Friends:
Went to tear down and rebuild an old Penn 706 Greenie which has been making crunchy bearing noises. Great fishing machine - I use mine for the Florida surf from pomps to tarpon. Pulled the main gear assembly, just the normal hardened grease. Then looking at the schematic for the 706Z (the new black one not the old greenie) I noticed the new ones now have a ball bearing on the main gear shaft where it connects with the housing. I'm used to just the brass bushings to hold the main gear in place, so this came as a novelty (Seems like a really good idea, actually).
1) Question: the 706Z part is 55-320 "Gear Bearing". Will it fit in my old greenie? (I assume one would have to pull the existing bushing, probably a mild PITA?)
2) Would I need a new housing? I guess that a bearing MIGHT need a larger recess than the present bushing occupies. I always thought the 700-704-706 housings were all interchangeable from a mechanical perspective (disregarding the paint scheme). If the answer to this is yes, I'm sticking with the bushings, applying the doctrine of "Perfect is the enemy of good enough". Still, the little voice on my shoulder keeps whispering upgrade.....!!!
3) While we are at it, has anyone substituted a bearing for the bushing on the outside of the housing where the handle attaches? That's another logical point where a bearing might fit.
Thanks for any input!
Whit
My answer is leave it just like it is. You can't use the extra main shaft bearing in your reel as it is. Most are now machining that area to install a one way clutch bearing to make it feel like a more modern reel.
The existing dog is left in for backup.
It will work forever in the fashion its in right now. Just a new pinion bearing and drags and its ready.