So I started doing yearly maintenance on my reels today and was taking apart a Tatula Type-R that isn't even a year old. It looked like I would expect inside for a relatively new reel, grease from the manufacturer but not much dirt or grime built up yet. Except the right spool bearing (under the cast control knob) looked like hell. Lots of dirty grease. More like something I would expect to pull out of a reel that hadn't been opened at all in like 5 years. Upon closer inspection the bearing wasn't even spinning, it had basically been acting as a bushing for the spool shaft for who knows how long. And I don't mean it was just rough so the shaft was spinning inside...it was locked, I could not spin it. I put it in my small ultrasonic cleaner for a while which got ff the grease and dirt but the bearing was still frozen. Has anyone had this problem? I am going to send Daiwa an email and worse case I'll just buy a new bearing but it seemed very odd to me a for a reel this new. The opposite spool bearing looked flawless. 

Just a Fluke. Replace it with an ABEC5 stainless after market and move on. 

I have a Tat SV that screeches on the cast noise will come and go. Ive yet to open it up to check out the bearings though but sure there is an issue with at least one. 

I have a Tat and never had issue with cap bearing. Hearing this, I'd wonder if there is an issue with the spool tension cap O ring.

3 hours ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

Just a Fluke. Replace it with an ABEC5 stainless after market and move on. 

That's what I figured. I sent them an email since the reel is still under their 1 year warranty period on the chance they'd send me one but if not I'll just pick one up at TW or something. Do you have a preference for after-market bearings or are all ABEC5 bearings basically the same? 

All the brand names are good. I have them here. 

My Tat Sv sat for about 2 weeks between uses. I was hitting a lake with a bunch of skip-able docks, so I brought it. Couldn't detect any issues while skipping. However, on long casts it was making a new noise. Ignored it for a while that day, but it bothered me. I've only used it in freshwater. It was dunked once while wading deep. Tried to hold it up but a whopping pickeral wouldn't let me as I tried to unhook it. Anyway... Tore it down after the dock skipping trip. Handle side spool bearing was frozen, essentially a bushing. The spool shaft was a little scored. Polished it. I pulled the sheilds from the bearing. No corrosion or gunk that I could see under 30x magnification. Soaked it in PB Blaster. Worked it loose. A drop of Bantam oil and all is well for now except for a little more slop than I'd like between the inner race I.D. and the spool shaft O.D.. Performed the same cleaning and lube on the sideplate bearing which was otherwise fine. Gonna chuck some Hawgtechs in cause I'm curious and they're affordable.

 

Anyway, It happened to you. It happened to me. Bet it's not isolated to us. Love the reel otherwise. Going for Walleye and Bass in the rain today. The Tat is coming with me.