Difficulty in cranking lefthanded version of Avet LX6

[nah885@gmail.com]

Hi every one. Finally, I bite the bait and decide to join this forum.  I have been 'flipping' thru topics after topics and find this is one place that you can really get help and as well as offer ideas and share topics relating to reel issues.

I hope if anyone can kindly chipped in any ideas what is wrong with this LX6. Have gotten two same model one for the right and the other for the left. Had followed your advise Mr Tani and pack the bearings and grease them up where required.  However, the left hand one seems alittle hard to crank. It feels like the sound of bicycle crank as compared to the right one which is butter smooth albeit to poor free spooling as I have decide to greased the shaft of the spool and the bearings. As I am planning to do light bottom fishing with it or light duty live baiting. Strictly mono line at 18lbs maximum. I don't intend on spooling any spectra lines. And no casting of lines. Hence the single speed without the MC cast. I have contacted avet in the US but was informed that the pinion gear bearings have failed. Strange as it may seems as this are brand new in the box bought last week. And I have bought it back to the local distributor in Singapore, the sales guy wants to charged me for the bearings. So what is the sole purpose of Avet one year warranty policy. Any way, they don't stocked the bearing. Am wondering now if it can be other bearings. Have switch the spools of the two version and minus the drag plate as they are made differently. But the underneth bearings of the drag plate have been switch. As such, the problems still exist. The shop has changed only the crank bearings the one located on the larger gears. Appreciate if anyone can help. Thanks for the input and any suggestion in advanced. Btw, the pinion in schematics shows as wrong position. The longer shaft points away from the drag plate and the shorter shaft towards the flower of the brake disc.

Thanks in advance.

[akfish]

If you reel is hard to crank, odds are that the pinion bearing is bad. The second place to look is the large spool bearing on the non-handle side. These bearings may feel good but aren't when they are under pressure. I'm sure other things can be causing the problem but 99% of the time, this is what causes hard cranking on Avet reels. The bearings will go bad if they get contaminated with saltwater or if you set the drag too tight and they get crushed. 18# of drag is really pushing it with an LX. I suspect that is what caused the problem initially.

[nah885@gmail.com]

Hi Akfish, thanks for the kind input. Are you referring to the bearings on the handle. Yes had that changed. Did another take down on both reels and left pinion gears in contact with the contact with the bigger gear minus the spool. Did a test on both reels by just cranking the handle to check. Seems the same no hard difficult cranking. However if the spools are attached irregardless of which side(LH/RH) model, the issues appears on the LH version. Fyi, have also switch the two spools between the model all spool parts minus the disc break as the dog tooth arrangement made for the LH RH differs but also switch the small bearing on the disc brake underneath to check the difference if any of the issues appears. Seems the problem is the same.
Am thinking of calling good Dawn for the bearings as Avet is taking too long to solve it. I don't mind paying for two complete sets. But am not sure if the freight is expensive. Correct me if rI am wrong. Are both models pinion gears and the bigger gears are the same for both version as I can see the only difference is the dog tooth pawl /spring direction on the stud plus the dog tooth attached to the disc break.
What about 15lb mono line. Will that be ok. Note, both reels have no line spool. Just jump the gun to buy it last week. And forget about asking me to change or get a refund. Sorry no such law or practise in Singapore.

[kamuwela]

the pinion bearing is in the side plate. it supports the shaft. the crank bearings are totally different

[akfish]

Yes, there may be some terminology issues here. The bearing of most concern is the pinion bearing. It is in the side plate under the preset knob, and supports the pinion gear. Most of the time it needs to be replaced when it is hard to turn the handle and/or hard to move the lever forward in a lever drag reel; this seems to be especially common in Avets. The second most likely candidate is the spool bearing on the end of the spool opposite the handle. This bearing frequently feels good and only feels gritty when under pressure. The bearings in the crank shaft do go bad and may affect how hard it is to crank the reel, but in my experience, they go bad less often the the pinion bearing. You can check these bearings by removing the handle side plate with the handle still attached. The handle should turn easily.

[nah885@gmail.com]

Yes, found it. The bearing which looks the size as the one on handle bearing which the only difference is the internal diameter being smaller than the one as handle. Yes, it was difficult to remove as well as re inserting it back temporary. Thanks Kamuwela. Is this bearing always giving problem? Was at shop trying to find the same size but no avail. One otherthing, this bearing was really tight fit to come loose as well as reinserting it back must push even with grease surrounding it. Am thinking was just a drop in fit like the handle bearings. Could the pinion bearing area on the side plate was not milled down much? Wondering if that causes the bearing to be crush . Guessing only.  

