Daiwa Lexa 400HS-P: Service Tutorial and Maintenance Tips

Started by johndtuttle, May 11, 2015, 11:28:15 PM

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johndtuttle

Hey guys,

Its that time again and opportunity came knocking when a fellow fisherman had trouble with his reel. He sent it in to Daiwa and what they found was pretty ugly (this is a photo they sent to him):



Well, he was a little upset but tbh, nothing the reel service community at alantani.com hasn't seen before in any number of reels...So, he had a bit of miscommunication with Daiwa and got disgusted....Well, I was curious about the Lexa 400HS-P as it is not carried in any of the shops near me and wondered how it compared to the Abu Garcia Revo NaCl 60 or Okuma Komodo 364 two reels more familiar to me now. I offered to see what I could do for him at no charge to him for the opportunity to examine the reel and do a service tutorial on it. If we needed parts it would be for him to buy them.

Typically I only do tutorials on my own reels (I am not a service center :) ) but they never get ugly enough for me to do a "basket case" tutorial on cleaning up a reel that has been neglected and really demonstrate the benefits of pre-service prep and regular care of your reel. So this was an opportunity to see if I could recondition it and make a useful post for Daiwa fans and fans of this emerging class of Saltwater Baitcasters that are revolutionizing casting lures with conventional reels. Needless to say the owner was ready to throw in the towel and decided to let me help.

This is what I found on the right side. Fortunately the pinion uses a Bushing (38) rather than a bearing but the Roller Clutch (74) was frozen in place but still working:



The Drive Gear (67) was pretty encrusted and rough:



Lots of Salt and Schmutz. One of the more worrisome signs was the rust on the stainless steel Drive Shaft (62) that usually indicates trouble with the Roller Clutch:



But fortunately lots of quality stainless parts that were salty and (maybe?) had a touch of old grease on them:



The outside of the reel of course was not well cared for either by the owner. Corrosion on the Worm Shaft (53) and schmutz on the frame:





Classic accumulation of Salt in well known problem areas about to do it's worst:





But the Left Side was entirely unaffected and essentially functioned as new:



Other than a touch of corrosion on the left side of the Worm (53) where it has been feeding saltwater to dis-similar metals due to the Retainer clip (24) seated in it's black nylon Worm Shaft Washer (25) :



The right side spool Bearing (17) had a touch of corrosion on the shield (worrisome) but turned smoothly. Note the coated inner race of this "CRBB" bearing. Daiwa has obviously added some anti-corrosion features to it.



The Spool Pin (18) fortunately slides right out allowing removal of the bearing.



So what we have seen are some signs of neglect where the reel has either not been rinsed well and wiped down properly (if done) but there also has been no lube applied from the outside even (on the Worm and handle etc) which we would consider pretty much the *minimum* required to keep any reel alive let alone a regular peek inside to see how things are going after hard use... This is on Dominic (the guy who sent me the reel) :(....Sorry Dom! You could have done better. :)

Daiwa's part in this fiasco is a bit of a design flaw on the Clutch Lever (20) that exposes a pretty big highway for salt into the reel. The Clutch Lever doesn't have much of a secondary flange on the bottom to help cover the gap when the Kick Lever returns it:



This is how Abu Garcia does it with more flange below the Clutch Lever to cover the gap:



But its actually a pretty complicated problem as the angle of the Frame has to be followed by the flange to keep it flush and Daiwa puts a little extra beef in their frame to accommodate a screw (that holds the right side plate) that takes some of the space a flange would require. Unfortunately its probably a pretty big redesign (new molds for Clutch Lever, Rt Side Plate and Frame) to fix it.

Ok, all of the parts that could be helped by corrosion removal were soaked in White Vinegar overnight (essentially a weak acid bath):



The Right Side Plate (39) is in there in hopes to remove the Roller Clutch and help with any corrosion on the rollers. The Frame (22) is being soaked in hopes of removing the Bearing (56) underneath the Drive Shaft as it is frozen in it's receptacle.

After coming out of the bath the brass parts have some superficial patina:



And crusty bits still left in the gears:



Which we will clean up with a soft brass brush:



And fine Steel Wool:



End results:









The Right Side Plate cleaned up very well:



And the Roller Clutch was rehabbed with Corrosion-X and spinning the Gear Shaft Collar (73) inside it till it returned clear Corrosion-X:



Still Schmutzie:



Ahhhh, finally clear:



The Clutch itself is not pressed into the RSP and can removed with *gentle* taps with something blunt. This one finally dropped out after Corrosion-X soaks.

