Lew's BB1 Centrifugal Brakes

Bud Kennedy · November 11, 2016, 01:29:15 PM

OK so I am a dunce but I still have some questions. I have not used my BB1 all that much because the initial efforts have been very lack luster. Finally while fishing this week and once again not being able to get the casting distance required, I decided just to inspect the brakes again. It seems that I was getting the settings backwards. As I understand moving the brakes to the in position (towards the center) is turning the brakes off, while moving the switches to the out position (away from the center) is turning the brakes on. I was doing just the opposite and you can imagine the results.

So while on the water I just turned them all to the in position (off) and the distance and control was magnificent. While I still would have a backlash every so often they were minor and mostly related to a lazy thumb. So will you guys please confirm that i am on the right track with these settings. Just want to confirm that in is off and out is on. Oh yeah don't tell me I am stupid, I already know that and please don't tell me to buy something else.

Princeton_Man · November 11, 2016, 01:41:49 PM

You are correct Bud. In is off.

With all the breaks off, you're running in Lee Smith mode!

No breaks and a big motor!

LgMouthGambler · November 11, 2016, 02:00:15 PM

See, what I would do is turn all the brakes off, then toss it.....in the lake.

West6550 · November 11, 2016, 03:08:38 PM

Don't listen to LMG he'd sell it and save another 3 reels worth of money to buy a reel he would sell anyways loll

Yes IN is off. I normally have zero on or one more 90% of the time. A windy day and I'll click one or 2 more.

Bud Kennedy · November 11, 2016, 03:42:21 PM

Yeah, I know LMG's game. Buy an over priced Diawa Reel. Pimp it out change the bearings and make it so the reel can cast a mile. Instead of casting he uses the dang thing for pitching or flipping for some of those Florida dinks. About like buying a corvette and then driving 20 mph. After he is done playing then he sells it and starts the process all over again. They don't call him the 13 year old for no reason.

LgMouthGambler · November 11, 2016, 04:23:17 PM

Haters gonna hate.

Mike Cork · November 11, 2016, 04:38:22 PM

Bud set two of those brakes to the on position (out) you'll find the backlashes disappear. That reel is very free spool out of the box. Two brakes might cost you five feet on a heave-hoe cast. On standard chunk and wind you won't notice anything but less loose line in the spool. All these no brakes guys don't know the control they are missing with brakes. It doesn't make you 'cool' to run no brakes, just makes that wall (backlash) harder

I cast with at least two, if not three brakes on. On a tuned reel, they prevent vibration which causes those mini professional over runs.

Bud Kennedy · November 11, 2016, 05:02:47 PM

Thanks Mike, I will give it a try with two turned on. The out of the box setting actually had four brakes on and it was not good. Hopefully the setting you recommend will get some of those backlash deals under control. It certainly was much better when I went to no brakes but the overruns did happen but were very minor and in fairness they were few and far between. I was casting a 3/8 oz spinnerbait both upwind and downwind. with the wind being only 10mph. I don't over fill my spools so that has not been a problem.

Oldfart9999 · November 12, 2016, 06:41:58 AM

I run 2 brakes and find it very easy to control a cast, even a hard cast. Of course I use BPS PQs not those ultra fancy blinged out very expensive Diawas and Shimanos.

Rodney

OkobojiEagle · November 12, 2016, 02:04:07 PM

This may be a difference in model year, but my BB1 has 4 spring held brake blocks and 2 normal brake blocks. The spring held brake blocks "push themselves off" as the spool slows. I use my reel with 1 of each block type on and the other four "locked" off.

oe

Bud Kennedy · November 12, 2016, 03:03:30 PM

This is the CBS Brake System Layout on my reel

Tavery5 · November 12, 2016, 03:32:52 PM

Turning the two blue ones off and a couple of the white ones on will give you the best casting distance with a good amount of anti-backlash control. If you are pitching or flipping it may be more advantageous to turn the white brakes off and turn the blue ones on.

The white brakes are spring loaded closed/off and require a certain amount of centrifugal force/spool speed to overcome the spring pressure before the begin applying a braking force, then as the spool speed slows the spring forces the braces closed again and applies less braking force making them somewhat dynamic.
The blue brakes require very little spool speed to begin applying a braking force because they have no spring pressure to overcome and work well when pitching and flipping where spool speeds don't reach the same high speeds they would during casting.

Centrifugal brakes typically are the most effective at preventing backlashes at the beginning of a cast where spool speeds are high and create the most centrifugal force.

You should always adjust spool tension to help account for the weight of the bait you are casting, when the two systems are adjusted properly long casting without backlash becomes easy.

LgMouthGambler · November 13, 2016, 03:06:34 AM

If you replace the reel with a Daiwa with Magforce braking, you will never have to worry about this confusing system again. Lol

<")))>{

Polaris425 · November 13, 2016, 07:58:08 AM

I keep a cheat sheet in my boat b/c I can't ever remember when I get out on the water.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Mike Cork · November 13, 2016, 11:27:50 AM

Quote from: Tavery5 on November 12, 2016, 03:32:52 PM
Turning the two blue ones off and a couple of the white ones on will give you the best casting distance with a good amount of anti-backlash control. If you are pitching or flipping it may be more advantageous to turn the white brakes off and turn the blue ones on.

The white brakes are spring loaded closed/off and require a certain amount of centrifugal force/spool speed to overcome the spring pressure before the begin applying a braking force, then as the spool speed slows the spring forces the braces closed again and applies less braking force making them somewhat dynamic.
The blue brakes require very little spool speed to begin applying a braking force because they have no spring pressure to overcome and work well when pitching and flipping where spool speeds don't reach the same high speeds they would during casting.

Centrifugal brakes typically are the most effective at preventing backlashes at the beginning of a cast where spool speeds are high and create the most centrifugal force.

You should always adjust spool tension to help account for the weight of the bait you are casting, when the two systems are adjusted properly long casting without backlash becomes easy.

Outstanding explanation

I was too lazy to type that out

Pro Reel · December 07, 2016, 07:22:56 AM

One last thing that I would add to this discussion. I have always found that most people who use no brakes or very little braking are compensating by running their tension setting tight. Tension is constant and robs distance and ease of casting when it's tight. Properly adjusted brakes apply braking when needed and allow free spool when not needed. Set just enough tension to keep the spool snug from side to side movement and then set enough brakes to control overrun. If you do that and still don't need any brakes then you are pretty darn good or your bearings are loaded with grease.