Gen2 Talons - Steel Cable Breaking

[chaseerry]

Hey all. I’ve got a pair of Gen2 10’ Talons I’ve been running since 2015. Been flawless up until today. After fishing in a 5’ area off and on one of the Talons would not retract all the way. Tried several times up and down and finally came up with a horrible crackling noise - almost like rocks in the thing. Got back to the house and took the plastic covers off. Appears my cable is fraying bad in a spot or two.

Is replacing this cable an absolute nightmare? Anybody with some experience on it? Thanks!

[gettnet]

There is a You Tube presentation that shows how to replace the cable on a ten foot Talon. ( ) But it is for a two stage Talon. This may help you.

[FTMS]

I have done this on a 12' and it was not fun, but doable. Then key is to keep everything tensioned just right. If you do not have patients send it to a shop. I almost throw mine away because i was so frustrated with it. There are LOTS of moving parts in there. A second set of hands is key.

[chaseerry]

Just finished the video - Thanks! Definitely a tedious looking job. Debating on doing it myself or paying the quoted $300 to have my local MK place take care of it.

[gettnet]

The key to this procedure is keeping tension on the cables. The cable has a tendency to slip of the rollers. Also like in the video mention have or make a special tool to grab the cable. I use a set of forceps.

[chaseerry]

The key to this procedure is keeping tension on the cables. The cable has a tendency to slip of the rollers. Also like in the video mention have or make a special tool to grab the cable. I use a set of forceps.

When you say keep tension on the cable - are you talking the whole time just to make sure it’s always on the rollers, or when he deploys the talon and it spools onto the drum? That’s the part that looks sketchy. Everything else just looks like you take your time and account for all parts?

[gettnet]

The whole time. When I did my 12ft three stage,
if I let any slack in the cable it would slip off the rollers. My two most likely rollers that I had problems with is the top and center rollers.

[Bradrodfish]

If you are not sure on how the do this job I would bring it in. There are special tools to remove and add tension to the cables. I assure you it will save you a lot of frustration.

[chaseerry]

I successfully replaced both cables yesterday following the posted YouTube video very closely. Not bad at all until you have to put the retracting cable on the drum - which is tricky but once you figure out that puzzle you are golden! The trick is to FIRST deploy the Talon all the way (which loosens the retracting cable), then put the cable on the large idler pulley with Phillips head screw all the way retracted - keep it off the smaller roller (to the left like he says in the video) - then bring the cable down the frame and into the drum. Wrap it around nicely (forceps help if you don't have small/skinny hands) and while pushing the large pully down (onto spring) you get that sucker into the drum slot. Run the Talon up/down a couple of times then you can slip the cable onto the smaller roller using a slick screwdriver.

I feel like I could do the job twice as fast now that I know how it all works. Thanks everyone!