Another view of the troublesome gap allowing Saltwater entry:



This is the frame with most of the linkages etc still in place. When I can get away with it I prefer not to remove all of the retaining clips and springs etc as there is always the chance of losing or damaging a part. It was all flooded with Corrosion-X and scrubbed with a toothbrush and was functioning well.



You can see the Bearing (56) under the drive shaft soaking in CX to try to get it out (above)...and it finally did (below):



The receptacle for it is a notorious "sump" for collecting saltwater on all of this type of Drive Shaft supporting systems. The bearing was still fine though, a tribute to Daiwa quality. It was packed with grease and the receptacle was well filled with grease also. This remains an area we have to keep a close eye on.

Ok, lets start getting everything covered with a nice light coat of Marine Bearing Grease to head off future problems:



Note (above) the Screws for the Drive Shaft Plate (53) are two different colors (black and silver and different lengths) the Black one is (63) and is shorter than the Silver (59) this corresponds to their threaded holes as they are of different depths. They can be dipped in grease as their holes open on the other side. This is nice because you then have some grease protecting their ends from salt that could corrode them and all of the threads are protected:



Cal's Drag Grease on the Washer (66) that goes between the A/R Ratchet and Drive Gear be sure to get the edges to prevent salt intrusion:



Place the A/R Pawl (64) on the Ratchet (65) before placing them on the Drive Shaft (62) so that the Pawl can fit over its stud and stop:





Well grease all of the exterior surface of the Drive Gear:



Cal's Grease on the Drag Washers (68):



This is an image I found of the Stack...can't really improve on this for clarity:



The last washer gets some more Marine Grease over the top. Be sure to place it so that the bevel is in contact with the outer edges of the stack )=]  like so with the pressure on the "bell" and the outside edges (where most drag pressure is created) touch first:



All greased up and ready to close:



Note that this is substantially more protection that was afforded the "dry" reel from the factory. Some manufacturers have made great strides in improving preventive prep when the reel is assembled. I think particularly this type of saltwater baitcasting reel would benefit from better "pre-fishing preventive preparation" that every serious fisher-dude can manage on his own. Ideally it would be done at the factory.

The idea is that there is nowhere for Salt to begin corrosion and the reel can actually survive salt contamination for a remarkable amount of time before it gets a full service. This reel would have likely only needed a cleaning of soggy grease from inside of the reel with no corrosion present if it had been prepped before hand. Remember these are parts that will not get rinsed by fresh water. If salt gets in, it stays.

The right side with a light coat of grease on every surface:



Some for the threads of the Cast Control Cap (45). This is not really fine tune-able cast control but a way to properly adjust the speed for very heavy baits:



Some oil for that nice and clean spool bearing:



And some for the left side Bearing (13). No need to mess with the cast control bits (*shudder) as long as they are working well:



I skipped details on the worm shaft replacement. it really is very simple (but tedious to photograph). Keep an eye peeled for this little tiny guy not shown on the schematic if you remove the pawl (Line Guide Nut 49). It functions as a washer or spacer between the pawl and cap on the Line Guide:



Once back together be sure to *regularly* oil your Worm:



Also oil the *outside* of the Level Wind Guard (52) as the Line Guide (48) travels over it rather snugly. I was impressed at how a little oil freed up the reel by reducing friction here:



Yes, and even oil the Long Screw as well as it runs through the Line Guide too. A little patina here will really bind:



Ok, buttoning up is simple as can be, get some grease in those threads and slap the right side plate on...no need to show it for most people. 3 screws all the same (40) and one thin one with a unique location (41).

The handle is put back on with all parts first cleaned with Corrosion-X and a toothbrush scrub.

Before:



After:



Note that due to Daiwa's quality finish there was no visible pitting of any of these parts.



