Avet LX 4.6:1 tolerance question

[Serrations]

I recently ordered a new Avet LX. It arrived on my front porch (one day late) as I was in the air on my way to Florida! So it remains new and unfished.
My question is whether anyone here is familiar enough with this series to tell me if the LX is known for excess sideplay in the spool while in freespool?
I would guesstimate the side to side motion to be > 1/16th" of an inch. I have an SXJ and MXL and neither of these reels have any excess play in the spool.
More preset knob pressure has no effect. The extra side to side movement only disappears as the drag begins to engage. My first thought was that it needs a shim in the bellville washer area, but I don't want to start modifying a new reel that might be defective. I sent an e-mail to Avet but got no response. I can probably get better info right here anyway! Any thoughts or info will be appreciated.
Open it up and modify, or keep after Avet until they explain/fix the problem?
Thanks for your ideas.

[SoCalAngler]

For me I'd open it up and have a look see, maybe the bellevile washers are in the wrong config or your missing a spool spring washer.

[Alto Mare]

There isn't much more It could be besides what SoCalAngler mentioned, but you'll never know until you open it.

[Serrations]

I think it's probably a look and see situation. I need to prep it before fishing anyway. As soon as I get time to sit down with it I'll have a look. I'll post whatever I find.

[Alto Mare]

Good idea. It's probably just a missing washer on the spool shaft or the lever.

[Serrations]

I didn't have time to do a proper service on the reel yet, but I opened it up to have a look. No parts are missing, but the bellevilles seem very flat to my eye. I thought they might not be oriented correctly, so I removed them, sorted them out, and tried different orientations.
)) () () gave me a spool without the sideplay, loads of drag but poor freespool. (might give this one a look again later)
() () () again took up the side to side play, huge drag, but NO freespool.
)) (())  this is where I think I was at when I opened the reel, and where I left it for now.
excess side to side play in the spool(no change), much better freespool than when I started ?? (no added oil or grease at this point), acceptable drag.
I"ll try to shim the belleville area when I have it apart again, and see if I can get the play out without losing freespool.
It seems like tolerance stackup.
A few parts at the minimum edge of their specs and the reel feels just a little loose.
Thanks for the ideas.

[johndtuttle]

Full speed ahead and damn the torpedos!

You can't have good free spool without some play in the spool as there is a spring inside that you begin to compress even as a little play remains. As you dial up your drag preset you will begin to lose some free spool as that spring comes under more and more tension. I would set my drag and see where I was at before worrying about it. Unless it is truly excessive it's not going to affect your casting in the slightest.

[Serrations]

I probably don't need to worry about it so much!
It's just different than my two other Avets. Neither has any side to side play in the spool.
That being said the LX likely will cast and fish without a problem.

"Even though it's not broke I usually fix it till it is."

It's a curse.

[johndtuttle]

I probably don't need to worry about it so much!
It's just different than my two other Avets. Neither has any side to side play in the spool.
That being said the LX likely will cast and fish without a problem.

"Even though it's not broke I usually fix it till it is."

It's a curse.

Ah! We have identified the issue...You need to go fishing, land a big 'ol sumthin' on it and get it out of your system!

[SoCalAngler]

In my SX, MXJ and JX 6/3 I have little or no spool wiggle/sideplay with the preset backed off and lever out of gear. Since the bellevile washers are back to the stock config which looks correct from their parts list I thought the other place to look would of been the #15 spool spring washers but if their in there I'd send it back to Avet. Then I looked close and the #15's may only effect the drag plate and not the spool sideplay. Just dosn't sound right and since you bought it new it should function correctly.

[Serrations]

I think I will give Avet a call. They don't seem to answer e-mails consistently.
My SXJ and MXL don't have any spool side to side play, and freespool is great. I'm betting Avet will find it within spec's if I send it to them.
Just a different perspective:
If this was one of my freshwater reels, about a half turn of the spool tensioning knob would eliminate the play.
I'll talk to the factory and see what they suggest.

[Serrations]

Update on my reel!
I finally had time  to call, and got through to Scott at Avet.
Something I hadn't noticed when I started the thread:
With the reel turned so the handle/sideplate faced down towards the ground, the spool would shift over (in "free spool") and allow the drag components to touch.
The spool would stop spinning within a few seconds.
According to Scott only the length of the spool spring sets the clearance between the drag washer and brake disc. (SoCalAngler had this line of thinking)
"Give the spring a stretch and see what happens. Worst case is you'll wreck it and I'll send a new one out"
At first I thought the issue was solved. I stretched the spring, reassembled the reel, turned it handle down and the spool still spun like crazy.
I also measured the belleville washers and oriented them so the thickest washers opposed each other. (The washers varied by several thousandths)
The sideplay in the spool was still too much IMO.
I took the sideplate off and realized (finally) the shaft assembly is quite snug.
The spool is shifting on the bearings. Neither spool bearing was fully seated in the spool, so the spool was free to drift back and forth!
Shim it? None available. The other option is shorten the spool tube spacer.
I grabbed a file and started on one end of the spacer. Filed, assembled, tested.
On the third try........success.
All the side to side play is gone, and the drag ramps up properly now. With the excess play I was almost to strike position before the drag started to engage.
In the end I have:

1. stretched a spring.
2. "custom fit"  the bellevilles  ))(())  (thinnest washers in the 1st 2nd position, thickest in the 4th 5th, next thickest in 3rd and 6th).
3. shortened the spool tube spacer.

I could have boxed it up and sent it in under warranty but this way I know what's inside it.
Much happier with the reel at this point! Looks like my next trip to Florida is still a few months off so I'll have to wait to see how it really performs.
Thanks for the input.
Mike

[Bryan Young]

The drawback of an improper sized spool bearing sleeve...but the benefits from a properly spaced sleeve is better free spool at hight drag settings, balancing loads on the spool bearings, just to name a few.

[billm]

   Thank you to Serrations for the post about the bearing spacer tube.  My SXJ had the same issue with too much spool free play. Soon as I saw your post, I realized where it was play was coming from. I checked by removing the plastic line out alarm collar from the end of the spool, reassembled and set the drag to normal.  With the assembly out of the cage I could see the spool moving sideways on the bearings.  I removed 0.14mm from the tube and reassembled.  Still a little more play than I wanted but when I fully assembled the reel back in the cage the side play dropped a little more (not sure why) but I noticed the same on my SX.   End result is Approx 0.1mm side play (not easy to measure) but its just perceivable when the spool is rocked sideways in free spool.  

Thanks for the lead on this one.


Bill.

[Serrations]

I've found a lot of help on this website!
I'm happy I could contribute, and point you in the right direction.
Mike