all the line will slide off in one easy step then atatch your new line making sure to feed it through your counter and front pulley on the boom before doing so. put evrything back together but dont tighten hard on the screw holding the spool on because that is also your brake adjustment. hold the new spool tight against something to keep tension on it (a screwdriver through it and a hole in the table works fine) then respool all your line. slowly tighten the brake adjustment screw until the brake is tight enough for what you are using it for (i adjust for a dead stop of a 10 pound ball dropped from 3 feet) hope this helps :D

[tikka250]

sorry when i said bolt holding the spool on i meant the brake adjustment nut holding the spool on

[Bigdad013]

Thanks for the info, very helpful. It's a scotty 1116

[tikka250]

Ok then all that info should be right. The handcranks and brand new hi speeds are a little funky.

[Bigdad013]

I'm sure I will see it when I take the old cable off, but how does it secure to the spool?

[tikka250]

Now that i think about it it goes(top to botom)belt . nut.counter.nut small steel plate spool large steel plate. Brake pads brake handle. Cant beleive i forgot counter and the second nut. And i cant emember if it does or not but it may have 2 belts it dosent make a diferene taking it apart just another step. Hopefully i didnt forget anything else haha

[tikka250]

And its just attached by threading through a small hole and back through another. It wil make sense when you take it apart

[Blairh]

I don't know a ton but maybe use dacron when you respool...easier when ur line wraps around it!

[harrydude]

Do you use it in salt water lots? Do you rinse with fresh water?

[Salavee]

Has anybody used 150 or 200 lb Dyneema on thier D Riggers?

It works quite well. No kinks or snags and much smoother operation. Just have to use a bit of paper (shop cloth) in the release clips to maintain the tension on the line.

[EZM]

Stay with steel cable if your rigger is electric = positive ion

[tikka250]

Steel=positive ion, less hassle to attatch clips et. Braid = less drag can fit more and can withstand higher strength (depending on what you buy)

[Bigdad013]

No salt water use, yet. Sticking with the steel. Never had a problem with it, been using this setup now, for 6 years, but can tell it's time for new cable. Putting 300 ft on each one. Hardly ever fish past 150, so in another 6 years I can just cut off 100 ft and be good to go again, if the riggers last that long.lol

[Salavee]

Stay with steel cable if your rigger is electric = positive ion

I'm aware of the +Ion theory, but does the use of Dyneema on a Downrigger change the electrolyisis field of a boat. Does it make a boat "less fishy" ?
Just wondering if anyone has tried it.

[Mike_W]

I use power pro......it works great!! My boat has stayed fishy since the change. Without a black box knowing /controling what ions you boat is throwing can be tricky.