No need to touch this screw. Probably secured with blue loctite to keep it snug. I just put a drop of Oil on it over the top to seep down to the shaft from that side and lube the two bearings inside:



***Edit*** turns out the handle bearings went bad right after returning the reel to Dominick. No loctite, just on tight. This screw should be removed to service the bearings which is always a good idea. One of the likely trouble areas in this reel.**

The rest of the Handle Assembly goes back on. All very familiar to anyone who has worked on star drags before. Ball Bearing (75), packed with grease:



Washer (76):



Clicker Holder (77) with one Spring Washer (79) make sure they go back like ():



Then another Washer (80) this one appeared of a "fibrous" nature:



Then the Star (81):



A Leaf Spring (83):



Handle and Nut (83 and 84):



You need a Daiwa Wrench or Penn Senator Wrench (this is one Alan sent me :) ) so you don't scratch your nut:



With the Handle, Handle Nut Plate and Screw (84,85 and 86):



And then wiped up nice and clean with grease on every hidden surface:



Ok, easy peasy! Right!? ;D


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ok, what have we seen and done?

Well, a well meaning guy who fishes his gear hard took a brand new concept in reels and ran with it. Unfortunately he probably didn't know much about pre-fishing prep nor the complexities of this type of reel that can be a little intimidating for a first time guy. Fished it hard and probably loved its casting abilities and cranking power with a great drag.

Rinsing his gear normally (with the reel in gear) exposed a pretty easy entry for salty water into his reel and some parts ended up on the road to perdition ;D. Fortunately we caught it in time.

Is it all on Daiwa that he had some corrosion inside? I would say not entirely, because if you service reels (even if just your own) you would be on top of this from the get go and probably only have occasional soggy grease to deal with. If you take the reel out of gear you also mostly cover the gap. Combine that with more gentle spray and you probably get minimal water inside. Combine that with pre-fishing prep and a regular look inside to monitor the state of affairs and you would likely never have trouble. It might be a bit of a flaw but is no deal breaker.

Taking proper care of your tools is part of getting your man-card punched.

However, the clutch lever could eventually use a redesign (I would expect it would in future iterations) to cover this gap entirely like a Revo, Komodo or Curado is done to prevent the customer service issues they might have with their average customer.

Overall, my impression of the reel is stellar. It is simple in some areas like bushings for the levelwind, but the LW is not synced. However the spool is quite narrow and this certainly did not affect casting in my tests (took it out for a spin at the local soccer field to make sure everything was back together right) nor should it cause problems under load. The main gear is MASSIVE and will have impressive cranking power for a high speed light and small reel. I can easily see why there are legions of guys casting to Calicos, Kelp Paddy Tuna and Yellows having a gas with these reels. They really are the next gen of conventional casting reels.  Absolutely effortless to cast with minimal concern for back lashing.

Lastly it is a tribute to Daiwa quality that none of the parts had any lasting damage despite their sorry appearance. Word to the wise, take care of your reels before you do damage them! All of them require pre and post-fishing care.

Some photos with Abu Garcia Revo NaCl and Okuma Komodo 364 for size comparisons:














best regards

alantani

fabulous work!  daiwa, and all the other reel companies, have to bear some of the burden of blame for this.  at the very least, they should be looking at these photos with the goal of preventing this in the future.  after all, that's what okuma did......   :-\
send me an email at alantani@yahoo.com for questions!

Keta

Last week I had the first one in the shop, the owner does his own maintenance but the AR sleeve was fused to the gearsleeve and he did not know how to get it off.

Over all I will say I like the reel.

I also got 9 Diawa Saltest two speed lever drag reels last week to service and I'm VERY IMPRESSED with them.
Hi, my name is Lee and I have a fishing gear problem.

I have all of the answers, yup, no, maybe.

A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way.
Mark Twain

Alto Mare

Forget about all the reasons why something may not work. You only need to find one good reason why it will.

johndtuttle

Quote from: alantani on May 12, 2015, 02:36:46 AM
fabulous work!  daiwa, and all the other reel companies, have to bear some of the burden of blame for this.  at the very least, they should be looking at these photos with the goal of preventing this in the future.  after all, that's what okuma did......   :-\

Thanks Alan, you taught many of us all that we know! :D

It seems like we are making progress with occasional backsliding...some reels are coming out with ideal and different lubes in multiple locations ie Drag, Gears and others are getting the right flavors.

However, I must say I was disappointed when my Okuma Komodo came dry as a bone and the drags too.

I think probably they are made in a different factory than say, the Makairas so they haven't got the baitcaster assembly techs up to speed yet on pre-fishing prep.

johndtuttle

Quote from: Keta on May 12, 2015, 02:53:09 AM
Last week I had the first one in the shop, the owner does his own maintenance but the AR sleeve was fused to the gearsleeve and he did not know how to get it off.

