Saltist bg 30h servicing help

[Draken]

Anyone can do a servcing tutorial for the saltist bg 30h reel??

[SoCalAngler]

Look at the Sealine and Saltiga tute's and use those as a guide. I did my BG20 H as one of my first reels and it is pretty much strait forward, no secrets or tricky things to watch out for. I also replaces a bushing with a bearing to get more freespool which helped a little but not a whole lot. here is a link to the upgrade I did http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=9793.0

[Jeri]

Hi All,

Saltist BG multipliers.

We have seen quite a few of these reels come into the shop with a problem. In the early models, they were stripping the ears off the pinion gear where it engages with the dog pin on the spool. The 'brass' alloy was too soft, and would either bend or break in use.

Diawa obviously have heard about the problem, and 18 months after the introduction of the new series, have introduced a new version with 'new and improved pinion gear technology'. Sounds like some marketing hype to sell the correction of their original design fault.

In the earlier SL30H model, this very small component had a strengthening ring of stainless steel around the vulnerable area. I shouldn't think that the parts would be interchangeable.

One client we had, managed to get one reel to last a whole day before it failed, two days later got a replacement from his dealer, and that lasted the whole of three casts before breaking the same component. He got his money back, and bought a Finnor OHC 20, been using and abusing it for the last 2 years without any problems.

So, there are a lot of pre- 'improved technology' reels out there. Just be aware of this problem.

Schematics and service procedures are almost identical to the earlier Saltist models, and even with the new model they didn't improve on some of the longer term design issues on the original Saltist – like the spool release lever sheering from the splined shaft that actuates the spool release cam.

5/10 to Diawa, in my opinion!!!

I'll take my cynical head off just now!!!!


Cheers from sunny Africa


Jeri

[Fish-aholic]

Jeri, do you think Daiwa should of stayed with the single slot pinion gear as per the discontinued silver saltists (right spool bearing not retained by "dog pin")?

[Jeri]

Hi All,

Saltist BG multipliers.

I get a little cynical when I see factories bring out new models that supersede their old design, yet don't take on board the defects that they had in the older design. This is particular with Diawa, and they are slow to respond to the problems that they design into their new models. Perhaps my cynicism comes from too many years as an engineer – while you strive to improve a design, you don't fundamentally weaken it!!!

On the old Saltist (silver) they had issues with the spool engage and disengage lever, it would shear across the stainless steel shaft. In designing their new model which was a response to Finnor OHC series, they kept the poor design lever – so a fault for a year or so down the line. They 'upgraded' the pinion gear to spool system, to one that they abandoned 10 years ago, so that they could use a smaller bearing. In doing so they miscalculated the strength required on the engaging dog, and ended up with something that was too weak, and either sheered or bent out of shape. - Possibly why they abandoned that design in the first place?

Having been advised of the design fault, they spent a full 18 months before they launched with much press publicity – new strengthen, pinion gears. However, failed to recall all the old models with the fault, nor did they send out new replacement parts to all the repair shops for all the defective models that are still failing.

Basically, very poor after sales service. Unlike some of the other factories that did find that once they released a model, they had a problem with a component – and immediately had replacement parts designed and made and within 3 months had the spares out to all the dealers, for a simple replacement.

Working at the sharp end in a tackle shop – we get to deal with the issues that the companies bring out with their new products. The client isn't happy when they spend their cash on something that fails, and then get little or no response from the regional factory representatives.

Back to your original question about the older design without the pin – it worked very well, and was not a weak point in the original design – though it did require a bigger bearing that would obviously cost more. We have seen old Saltists that are over 10 years old, and have been used and abused to the point where very little of the original silver anodising remains on the outer casing – and apart from the defect with the lever they still work fine. The point here is that for what is a mass produced item, and in a relatively low skilled factory – they will always look to gain savings on every reel that they build – a few cents saved over 100,000 units will equate to quite a profit. If they save a couple of machining stages on a CNC lathe/mill, then there is going to be a finite saving.

Another aspect that I have mentioned before, which is that most of the lower end models produced by Diawa are built in their factory in Vietnam. All their very top end range models are built in Japan. Shouldn't this tell us something???

All of the above is very much why we have discontinued dealing with Diawa, and very much focussed on Finnor – this reels issue is not their first time they have launched a poor product on an unsuspecting public, to later bring out the more expensive 'upgrade' to overcome their design error.

I'll take my cynical head off just now, and go a do some very calming rod building.


Cheers from sunny Africa


Jeri

[Fish-aholic]

Always appreciate your detailed posts, Jeri. Thanks!

Regarding the clutch lever, there's been no such issues noted here in the UK. The only issues I've heard of is when a saltist impacts with the ground causing the lever to snap.

In the UK the saltists are very popular in the 20h/30h series, but as you well know, we haven't got the species here to make them wince, so are used well within their means. I've had a silver saltist for over 5 years now and it's been trouble free. If you see the condition of my 20h, you would think I wrap it in bubble wrap before fishing with it as it's in near mint condition, bar the very odd scratch. People keep asking where I bought my new saltist from, but when I tell them how long I've had it, they simply don't believe me. I respond by telling them how a fresh water dipped toothbrush and scrub immediately after fishing can do to a reel, but it's advice which falls on deaf ears.   

[SoCalAngler]

Yeah not any issues with the reels here in the US that I have heard from the dealers or other tackle shops I go to. I've only used my 20H a few years with yellowtail to 35lbs and bluefin up to 40lbs though.