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Phoenix pole repair/maintenance

keir

Well-known member
Messages
1,028
Finally got around/ got my **** in gear and had a dabble to stop my pole collapsing by 8-12" every time i pull the pipe to switch the aquadapter on and off, it was really getting on my nerves as i was struggling to reach some windows which are just on the edge of its reach.

The other thing that was annoying me was when the pole was totally retracted that the brush/thinnest section spin, so checked it and it was clear that the diameter of the pole had reduced through wear.

Anyway i stripped the pole and realised that yes there was a good bit of wear but also the A clamp had worn quite a bit too, also noticed that there were 2 hairline cracks which would of probably lasted another few weeks before letting go especially with the colder temps,so replaced that



Then tackled the wear by applying Araldite and building back the diameter

http://s477.photobucket.com/user/kfbmR1/media/Snapbucket/242A1CA1-orig_zps943e6b88.jpg.html

242A1CA1-orig_zps943e6b88.jpg


Once it has cured properly which should be tonight, tomorrow i will use my bench linisher to smooth it back down to the original diameter and hey presto fully restored pole and clamps, also ordered 2 more A clamps and 2 more black levers, nowt worse than having a breakdown and having to wait.

I'll post i picture of the pole once i have linished it back to its former glory.

 
I had the same problem and I know lots of others have , They sent me a new section to keep me quiet lol i think they are good a pole but they do not have a long life in them

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hi mark as u no i have the same pole very happy with it so far can i just ask do the facelift last longer than the gardeners ??? if u had the choise of boath at the same price witch would u chouse???

 
facelift for it clamps Gardiners pole lasts just need to sort clamps I am buying aqua dapter pole next week thought I would give them a go

 
how old is ur facelift mark?? im guna try the lacker trick to prolong mine its fine at the minit no spinning yet, when i do upgrade im guna get the same pole as kevinc250 and kempy there very happy with theres an there cheep clamps look ace ill order the 23ft and the 45ft

 
I'm thinking about buying from China too Tench.....just can't make my mind up :confused:.

As they use longer sections (23' = 6' closed) and the (45' = 7'6" when closed), would this make the pole more rigid when extended compared to the 'well-known' poles with shorter sections .

 
I've had my facelift carbon for 11 months, so far i've replaced two levers and two A clamps (smallest ones) but its my first decent pole so have nothing to compare it to, but I am very happy with it. They take a fair bit of abuse so replacing consumables i consider acceptable, the spares are cheap too so far.

Bingo, my first pole retracted to 6'-ish and it was an absolute pain in the backside, i would never get anything that big again, but you're work might allow you to use a longer fully retracted pole.

As for my repairs, i haven't got a picture but i've just reassembled the pole and its like brand new, i'm very happy.

Mark, please put a review of aquadapters pole up, i was texting steve last week to order the spares for my Phoenix and told me he brings his own line of poles out this week. I would like to see how they compare to phoenix and gardiners.

 
/emoticons/smile.png

I'm thinking about buying from China too Tench.....just can't make my mind up :confused:.As they use longer sections (23' = 6' closed) and the (45' = 7'6" when closed), would this make the pole more rigid when extended compared to the 'well-known' poles with shorter sections .
hi m8 i think the longer sections will make it stiffer as fishing poles r now bing made with longer sections to make them more ridged and stiffer to, my facelift has bin ace no broke clamps or spinning sections as yet wish thay had possative stops tho thats my only gripe ,when i use my super max the clamps r a pain in the neck i hate using the thing now i will b selling it next summer b 4 it starts to get to worn an try the china ones, 4 the price u cant grumble kev said its mch faster than the facelift so thats a bone's they have possitive stops to an the clamps look very mch like the facelift ones just a tad biger

 
I looked into buying from china but I found that unless you buy in bulk I don't think it is cheaper and what sort of warrantly would you get ? When you think about it now 22ft carbon poles for less than £200 from a uk supplier it cant be bad really if they last a year

 
thats true ,the bk up is spose to b very good tho kempy an kev had a spair set of clamps posted 4 3 just in case they managed to brake one, the suplier seems a jenuin guy frm wat ive hurd i wouldent b werried about buying one

 
I have just sprayed my pole with halfords clear lacquer. Give it a clean and spray it on. it restores and protects your pole for about a year.

 
Forgot to post up the final results,





Mark love your vids man.....keep them coming, as for you saying that the facelift poles are good but dont last.....can i add to that?

I think the carbon is good but the clamps wear quickly, now i know the characteristics of the pole i will never let it get to the point where damage can be done to the pole from 'spinning', i always have spare clamps and levers and its so easy to swap them.

I have replaced all my clamps now, and repaired the damage from spinning and was made up when a mate came round this aft and said 'nice!!! Like the new pole hehehe

 
hi m8 i have the 22ft facelift so when my pole starts spinning, if i replace my clamps it will stop the spinning ???? sory if that a daft question /emoticons/smile.png

 
Nope it aint a daft question tench, but yes swap it as soon as poss, and the pole will transform back. Mine started by collapsing a few inches at certain clamps, so i would nip up the clamps.

That would work for a bit, then it would start spinning and collapsing.....really annoying

I managed to pull one of the nuts through the clamp by over tightening in an effort to stop it from spinning and collapsing

I've started treating the clamps as you would brake pads.......use em, adjust em, adjust em again and again then when no more adjustment, swap em that weekend, bang new pole buzz and no damage to the pole

 
hi guys sorry to throw anouther question in but the facelift phoenix is a pole ive got on myshortlist and wondered when you talk about wear over time etc,what sort of time are we looking at, 6 months, a year etc?

 
I found that the smallest clamp started slipping after about 3 months, so by the time i actually ran out of adjustment i would guess about 6 months

The next smallest clamp lasted about 9 months, and i have just swapped the two largest clamps after 11 months, they did have some life left as the weren't spinning just slipping, but as i was doing maintenance just did them.

At £8.50 a clamp its just not worth not doing and damaging the pole

If facelift are listening, you need to modify the material of the clamps, but not by much cause if you make them harder than the pole then instead of the clamps wearing the pole will wear, or make the clamps a little cheaper

I still consider them as a consumable so not bothered, also facelift do market these clamps as a 'brake' so again like brake pads, will wear out.

Still, i have to come to the conclusion that i am a facelift user and will deffo buy another after this one

 
cheers keir, think you said it all there pal, especially if after the wear of them youd deffo buy anouther!

which facelift model is it you have and did you get it from wcw?

 
Its the phoenix x 22 full carbon, got it from steven at aquadapter, i highly recommend him, very nice bloke and really good communication,

I will end up buying an extension for this pole, then i would like to get another exactly the same AND a gardiners slx 22

 
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