New Zillion Question

[Swest18x]

I just received a new Diawa Zillion reel today. I have 2 concerns, wondering if this is just a result of new reel break-in: first, brake dial is insanely tight, especially as I approached where I needed it for slow drop of the lure. In fact, I had it pretty much maxed out. Second, 3 or 4 times in the first 10 casts, I went to reel in and the reel just spun free. I had to push the lever and reel again to get it to engage. Next 20 or so casts, no problems.

 

Apart from that, this is my first Diawa and only my third baitcaster, by far the nicest ive purchased and wow it casts smooth!

[AlabamaSpothunter]

Second deal is very weird, have no idea on that

 

In regards to brake dial.......these are zero adjust reels, you don't need to do the slow drop dialing in thing.     That's one of the big selling points to these reels.   

[LCG]

With zero adjust, set the spool tension to just a mm of side to side play, use the brake dial underneath the palm sideplate to adjust as needed. The idea is to set and forget the spool tension.

 

As for the second part, I am sure someone far more knoiwledable than me will have a better idea.

 

 

[newapti5]

Did you rest your thumb on the spool or the thumb bar when turning the handle to engage the thumb bar? That could cause the pinion gear to only half-engaged, and then "spun free" as you described. 

 

If not, did you set the drag to a proper level? A loose drag could cause similar problem as well. 

 

A too-tight spool tension knob (the zero-adjust knob) could cause similar problem also, although that requires a really tight tension - tight enough to have the same effect of resting your thumb on the spool.

 

If none of the above, you may have a defective one. 

[Tatulatard]

2 hours ago, Swest18x said:

I just received a new Diawa Zillion reel today. I have 2 concerns, wondering if this is just a result of new reel break-in: first, brake dial is insanely tight, especially as I approached where I needed it for slow drop of the lure. In fact, I had it pretty much maxed out. Second, 3 or 4 times in the first 10 casts, I went to reel in and the reel just spun free. I had to push the lever and reel again to get it to engage. Next 20 or so casts, no problems.

 

Apart from that, this is my first Diawa and only my third baitcaster, by far the nicest ive purchased and wow it casts smooth!

This is normal. Don't touch the "spool tension" knob on these reels or when you are truly ready, ANY reel.  

[Swest18x]

Thanks, I will have to reset that knob then, maybe that was the problem. Does anyone have a link to a good article or video that will help explain this reel?

 

Obviously I dont have much experience in baitcasters. I have a couple shimano SLXs I played around with last year, they seem nice but I wanted a super nice reel to maximize my casts from shore. I was concerned about the t wing on the Daiwa because I use braid to leader, sometimes a real long leader, but my knots ran through fine. 

[newapti5]

32 minutes ago, Swest18x said:

Thanks, I will have to reset that knob then, maybe that was the problem. Does anyone have a link to a good article or video that will help explain this reel?

 

Obviously I dont have much experience in baitcasters. I have a couple shimano SLXs I played around with last year, they seem nice but I wanted a super nice reel to maximize my casts from shore. I was concerned about the t wing on the Daiwa because I use braid to leader, sometimes a real long leader, but my knots ran through fine. 

 

 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

47 minutes ago, Swest18x said:

Thanks, I will have to reset that knob then, maybe that was the problem. Does anyone have a link to a good article or video that will help explain this reel?

 

Obviously I dont have much experience in baitcasters. I have a couple shimano SLXs I played around with last year, they seem nice but I wanted a super nice reel to maximize my casts from shore. I was concerned about the t wing on the Daiwa because I use braid to leader, sometimes a real long leader, but my knots ran through fine. 

You bought the best reel for the money of the higher end stuff period.   I wouldn't argue much on here, but I'd argue that fact.   

 

The video above I'm sure is excellent, but these reels are the most user friendly, easiest to operate high end/high performance bait caster I've ever seen by a large margin.   Another day of playing with it, and you'll figure it out.  

I just hate that I don't own more SV TWs and HD TWs and the JPY exchange rate keeps going up.    Between the two Zillions, I'm good. 

[UmairF]

My 2021 zillion sv tw isn’t reeling buttery smooth like my second one. I thought it was something to do with the bearing on the sideplate or even something with the spool but after cleaning both and lubricating in the proper spots, it still has the same issue. Sounds and feels like an older tatula when you reel.

 

I removed the sideplate and spool again and slowly reeled and noticed that it feel buttery smooth when you reel when the handle is pointing towards the ground, andhas more of a rougher feel when it’s reeling in the normal position.

 

Any ideas? Really don’t want to pay to have it serviced by daiwa.

 

Thanks,

Umair

[bulldog1935]

There are 2 plastic shims, p/n 17 and 18 in the palm cap, that shim the spool and the alignment of the pinion gear on the main gear.  

