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Daiwa SS Modification and improvement
Many of us love the SS and still prefer it than the newer designs. It has proven to be rugged, dependable and will last for many years. Despite its much-raved reputation, it is an old and considered retro in styling and features. However, it will out perform many new reels.
1. “Silent” static anti reverse for quiet retrieve (the anti reverse is actually a tooth and latch design). It is strong and will not slip; unless the force is so great it may break the catch. In theory it is more dependable than the Shimano roller stopper design as it will not slip. However Shimano has instant action, this design needs to travel about 15 degrees for the catch to hook onto the tooth to take effect. In practice, this design is more noisy but definitely more reliable.
2. Although the main supporting bearing can last forever, the two shaft bearings OD14-ID7-Thick3.5mm (NM1470) design is old and out dated. The original ones have a rubber holder within the outer and inner race and holds the 9 balls bearings. The precision and durability are poor. The new NMB bearings can make a big difference. Use your finger and rotate it and you can feel the smoothness. Each NMB bearing is about $3 and is an expendable item. Recommend replacement every year if you fish regularly.
3. The high-speed gearing is pretty rugged. After years of service, the gear does not require replacement, if the reel is properly maintained and used. If stains and corrosion started (mainly Seawater), it can be cleaned using toothbrush and polishing tooth paste (whitening type).
4. The over sized drag, titanium and felt type is aged and can be upgraded using new dry type felt for even better smoothness and stopping power. Part #6-B36-0204 ~$4.
5. The tapered long stroke spool sits on an aluminum cylinder, which needs checking, re polishing and proper lubrication. Not possibly to implement a bearing, but the assembly can be improved thru better lubrication.
6. One of the shaft plastic bushes can be replaced by a precision bearing OD6-ID3-Thick2.5mm. Price is also about $3. This improves smoothness and structure rigidity under heavy stress.
If the reel has not been serviced for a long time, then it is worthwhile to purchase all the upgrading parts for about $15 in total. A small container of ZX-1 red grease is a MUST. This mod can be applied to SS700, 1300 and 2600. referring to the schematic, carefully strip it down:
Take note that this reel requires some experience and patience to service. Prepare all the standard tools, a bait need, pincer, and a lot of tissue paper. Get ready the reel schematic and make sure you have time to work on the reel slowly.
Strip down the whole reel and place the parts in a container. Clean out the old grease and remove entirely using a mild detergent and water. It is necessary to wash away old grease because of salt from seawater, if you have done saltwater fishing. If the grease shows greenish color, this is sign of corrosion. You must clean it carefully and completely. Get a can of Zippo fluid to clean the drag.
(the original main bearing, the two replacement/upgraded NMB bearing and also the new dry type drag) Actually, using Shimano drag grease lightly with the original drag is alreay very smooth. The dry drag can cause some irregular operation and can get oiled easily. Unless the original is gone, keep to it. You can use Shimano drag green on the Smooth Drag to ease out the intermittent jerk.
When all the parts are cleaned out, place them on the table like fig 2 to check for wear, cracks or corrosion. The diagram shows a Made in Japan type (slight differences from Made in Thailand in terms of finishing, and the color of screw used) that went thru 10 years of faithful service. Of which it spent about 5 years in total neglect in a shelf. It is still good as new functionally.
Remove all the grease on the drag plates and wash using detergent. Check the bearings for degree of wear and any abnormal signs. Grease the two new NMB bearings before installation. Always let the plate side faces the outside of the reel when installing.
Polish the gears using a mild toothbrush and paste. Check for pit, dents or corrosion. It is hard to buy replacement parts, but can still be ordered from Beach Road. Gear #46 is very rugged. Some cleaning will be ok.
The anti reverse should be totally cleaned out without dismantling of the rocker arm on part #53. Part #40 is the catch and you need to only oil #41 lightly using light oil after it is clean and dry. The trick is to use light oil only and not to over oil. The small wire sits on the catch. Various mod have been tried on this, but the original still works best. The screw to hold down #42 holder is the same, and in the picture I made a mistake using a smaller screw. DO NOT grease this part as it may retard the anti reverse.
The main spool is not bearing supported. It sits on the main shaft aluminum #12. This part always get badly scarred and scratched. If it look terribly scratched, then you can smooth it out by first remove ALL grease and scum. Clean the whole spool inside. Then use some toothpaste on the aluminum of #12 and the spool rotate on it (take out all the drag material. Do not over do this and the feeling can be smooth again without taking too much material away. Clean off the toothpaste and checking for smoothness. Reapply the ZX-1 grease to restore the smoothness.
** Later, I find sprayed on Lithuium based greas is the best for anti corrosion and on gears.
For the clicker, do not apply too much grease. Slight coat will protect the spool and also a loud click sound. Use the Lithuium based greas
(Diagram shows the aluminium shaft portion and the spool. Clean off all the oil.grease. Then apply some toothpaste and mate the two together. Rotate a few times until smooth. Repeat with fresh tooth past once more if required. Do not over do this. Do not sand paper the surface!
If your original drag felt material is compressed down to less than 0.05mm and looks terribly oily, it is a good option to replace it. See picture. The new type is a dry clutch design, so it will be more consistent and controllable. The new replacement is also more thick and strong. The oil type can become more inconsistent after long exposure to water or salt-water fishing. Use Shimano drag grease only.
The assembly of #60, #61 is most difficult to install. First, put in the bearing after greasing. Put in #59 using the help of needles and grease as you go along. Note that you have to put in the bail arm assembly before you put in the main shaft. It can be a pain and you need sometime here. Use the pincer to help you put in the parts as per schematic. Once you managed to put in the main gear and close the cover, make sure the anti reverse assembly doesn’t drop out or you will have to start all over again a few times. Even if all are ok, need to check the smoothness.
The upgraded bearing #65 bush needs some careful attention not to bypass a small shim.
Note: For anti corrosion I have since changed to Lithimum based spray grease. Works better. After 3 heavy sea use still ok.
Use only the red grease and not liquid type lubricant. On hot days it will all flow out. Using light oil on the assembly will only day starve the assembly of lubrication. Use grease, not oil. Use Lithim sprayed on for best results.
There is a tendency for #31 of the bail arm roller to get stuck. Sometimes it does not roll when a braided line under tension flows over it. One solution is to open it up fully, and use the finest sand paper to polish the shaft on #32 arm. Polish the shaft until the paint is removed showing the brass part. Use grease on the shaft and plastic #79. After that the roller will go very free even under load. Make sure grease is used as this part has a tendency to corrode.
Check the drag assembly again and put onto the main shaft. DO NOT oil the drag if using the dry type. For orginal drag use Shimano drag grease sparingly. Check for smoothness. It may take a few run for a new drag to sit in.
Crank and test the reel for better smoothness and consistency. I would run in the new system but trying to lift/lower a 3-6 lbs weight using the rod/reel a few times to seat in the new drag and also the gear system. The reel should feel much better after a few loaded runs. You always open the back cover and squirt some Lithium based spary grease to improve the smoothness. I would spray a layer of Lithium grease on the spool as it will corrode if you do not take anti rust precautions.
The picture shows a Thai made and Japanese made SS1300. Age is 10 years apart. They perform equally well and worth to keep one as collector’s item, especially the made in Japan type. The Thai made SS1300 after this mod is super smooth and reliable, and a joy to use against small to big fishes. The solid feel of this reel is second to none, even against those that cost 2 or 3 times more.
The main spool can corrode very fast. I finally replaced them with the Daiwa Whiskers 750i Tournament.... not as golden but more line can go it too
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