bulldog1935

Careful - I think it's unlikely.
I thought that might be the case with ZPI Alcance and Lew's LFS - both 34-mm dia, spindle widths appeared identical. Guessed their Korean pedigrees might give them a lot in common, and tried ZPI spool in Super Duty G. You can see how common they look - same size bearings, same spindle diameters and shoulder diameters.

But the spool was centered in different positions on the spindle width, and the shoulder steps in different places along the spindle - essentially, one side of the ZPI spindle was too long for the LFS frame.
And it's OK, my SD is great in its salt 1/4+-oz niche with braid stacked on heavy mono, and my Alcance makes an electric-fast reservoir BFS reel.

When you get to spindle run-out adjustment, no two spool spindles are exactly the same length.
I notice this on Ambassadeur to Zillion, and proper zero set is done with the reel in freespool.
Should be the first thing you do with a different spool installed.
(never had a BFS spool in a Lew's, and this was what sent me first to Daiwa).

Once the spool is installed, the pinion will be centered by the spool bearings. The variable is the run-out adjustment (end tension). With drive engaged, pinion rests on spool pin, and main gear alignment is controlled by run out adjustment. On Lew's you can also adjust the run out by the shim pads in the tension adjustment cap - also pn 106 under the backplate bearing. I'd look there before messing with the pinion-yoke springs. The shim pads get permanently mashed by running the reel with end tension.



If that doesn't work, I'd think about replacing the yoke springs and Both gears as a set.

It looks like pieces from the SV nylon outward-motion ramp (cam).
Easiest to see in this Ray's honeycomb spool.


You don't have to buy it here, but JapanTackle shows the parts:
https://japantackle.com/tuning-parts/spools-casting-reels/daiwa/tu002094.html

All the parts come with Ray's purple SV inductor, which is like $10 on Express website.
Ray's tapered inductor also improves the brake profile to make it closer to SV Boost.
A lot of people on TT forum swap Ray's inductor into their Zillion SV G1 spools.

Not cheap, but quickest answer is replace the spool

It's not personal - it's physics.

Here's a little more on Daiwa brake profiles (all the way down the page that links)

Unlikely to damage them with any normal use. Current Daiwa anodized hyperdrive main gears have much harder surface than brass will work-harden, higher through-thickness yield strength resists brinnelling (mashing), and much deeper anodizing than older alloy gears people have complained about (mostly older Shimano, AA6065 vs 7075).
Up front, Daiwa didn't make any Zillion HD-P, and no 5.5 brass hyperdrive gears. Zillion HD starts at at 6.3 gears. (USM Zillion G also starts at 6.3 brass gears).

I have a 5-year-salt JDM Zillion with 8.5 gears, bought at the beginning of January '21 when they were first available, and fished hard. Last fall, I noticed a (very) slight smoothness difference between the long-use reel and my new 7-geared SLPW-Zillion (based on HD with brass hyperdrive gears) - and only noticed the difference because I was fishing both reels side by side. (SLPW-Z only offered 7.1 and 8.5 gears).

One way to look at this, both brass and stainless improve with use, by work hardening a new wear surface. This mechanism doesn't exist in aluminum alloys, which will slowly wear through the hard-anodized thickness. The hard-anodized gears are more tolerant of abuse loads up front than both brass and stainless - e.g. using it to tow your boat with your deep diving crankbait on a stump.

This winter I swapped gears on the long-use '21 Zillion for a new brass hyperdrive 8.5 gearset from Zillion HD. While I was buying, bought a second set to stash and eventually swap into my Zillion Silver Wolf, when I decide it needs them. While pinion normally works gear-ratio-times harder than main gear, all Zillions use stainless pinions, which work harden to levels preventing any pinion wear, and improve with use.

Generally, the correct way to set MagZ and SV mag scalar on Daiwa, you cast a high arc using the lightest weight you ever plan to cast, and dial out mid-cast backlash.  (MagZ and SV moving inductor takes care of start-up backlash and heavier weights.)  Use this scalar setting as your base number - you may dial it down a notch or two to increase heavy-lure distance.  You increase it a notch or two for casting into wind.  
 
Wind backlash is mid-cast backlash, and you dial it out with (any) linear mag brake.  The motion of SV and MagZ inductor is a non-linear start-up response, giving mag brake the increased force of centrifugal to prevent start-up backlash.  
 