Over all I will say I like the reel.

I also got 9 Diawa Saltest two speed lever drag reels last week to service and I'm VERY IMPRESSED with them.

yea, its your standard chrome plated part that rusts like a motha...Corrosion-X soaks! Love watching rust stream off parts when they get a taste of that stuff.

fIsHsTiiCkS

Amazing work on bringing the reel back to fishing shape!! I have long considered getting that reel and you only push me more towards jtit!

Zimbass

Great tutorial John. So glad we only fish fresh water, although I do get some that have tasted salt, and are not well maintained. Your post will be a help to many that "fish and store" !

Well done.

Terry.
Never was so much owed by so many to so few.

johndtuttle

Quote from: fIsHsTiiCkS on May 12, 2015, 06:47:09 AM
Amazing work on bringing the reel back to fishing shape!! I have long considered getting that reel and you only push me more towards jtit!

All basic stuff learned from the guys here ;). Terrific reels.


Quote from: Zimbass on May 12, 2015, 09:18:30 AM
Great tutorial John. So glad we only fish fresh water, although I do get some that have tasted salt, and are not well maintained. Your post will be a help to many that "fish and store" !

Well done.

Terry.

Thx Terry!

Quote from: Alto Mare on May 12, 2015, 02:59:55 AM
John, that reel looks new again, excellent work!!

Thx Sal, it was fun to rescue it!  ;D

mike1010

Nice work on both the reel and the presentation, John.

BTW, I am more and more impressed by how well Corrosion-X does as a penetrating oil.

Porthos

Hey John,

Cool beans! That OP was really ticked off. You've returned balance to the Force, and hopefully pulled him back from the dark side.

Wai
(a.k.a., "Amadeus" on BD)

johndtuttle

#11
Quote from: mike1010 on May 12, 2015, 03:16:08 PMNice work on both the reel and the presentation, John.

BTW, I am more and more impressed by how well Corrosion-X does as a penetrating oil.

Corrosion-X makes this stuff they call "Rust Remover" but I bet it is just CX in a different package lol. Rust just pours off stuff when you use just regular CX. Its a beautiful thing.


Quote from: Porthos on May 12, 2015, 03:32:05 PMHey John,

Cool beans! That OP was really ticked off. You've returned balance to the Force, and hopefully pulled him back from the dark side.

Wai
(a.k.a., "Amadeus" on BD)

Yea, I hope he doesn't think I flamed him at all :).

If you have fished other reels and given them minimal care with no trouble then move up to more expensive designs the natural inclination is to assume they will require the same minimal attention. Au contraire Monsieur! ;D

A Jig Master can be crapped on for decades and still work, we all have seen it. That is because of brass bushings rather than bearings and the ultimate in design simplicity etc etc. along with minimal performance expectations.

Introduce thumb clutch levers with kick lever return, levelwind mechanisms, cast controls, silent dogs, uber bearing count for effortless casting, high drag numbers but an obsession with light weight....And you have just made a reel that costs 4 times as much... but that will die in a year with neglect after hard fishing in the salt. We have all seen it too.

If you know that all those modern features require care then the same reel will hold up for years and years if it gets the required maintenance. If you just don't know you probably have to kill one to learn the lesson.

steelfish

wow, nice tutorial John

I have a BNIB lexa 300hsp and I did the pre-fishing service to it, I didnt wanted to see mine like this in the future, people are still hesitate to open their reel or having their reels open when are brand new, if not broken dont fix it they say.. just few of my friends have gave me their reel for a pre-service. good thing is that those who dont wanted will come later with a reel with corroded parts and now I will charge them because its too damn ugly  ;D


The Baja Guy

steelfish

Quote from: Reel 224 on May 12, 2015, 09:22:17 PM
I could never understand that theory " If it ain't broke don't fix it". How about preventive maintenance! Fix it before it brakes....Dah!! 

normally from people that are not handy, lazy or dont want to pay for preventive maintenance "until" is needed (broken)

The Baja Guy

handi2

Great job John..!!

I love my Daiwa Lexa Reels. I use the 400 High Power in the Gulf.
OCD Reel Service & Repair
Gulf Breeze, FL