I bit the bullet and ordered two replacement clutch bars. Should arrive this week. I’ve taken my reels apart for cleaning and lubing, but not to the extent required to change the clutch bars out. Should be fun! 

It's not too bad after you have done it a few times. Just make sure you have a screwdriver that properly fits the death screw. If it starts to feel even a tiny bit sketchy heat it up a bit with a soldering iron. They usually have red loctight on them. Aside from that everything else is just attention to detail and not launching e-clips into alternate dimensions. 

 

It's a very good idea to buy this if you don't already have something very similar. 

On 5/3/2025 at 11:13 AM, BrianMDTX said:

I bit the bullet and ordered two replacement clutch bars. Should arrive this week. I’ve taken my reels apart for cleaning and lubing, but not to the extent required to change the clutch bars out. Should be fun! 

Just take a pic of how it should look while assembled, and its really is not difficult.

One down; one to go!

 

I’ve been putting it off and putting it off. Even tried to use some superglue to semi-fix them, but the Fuego on my Kistler said “nope!” this morning and gave way. So when I got home, I bit the bullet. In truth, it’s not much more difficult than a clean and lube (which I did as well). Here’s the offending bugger!

Both done. The reel on the Falcon wasn’t as bad but still cracked. All cleaned and oiled/greased with new clutch bars. Less than $3.00 ea. so I can’t complain about the cost, but I don’t think a part like that should fail so quickly. 

This is for all the “I’ve never worked on a baitcaster before” anglers. 
 

If you look at the exploded illustrated parts diagram that comes with your reel, it looks very intimidating. So many small parts! But the fact is that you are not taking the reel apart and stripping it down piece-by-piece until every single part is separated. Take your time, use the correct tools, and take photos of everything you remove in order so you can reference them upon reinstallation. 
 

One word of advice: don’t do one reel, have two Mexican martinis with dinner, and decide to do the second reel because “it’ll be easier after doing the first one”. Those little screws were giving me fits lol. 
 

But seriously, it’s not hard. Coming from an aircraft maintenance background, I can state that the most important tool in your arsenal is your brain. Use it. Look closely at how each component comes apart. Take your time. Don’t force parts together (if they aren’t fitting back together again as they should, there’s a reason. Use whatever resources you have available (parts diagrams, photos, YT videos, etc.). The ability to clean, service and repair your reels may mean the difference between success and failure on a trip someday. If you can use a screwdriver and an adjustable wrench, you’ll be fine. 

On 9/26/2024 at 5:12 PM, bulldog1935 said:

 

https://kakedzukass.com/daiwa-steez-assembly-procedure-explanation/

How do you even find something like this? I plan to poke around that site more, but I've spent a lot if time looking into daiwa info and it's scarce. Never been brought to a Japanese site aside from looking at other countries daiwa website. 

 

 

On 5/9/2025 at 8:29 PM, BrianMDTX said:

new clutch bars. Less than $3.00 ea

From where? 

6 hours ago, Banned User said:

How do you even find something like this? I plan to poke around that site more, but I've spent a lot if time looking into daiwa info and it's scarce. Never been brought to a Japanese site aside from looking at other countries daiwa website. 

 

 

From where? 

Platinum Parts and Service. Located in Tampa. They were $2.00 ea. $10.00 to ship. 

So, I must be a fat-thumbed mofo or something. 
 

I was fishing yesterday with 5 baitcasting rigs: the two Fuegos I just repaired, a Tatula and two Black Max’s (my oldest of my recent baitcasters). I had a weightless Senko TR on one of the Max’s, and on a cast, something felt funny. I looked and the clutch bar was cracked. Again, on the right side of the clutch bar. I would say that statistically, it’s highly unlikely that I have done something either in storage, transporting, etc. that would damage three reels, all in the exact same spot. So my guess is that I am pressing down on clutch bars too hard during the cast, and using my right thumb, it’s probably more on the right side of the bar vs. the middle or left. I use my thumb more as a brake during the cast and as the bar is in the down/unlocked position, if I’m pressing too hard, it has no give. Except by cracking. 
 

I actually like those two Black Max reels, but as they were $45.00 per, I don’t know if it’s worth the cost to repair it. Of the two I replaced on the Fuegos, one was trashed but the other only had a slight crack, and I cleaned it and repaired it with two-part epoxy to keep as a spare. On this Black Max, a 1/4” piece simply cracked completely off. 
 

So, the bad news is that reel is damaged, but at least it helped diagnose why my clutch bars are likely cracking in the same spot. Yay, me! 😂

Anyone ever shake your hand and die from it?  Lol jeez man

What are you like a Paul Bunyan type dude? Ex-NFL offensive lineman?

 

🤣🤣🤣 Had to tease ya a little.. 

Truth is, Austin Powers would be scared of me, except I don’t smell like cabbage. My hands are not large and at almost 65, I’m not all that powerful anymore lol. I think I’m like a person that burns their clutch out by riding the clutch. 

Here’s the clutch bar. Well, 75% of it lol. 
 

You might want to look into aluminum clutch thumb bars.  SDS customs sells Ray's Studio ones on Ebay.  Amo also maxes one for the max 3.

3 hours ago, Bigbox99 said:

You might want to look into aluminum clutch thumb bars.  SDS customs sells Ray's Studio ones on Ebay.  Amo also maxes one for the max 3.

Might be an option. 

On 5/5/2025 at 5:09 AM, Lead Head said:

Just make sure you have a screwdriver that properly fits the death screw.

Specifically a JIS screwdriver in size 0 and size 1 should be in the toolbox.  Those will cover any Japanese reel.  The heads, while similar looking to Phillips, are tapered differently and the drivers grip them much better.  Sure you can get away with a high quality Phillips, but JIS is the right tool for the job.  You can buy them direct from Vessel for ~$10 each. They make removing the death screw a snap, since it is a JIS head. 

https://www.vesseltools.com/handtools/screwdrivers/megadora/910-series-detail

 

Man. I need therapy on how to NOT apply so much pressure on the thumb bar when I cast. I replaced both thumb bars on my two Fuegos and I still have a cracked thumb bar on a Black Max. I was casting my Tatula this morning and thought something felt odd, and upon a closer look, it’s cracked. Not bad, but it’s cracked. 
 

Originally I thought maybe I damaged one, or two, by incidental contact during transport. But four? No, that’s my fat thumb mashing down on the bar during the cast. I need to change that habit ASAP.