Daiwa 7HT/Mag pinion support sleeve fitting

[Blanko]

Ok, its a farting-about-in-a-reel sort of how to...............so youre off eh? Cool, but if you've got a 7HT this is worth a look. £3 could and will prolong the life of your reel and its a doddle to do.

Basically,despite their superb reputation 7HTs have a flaw in their design, minimal and for many under normal light use it will probably not present itself any more than as a bit of an age related niggle. If you use the reel every week as I do and (hopefully) land plenty of fish (weed more likely) it may represent a bigger problem.

The drive shaft obviously runs through the handle assembly and the and of the shaft here lacks any kind of support. It sits (or should) central in the handle collar but you'll notice when removing the spring clip it has no support at all and moves prodigiously within this aperture,this can lead to excessive gear wear leading in extreme cases to reel failure requiring major repairs. The handle on 7HTs is also prone to working loose and coming away from the sideplate,again extreme but its widely held that keeping the drive shaft from moving will prevent as much movement in the gears and transference of stress to the handle causing it to move about.

Nothing's a cure for age and usage related wear of course but this definitely makes sense and having spoken to and read reviews by anglers whose opinions I respect I took the plunge and bought the brass sleeves for my 7HT Mags


Apologies upfront for the lousy pics, down to the 2nd reserve camera that I think runs on coal






Remove the retaining screw,locking cover,end cap,spring clip,washer,handle and flat spring washer from beneath the handle, thus

Theyre just laid out to show parts, order is not as shown, the washer comes after the spring clip

That leaves you with this - note how the drive shaft is not supported

The support sleeve I bought is from Breakaway tackle ,others are available,some of which also replace the small washer atop the drive shaft - this one just fits and utilises all existing parts - Breakaway gear is usually pretty well thought out so should be bang on

Looks like this

Various different sites recommend different lubricants for fitting these sleeves, grease makes most sense as its getting pushed down among the gears etc so that's what I used



The sleeve then should slide down over the drive shaft - I've heard of people having to take a needle file to the top of the shaft as it has mushroomed slightly over the years but mine are all fine and the sleeve popped on fine like this


Its just pushes home flush like this, suddenly it's nicely centred and supported,preventing lateral movement.



That's it ! Just re-fit all the parts,flat handle spring washer plate,handle, small washer,spring clip,cap,retaining collar and screw. Sorry to the 'authorities' out there if I used a technically incorrect term for a part lol, I'm no reel engineer but this isn't a high tech job abd should be within the capabilities of most practical anglers. It helps to be 'au fait' with the innards of the reel, not everyone's quite up to removing all gears etc but understanding little things like this can help you keep your reel running longer.

We'll have to see, I've had a 7HT Mag had to go back to Daiwa in the past for a loose handle re-fitted, this if left too long can actually require a sideplate at about £40-odd,thankfully mine didn't, hopefully this little addition to the assembly will ensure smoother running and longer life for the gears.

As ever only attempt reel repairs if youre fully confident of your abilities,manufacturers offer service + parts facilities,things like this are oddities however in that the manufacturer in this case does not acknowledge the fact there is an issue, despite numerous parts being made to remedy it .

If you have any doubts don't attempt reel repairs - spring washers have jet engines and can easily leap 20 feet when popped off! This is just an account of my own experience and not intended as a definitive guide to reel repairs,hopefully itll give owners an insight and idea as to whether they feel the need to fit a similar part themselves .

[grandadruss]

Good post Ian
Can I add a little bit to this post'
I've never worked on a reel but have done many many fiddly little jobs on motorbike parts,mags,light switches etc.
A good tip is never do the job in a shed or garage because if you drop a tiny part it will be lost for ever.
Work on a large table,and cover the table with a white table cloth or sheet.
That way if you drop a part it won't bounce off onto the floor.
Hope this helps

[Granvillen]

Your right there Russ, I was making a fiddly little part about 10 years ago in my shed and dropped it, never found it to this day lol.

[craggers]

Good tip that Ian think ile do mine. Did you order it on line? and also have you fit any upgraded parts
I'm thinking it will cast well on my heavy trabucco

[Jimmyjizzmo]

Brilliant post mate and much appreciated,
Shouldn't have to do this to a 150 quid
Reel tho should we?????

[Blanko]

here's the link to where I got it Craggers They might be cheaper from Discount Bobs Engineering Bazaar but I generally trust Breakaway bits & bobs

http://www.breakaway-tackle.co.uk/index ... uct_id=499


Defo should NOT have to be fitting aftermarket bits to reels that are now £200 or so new, its odd Daiwa won't acknowledge the potential problem as it WILL manifest in time,especially with the masses of huge fish we all drag in on our 7HTs

Wouldn't be surprised if the next generation addresses it in the build, its not an immediate thing but Id not be surprised if the movement translates to all sorts of problems in the long term .

[G G]

sent for two they are going in soon as they arrive thanks for the tip

[G G]

THEY ARE FITTED NOWTHEY WERE DODDLE THANKS BLANKO

[Ray master]

Great pic's,very informative.I have a blue mag I bought cheap from one of the auction site's,first thing i did was fit the support sleeve,is a must imo,just keep's every thing aligned & stops that play
sure your pic's & description will be a big help to a lot of people