Not saying you did this, but if you operate the Zero Adjust as a casting brake, the spool spindle will indent these parts and move the pinion away from proper alignment on the main gear.  

From what you described, restoring proper shim spacing here, combined with proper Zero set, should solve the problem.  

[Bigbox99]

I bet your bearings are dry if you have been fishing it bunch.  The outside pinon bearing might even be shot if you used oil on it and it cut the grease accelerating wear.  I'd send it in for a cleaning and repair to dvt or somebody if you aren't cable of tearing the reel down and troubleshooting and inspecting parts.  

[UmairF]

I have a basic understanding of how to take apart and re-assemble casting reels. I usually do a cleaning/lubrication of my reels every season or 2 depending how hard I fished them.

 

I found what the issue is: The pinion drive gear set is not smooth when the gear teeth mesh into each other while reeling. I know this because I compared my other zillion (only difference is that one is a right handed retrieve. Problem reel is the left handed version). I opened it up and compared how the gear teeth interact and they are way smoother. I took videos of each but realized I cant attach them here.

 

 

It’s part 62 and 97 for reference. I wiped off the old grease and applied new daiwa space age grease and didn’t make much of a difference. Glad I narrowed down the issue. Only problem now is I don’t know how to fix that since cleaning and re- lubricating did nothing lol. Any ideas? Not sure how much it would cost to order and new pinion drive gear set.

 

Thanks,

Umair 

[ABU is overpriced]

On 2/20/2023 at 7:23 PM, Swest18x said:

I just received a new Diawa Zillion reel today. I have 2 concerns, wondering if this is just a result of new reel break-in: first, brake dial is insanely tight, especially as I approached where I needed it for slow drop of the lure. In fact, I had it pretty much maxed out. Second, 3 or 4 times in the first 10 casts, I went to reel in and the reel just spun free. I had to push the lever and reel again to get it to engage. Next 20 or so casts, no problems.

 

Apart from that, this is my first Diawa and only my third baitcaster, by far the nicest ive purchased and wow it casts smooth!

Braking dial? The mag dial are your brakes, not the spool tension. They call it zero adjuster for a reason, you're not supposed to touch it unless you install a custom spool, and need the side to side play adjusted. As for your second concern, i have never had this, nor even heard anyone who've had it. The only way i can even see it happening is if the spool is missing the spool pin which isn't engaging with the pinion gear.

edit: ehh old thread

[MediumMouthBass]

3 hours ago, ABU is overpriced said:

They call it zero adjuster for a reason, you're not supposed to touch it unless you install a custom spool,

The people making the Zillions and setting the so called "zero adjust" are factory workers trying to meet a monthly quota, not the engineers that came up with the idea. Many of us on here have had to adjust them plenty of times, myself included with the 2 i have.

[bulldog1935]

18 hours ago, UmairF said:

... Not sure how much it would cost to order and new pinion drive gear set.

 

Thanks,

Umair 

Last month, I was fishing my new SLPW Zillion side-by-side with my 4-year '21 Zillion SVTW.  

The new SLPW has brass main gear, the '21 SVTW has hard-anodized alloy.  

I noticed the SLPW Z, based on '22 Zillion TWHD with brass main gear, was smoother - not a big difference, but enough to notice setting one down and picking up the other.  

  

If you want to swap gears, you can order them from Plat.jp and pick a new set of HD brass gears -

go through the models (-L, -H, -SH, etc.) to match your gear ratio.   https://www.plat.co.jp/shop/catalog/optionparts/language/en/manufacturers/1/siries/80/page/2

If you're going to this effort, grabbing spare small parts like the palm-cap spool shims, bearing retainer springs, spool bearing sleeve, etc. should be a no-brainer.  

[Bigbox99]

19 hours ago, UmairF said:

I have a basic understanding of how to take apart and re-assemble casting reels. I usually do a cleaning/lubrication of my reels every season or 2 depending how hard I fished them.

 

I found what the issue is: The pinion drive gear set is not smooth when the gear teeth mesh into each other while reeling. I know this because I compared my other zillion (only difference is that one is a right handed retrieve. Problem reel is the left handed version). I opened it up and compared how the gear teeth interact and they are way smoother. I took videos of each but realized I cant attach them here.

 

 

It’s part 62 and 97 for reference. I wiped off the old grease and applied new daiwa space age grease and didn’t make much of a difference. Glad I narrowed down the issue. Only problem now is I don’t know how to fix that since cleaning and re- lubricating did nothing lol. Any ideas? Not sure how much it would cost to order and new pinion drive gear set.

 

Thanks,

Umair 

Inspect the pinion bearings too.  It's possible the outer bearing is shot from water intrusion and this has accelerated gear wear.  To replace the pinion get a main gear and pinon set from Daiwa Japan for an aluminum set or The Tackle Trap for a brass Zillion G set.  

https://tackletrap.com/collections/gear-sets