@akfish, have tried swapping the whole spool with the shaft from the LH to the RH but the LH vesion seems to always have the same issue. Picture this if possible. The avet is small reel. The cranking of it should be similar as to say baitcasting size but the LH while cranking without line with or without drag lever engage feels like I am cranking a Penn 30. Sorry not sure to relate in this manner but just to better explain the issue so as the problem can be narrowed down.

Really regretted buying the avets. Should have waited and bought the everol. Avet support is also lousy and have called them twice but no reply from them as to sending of parts so atleast I can better figure if there are anymore problems. Not sure if I should just buy from Dawn the bearings either. Still thinking.

[akfish]

Please check the large spool bearing opposite the handle. If it is hard to turn the handle when using the LH spool then this bearing is bad.

[nah885@gmail.com]

Hi Akfish, just strip the whole shaft of the LH spool and check if it spins with the spool and also did check the bottom spool bearing at the clicker side. Spool turns ok. Decide to remove the sheild on the bearing both sides and regrease. And oil the sleeve and re install everything back still the same issue. Tomorrow I will attempt to swap the pinion bearing between the LH and RH to see if the pinion bearing is the real culprit. Hope it is not the gear issues. Or some other things. Will let you know outcome tomorrow. In the meantime hope it is just the bearings than I will toss between buying the bearings from Dawn or just wait and get the cheap avet bearings and buy the everol. What do you think. Thanks for the brainstorming and will let you know the outcome tomorrow.

[kamuwela]

good idea swap the bearings and see if it cures the issue. dawn would be your best bet or maybe alan might have some bearings laying around.

[SoCalAngler]

Here is a silly question but have you checked the drag pressure of the LH reel? If I remember right dont the LH Avets drag knob turn in the opposite direction for more or less drag than the RH models? If you have applied to much drag to the LH model you will also get binding issues.

[alantani]

agreed, sounded like a right main side plate bearing.  you can get them at smoothdrag.com

[kamuwela]

is the pinion on the right on a left handed reel? my original responce was going to be right side plate but wasnt sure.

[nah885@gmail.com]

Hi guys,am making the decision to email Dawn and get a quote as to how much the shipping charge will be like to shipped those bearings here. Last I had checked with Avet, they will be giving me the bearings but the cost of shipping them to Singapore is USD30 but if I am getting them from Dawn, am hoping the shipping charge will remain the same or cheaper. Granted, I need to spend abit more for buying those bearings but I will not face multiple headache to keep changing those bearings from time to time as what Alan had once mentioned in his previous post which I had read. @Alan, yeah was at the shop and seen those replacement bearings for Avet from Avet, some look rusted out on it outer ring. Am wondering what is Avet doing about it? @kamuwela, yes I will be doing later in the night but removing the pinion bearing is quite difficult as they are really tight fit and besides not going to want and damage the RH version of the reel. Not sure if that is suppose to be that way as prior to reinstalling back the pinion bearings, even with grease,the bearing were hard to get in. And may have to use some force to let it sit inside the tight fit hole. Anyone have any ideas if that is suppose to be that way? Last I remembered , the bearings of an old Daiwa Sl 600h will just slide out as soon as I flip it over the side plate. Anyone any ideas if the Avet suppose to be this way? @Socalangler, no not silly question. Have done removing the preset drag knob and the lever. The cranking is still not the same as the RH which is smooth. No grinding sort of feel. I am really giving up on this avet. This was supposed to be new but instead got a reel that feels second hand. Sure, this will be my last of avet. Has anyone ever encounter so much issues using this reel. @kamuwela, the pinion and cranking is all on the left side. Will send email to Dawn now. Hopefully the freight charge is reasonable.

[kamuwela]

normally when a plate bearing starts to go bad it gets harder to crank. it gets even harder the more you  drag you put on it. that alone will tell me that the pinion bearing is bad.

[nah885@gmail.com]

Thanks Kamuwela, finally am understanding something. Have emailed Dawn but am still waiting for reply. Halfway fixng up the lx6 to confirm if it is the pinion. Looks like i will buy 2 complete sets of bearings.