2nd - I would go with Zillion HD, to gain all the options offered for 34-mm Daiwa floating spool.  

 
um, did you read my 2nd post  MagZ Boost is SV Boost for casting heavier weights.  
Also read Jun Sonada description in my link - don't have to take my word for it.  
 

You'll find MagZ to boom out large lures and have no start-up problems.  
I've found the current generation of MagZ magnets are also strong enough to fish lighter SV inductor and even fixed-inductor BFS spools.  

@DitchPanda
I got the last finger from that bottle on Saturday night.  
(Whit even defended it for me when Josh wanted it)
Maverick Triticale is over the top.  
And the story is funny.  They ordered rye for a batch, and they received triticale.  
So they made mash with it and distilled whiskey, and now it's become their top seller.  
Regards
 
worth a ps - how like minds get together - Whit brought the Maverick Triticale all the way from Lewisville.  We go back over 20 years, meeting on a cigar forum, and fishing together with my dad.  
 
A spring day, Whit and Lewisville friends, me and my daughter, in a complete random "accident" launched together at B&R sailboat channel.  

Josh met Whit in a Rockport bar 15 years ago talking fishing, and there they came up with the plan for the annual Redfish RoundUp.  Whit has also fished with Josh's dad.  
Josh and I met on TKF forum - we think alike and fish alike, we need to fish together.  

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one more photo to add
Out of the ice water and into the fire.
Today, shared my redfish fillets with my 96-y-o dad, and a pot of dirty rice.

Spool bearings are the last word in cast distance - Jun Sonada rates bearing swap up to 2-3 % cast distance improvement.  He's pretty accurate here for what you would gain with a bearing swap to Boca orange-seal hybrid ceramic ABEC7, etc  
Spool mass and inertia is the first word -  10% cast distance improvement. 
(Spool swap is closer to 30% improvement for BFS casting light lures)
https://japantackle.com/tackle_topics/spool_tuneup.htm
 
Bearings that give greater cast distance improvement are unshielded micro-bearings, and I've measured as much as 15% difference between stock shielded bearings and quality Air bearings. 
 
You also need to add a drop of bearing oil about once/mo.  In the link above, Jun  rates the bearing oil as another 2-3 % distance improvement, so bearing + oil gets you to 6%.  Five-percent is a good nominal improvement in practice - but is that worth $40 of bearings to you?  
To me, the Boca swap is a *meh* result - if you want to go places, push it to IXA, MC-Squared, Hedgehog, and Roro.  Fishing 1/8 oz go-to for inshore, this makes a worthwhile difference for me.  

No no no.  Not.  Even.  
Line on the spool skirt below the bottom of the spool indicates the spool is is too far up.  
The problem isn't in spool shimming.  
You shim spool when line lay doesn't reach the bottom of the spool, giving line dig at least, reverse cone at worst - you can create these by removing shim, and @islandbass said the problem showed up in a few retrieves.  
Shimming problems show up when first lining the spool.  

The problem is most likely in the bail and line roller - for some reason, while the rotor turns, the line is leaving or not getting to the bottom of the groove in the line roller

Same result, possible cause is operator error - slack line.  
See Manual Bail Technique.  

I'm betting the Daiwa will be more versatile for distance with a wider weight range, especially the light end.  
 
I sold two Lew's centrifugal-brake reels.  
(love mag-brake Super Duty G)
 
Welcome to BR.  

specific gravity of water is 1.00
specific gravity (density) of nylon mono is 1.10
specific gravity of fluorocarbon is 1.78
 
specific gravity of seawater is 1.03, so mono is 30% more buoyant in salt. 
 
Sinking mono fish story from 19-y-o.  Fishing from a lighted tee-pier on Lake LBJ in the summer, I cast out 1/16 oz. Panther Martin on Daiwa Minicast, stripped line from the reel and leaned the rod on the rail.  Sat down and let everything sink.  Then retrieved along the bottom of the sandy cove and up to my light.  I caught a white bass every third cast.  They weren't happy with the hot water in the cove, but wanted the bait in the light - they hugged the bottom, darted up to feed, and ran back to the deeper colder water to breathe.  My retrieve exactly followed their trail.  The dock was lined with people, and I caught the only fish.  Filleted 17 before I went to bed and slept in the next day.  (of course my dad went fishing without me)
 
 

For the San Gabriel skinny, Living Waters in Round Rock is a great fly shop.  They should also be able to tell you about lake levels and ramp access.   
For wade access,  San Gabriel Fly Fishers website has an interactive map.
Constant level lakes on the Colorado are Lake Austin  and, farther up, Inks and LBJ.

