Tiagra 50 and 80 - How to achieve complete free spool

[Bryan Young]

Alan had a challenge for me.  Can you get full freespool out of a Tiagra 50W.  I wasn't sure, but I was up to the challenge.

I was told that this reel will be used to cast out live bait and to freeline for some really big fish.  Possibly tossing out a live little tuna for a hungry Marlin.

When I took the spool apart, I found this.


There is a big cylinder that that I found on the spool  The thing is called a piston and is centered just behind the right side spool bearing.  It is known as Shimano Hydrothermal Drag.  Per the Tiagra brochure,


Hmm, it's kind of strange that it is only in the 50s and 80s sized reels.  I was wondering what the difference was between the heating effects of this reel versus the drag, and why it was only installed in the 50s and 80s sized reel???...but I didn't have time for that.  I was set to get some free spool.

Oh, I just figured out how it works.  when it heats up, it pushes on the right side bearing, which is against the bevels, pulling the drag washer tighter on the left side.

Okay, I opened the bearings, cleaned with carb cleaner, and lubed with TSI301.   Reassembled the shaft assembly then tested...hmm, no increase in free spool.  So, though maybe sleeving would relieve help relieve some of the load pressure on one of the bearings.  Cut the sleeve until it fit without freeplay, measuring 34.19 mm.  Installed the sleeve.


Gave it another spin, then nothing.  Did not improve the free spool what so ever.

I cut another gear sleeve 12.3 mm long and added another bearling (opened, clenaed and lubed with TSI301) to help support the spool load (if there were any loading on the piston).  This is the final spool construction.  Note, shaft, spools, bearings, and sleeves were lubed with TSI301 to give maximum spin, lubricatoin and protection.


I gave it another spin and WOW.  Freespool.

Hope this help you those who will be offering live bait to some hungry, big fish.  Good luck.

To cut spool sleeves, look here - http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=138.0.  The tubing sized use was 8.73 mm X .355 mm thick (11/32 x 0.014 in. thick)

Also, to accomodate for the potential drag loss, the bevels were changed from (())(()) to (((()))) to help with any possible drag loss, if any.