Daiwa Millionaire 7HT Reel

Occasional Joined: Aug 18, 2008 Posts: 103

7ht doesnt have levelwind- it sounds like the reel is running too fast. Have you put the break blocks in? they're the small little plastic washer type things that came with the reel? there is usually three sizes- red black and clear- put the biggest ones in first

Regular Joined: Oct 16, 2007 Posts: 333 Location: Bridport

So should I cast with the brakes on and then mid cast, free the brakes too free up the spool too get maximum distance?

Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2008 9:44 am

Wouldnt leave home without it, i have 2

danny

Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2008 11:11 am

oh brake blocks, never put mine in on my 7ht and havant had any problems. well i did when i first got it kept over running in mid cast but dosen't do that anymore and im getting 100yds on the field with it

Occasional Joined: Aug 18, 2008 Posts: 103

If youre doing 100yds using a 7ht with no blocks in you must be slowing it down somehow because unbraked they run like a steam train. Assuming you have reasonably good casting technique it shoudl be going a lot further than 100 yds unbraked so you're either tightening the end cap up (not adviseable) or adding thick oil to the bearings.

Either way it is adviseable to have the brake blocks in if the cast is cracking off from the start of the cast- start with the big ones then work down until you're happy with the speed the reel is running at. There's no need to use end tension with the cap but if you wanted it just turn the cap slowly clockwise till you feel it bite and as Dizzy said wind it gently off when the cast is away

Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 6:16 pm

yh i do off the ground techneq and on the feild is fine with the reel but as i found out the other night when fishing the 7ht was over running and so i will put the blocks in, i didnt know you had to put them in your self untill i read on this forum.

Occasional Joined: Jun 29, 2008 Posts: 220

All the older Millionaires are good reliable little reels - the problem with the reel foot coming loose due to corrosion is caused by mixing two incompatable metals in the construction and can be overcome by drilling out the rivets that hold the foot in place and refitting it with stainless machine screws and metal glue which helps create a seal between the two metals which slows the corrosion down.

Probably too late for this post but you shouldn't use tightening down the end caps as a method of braking for beachcasting - this method is used for controlling the spool when casting lures. Lures are a lot lighter than the leads we use on the beach and so a small amout of spool tension is required to slow things down. If you use this method for beachcasting you will most likely cause some damage as you will need to wind down quite tight and in extreme cases I have seen the spindle of the spool wear a hole in the end cap, damaging both the end cap and the spindle. You will also get a heat build up on the spindle which may cause it to go out of balance (something that also happened on the old ABUs with fixed spindles).

Use the end caps to centre the spool in the frame and adjust the tension so you can feel a slight end to end movement in the spool but not see any movement - control the cast with the centrifugal brake blocks, a tidy casting style and your thumb. Feather the side of the spool during the cast with your thumb to control the speed of the spool and stop the spool with your thumb at the end of the cast.

If you still can't get on with it then there is a fix - a nobby mag conversion requires only one hole to be drilled in the sideplate and will effectively bring the braking on these old reels bang up to date, making them a lot easier to cast!

Member Joined: Sep 11, 2008 Posts: 10

Just on the off-chance, but if you are cracking off - you are using at least a 50lb leader aren't you?

Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2008 11:17 am

brake blocks, i took apart my 7ht and there were red blocks in side what size are they, they looked large and are blacks medium size, also the black ones have a lip at the end of one side of each brake block, so does the lip part face outwards or inwards.
cheers

Regular Joined: Oct 16, 2007 Posts: 333 Location: Bridport

On my 7HT I have 3 diffrent sorts of brake blocks that came with it, What one's do what?