Looked at the reel, and saw the paddle grips.  
• Custom-designed 95 mm carbon fiber handle with soft-touch paddle grips
We'll never know what you have until you pull it apart and measure the knob spindle diameter.  
They come in 4-mm (Shimano and Daiwa) and 5-mm (Doyo, et.al.)  That's the place to begin.  
 
Bad formulation on the grip rubber - I get that.  Different shape - don't get that without knowing what you want.  
I'm a fan of big EVA knobs, and not to scare you with Studio Composite knobs, here's Avail's big A-knob that fits Shimano and Daiwa spindle.  Another favorite is Livre faceted titanium-shell knob. 
 
I never liked Lew's flat paddles, but I did like these Abu EVA replacements for 5-mm spindle that I found at SDS Customs.  
  
They also fit Omega Pro handle, and Abu offers their version of both giant Avail R and Studio Composite knobs that fit 5-mm spindle.    
Once you figure out the spindle diameter, Abu vs. Shimano/Daiwa, ebay is loaded with knob choices.  

Actually, it makes sense they would be more likely to ship UPS or FedEx with the tariff, because both couriers can bill you for the import duty.  
The typical drill is you get the duty as a separate invoice in the mail after they deliver your package.  
 
I've never bought enough from Japan at once to exceed the de minimus exemption - on purpose - but people I know who imported packages valued $800 to $2400 described the courier invoice drill.  

 
I did some more digging for you.  USPS is not accepting packages from China (except cleared through onshore customs broker), because they have no way to collect import duty.  
China still has de minimus exemption on any personal use (non-commercial) package valued less than $800 - no tariff, no duty, no invoice.  
 

Daiwa 7-half is closing out and remaining examples are about $100 reduced below retail.  
MHB - last rod
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/303919160274
 
 

this looks too new - this year's model Black Max 3



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or this is '21 model Black Max 2  
handle nut cover, p/n 65 looks correct



   
only the brake knob is a different part between '25 and '21 models.  
https://www.ereplacementparts.com/abu-garcia-bmax2-black-max-baitcast-reel-parts-c-187196_194578_203276.html

p/n 45 above is an o-ring - if it's missing, that's why your knob cap came off:  
link to e-replacementparts shows no stock/ discontinued part (bad link)
I would throw in this part for a replacement
https://www.ereplacementparts.com/oring-p-1435016.html
here's the black o-ring on a 6500CS Rocket

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older '17 model Black Max doesn't look correct - it doesn't have a retaining spring on the spool bearing, and has different washers.  
 

I would go with PE#2 (0.235 mm dia), nominal 40-lb breaking strength
I checked capacity, which is the same as Daiwa 1012, 12/100.  
 
Using line capacity calculator, that's exactly a 150-m Varivas spool. 

If you go with a smaller size, e.g. PE#1.5, you have to stack lines.  
You can always use the PowerPro for backing.  
No line-dig worries on lines bigger than PE#1.  

I don't know of any conversion for older 5000A/B to berings, other than swapping to 5000C sideplates.  
They do sell bushings to replace the bearings on 5000C
 
  
 
adding a ps - I checked Mike's Reel Repair in BC - seems like if anybody made this upgrade, it would be them - they don't make anything like it.  
But it's interesting, they followed my lead and are offering full-silicon-nitride ceramic for -C series reels
https://www.mikesreelrepair.com/3x10x4-full-ceramic-bearing/
 
 

I like JDM Tackle Heaven's website, but I've never bought a rod from them. 
They pretty much list everything, whether in stock or Preorder (OOS- never do this, it will tie up your money).  
I've managed to find better prices elsewhere. - Digitaka is a great deal, though they don't replenish inventory like others.  
I've bought most rods from fishingshop.kiwi, prices normally discounted.  Kirill is in Miami and fields US business from there.  They're a drop-shipper without inventory, who receive from all Japan distributors - if it's in production or a distributor's warehouse, they have it listed as In Stock.  Your order doesn't transfer money - Kirill will send you a paypal invoice when Japan verifies the distributor, and will include shipping cost for a rod - if you don't like it, reply thanks but no thanks - he understands.  

I've bought rods from Asian Portal and Plat.  
The old way of buying from Japan is a broker (6% brokerage fee).  I've always found the best prices from vendors who don't ship to US, but will ship free to my long-time broker Masamichi (noppin.com).  I then pay UPS Express cost from his shipping charge.  This includes Yahoo vendors, small shops, Naturum, which is kinda like Japan Academy store.  The nicest thing about the broker is building up a cache from 4 or 5 small vendors across Japan and shipping it all together.  
Most recent Evergreen came from Yahoo vendor Shimaya Fishing Shop (discounted 22%) using my broker, vs JDM Tackle Heaven retail: 
https://jdmtackleheaven.com/products/evergreen-zephyr-avantgarde-zags-91ul-l-sweep-master-91
I also got a better price using the broker to buy a Transcendence from Hedgehog Japan website than buying from their US$ website.  

I also use noppin to bid for me on Yahoo auctions.  We go back to 2007, I've recived 45 shipments - out of that, Masamichi made 2 mistakes, and ate the cost to correct both.  

At current JY155/ US$, consider all of Japan to be 30% off.  Each side of the 2010 recession, we considered anything over JY100 / US$ to be worth Japan shopping.  The Dollar is at its all-time strongest against the Yen.  The trick is buying before new models come out with new inflated list prices - inflation is bad in Japan.  This is why '21 Zillion/ '22 HD is such a steal at current prices - you won't get the next one for $200/ $240.  

Yes, 5000 spool and 5500 spool are close-enough to the same capacity, etc.  
 
You can calculate capacity for different thickness lines using Pattaya calculator
 
Advanced calculator lets you calculate stacked lines of two different diameters
 
Look at this, I found the original manual:  
Note the "braid" reference is silk or nylon/dacron

https://www.realsreels.com/Advertizing/English/Ambassadeur6009instructionssecondpage.jpg
https://www.realsreels.com/Advertizing/English/Ambassadeur6009instructions.jpg
 

Fred Ribb is the place to start - 
https://lurelore.com/freds/abu.html#section4
 
this is 4500C, '78, February, no revisions (same as previous lot - '77)

 
show us a photo of the reel

A friend has a pair of KKR spools and likes them both, T-31M and T-37 long-cast SV.  
 
He fishes 0.15-mm braid on both.  Yes, at 4 g total weight, I'd think there's not a lot of metal thickness there, but it ought to sail light baits.  
 
To me, threadline braid is the reason to fish these spools.  
Ray's Studio offers "long cast" deeper spools for mono.  
Avail also recently came out with their first Daiwa spool -34-mm for Steez/Zillion - that's plenty stout for mono.  I expect they will get around to a 32-mm Alphas spool.  
 
That said, you can probably get by with 4- and 6-lb mono on the KKR spool.  
If you end the day on a cast instead of a big bass, I wouldn't worry too much about mono-relaxation crushing the spool.  

Traditional UL is a a short para-taper rod matched with a small- or micron-frame spinning reel.  The taper is intended to bend deep into the handle, making small fish feel like big fish feel on heavier tackle. 
5' Falcon UL (1990)

Modern finesse rods, along with traditional threadline rods, are longer progressive taper, and can be rated UL or XUL (sub-gram low end, and on to M in longer rods) - the taper gives powerful butt for turning fish.  
I have a few XUL spinning rods, 7-1/2' to 8', in salt finesse - these are rated down to 2-lb line, but I've never fished lighter than 4-lb salt copolymer, and can fish farther with PE#0.5 or #0.6.  
Takamiya 7'9" Rockfish XUL (2010)

UL stream casting rod rated 1 to 7 g - if I was using mono, it would be 5-lb, but I fish PE#1 (same dia. as 4-lb mono), which is 20-lb breaking strength, and 8-lb leader - I set my drag to 1.5 lbs for the rod rating.  Note 1- to 7-g rating on this progressive taper is much wider than the 1- to 2-g rating of the the traditional Falcon UL spinner above.  
Smith Dagger Stream 5'5" UL
 
Addressed the differences between UL and finesse rod in this essay:  
which also dispelled the idea of "true BFS", though some balked.  

Standard Plus is Studio Composite, a late out of production model
https://www.hedgehog-studio.co.jp/product/1663 (link Daiwa w/o knobs)
The knobs are S/C R31.  
 
current RC-SC EX Plus, XL29 knobs

If you ever get the bug to swap knobs, be careful.  S/C sells their knobs for Shimano-A/Daiwa-S, but the knobs they use on their handle are 5-mm, and longer knob spindle than Abu/Doyo.  The one vendor that calls out S/C knob for S/C is fishingshop.kiwi