Daiwa T3 after a year

[GARRIGA]

If under load the problem materializes then how exactly did this pass QA? Do the bass in Japan not fight as hard? Oh, wait a minute, these would be Thailand bass. Hmmm?

[Buck2thPerch]

I have the T3B on a 6'6" Medium Fast Quantum Tour Edition PT rod (budget combo mostly for wading). Very standard reel seat (Fuji ECS) and guides. Even if the line is at the bottom of the first guide, it does not touch the lip of the reel. If I pull hard on the line with my free hand to put the rod under load the line still doesn't touch the lip. However, with a moderate rod that flexes a bit more in the butt section (lowering the first guide relative to the reel) the line might touch the lip during fish fighting. This could explains why the grooving is not universal.

My rod is a Heavy Fast rod with high sitting guides. And with at least 6-8 lbs of pressure pulling the line I was able to get my line to touch the lip. I cannot see how a 6'6" medium rod, you would not see this. Perhaps the thicker diameter of my 20lbs Floro that had something to do with this as well or your shorter rod. But even then I cannot recommend this reel to anyone.

Just think of it this way, a 5lbs bass will at least put double the pressure or even more during a hard run. Eventually grooves will appear - there is no doubt about it. A good question is - where was the quality control testing done and for how long? Japan is known for some monster Bass so this grooving issue leaves me perplexed.

A quick easy fix to this issue is to plate the lip with aluminum/bronze or some type of metal that will resist the groving - thus this should suffice. The reel would have no issues at all and worth the money to buy. But that is up to Daiwa to fix. If anyone has ordered of bought the T3-Air...and this issue has not been fixed, you will be in for a rude awakening on a $700+ reel.

I will try to post pictures of this when I can, unless someone else does it before me.

[legendaryyaj]

I have mine on the 7'1" Compile X. I'm sticking to my theory that it's happening on the cast since my Energy PT exhibits the same problem. When you make a long cast or bomb heavier baits, the line shooting off the spool has no controlled rate or direction besides staying within the line guide. Since the T3 has a big line guide, there's more room for it to move around causing grooves in random spots along that lip. I'm pretty sure I got my grooves from bombing lipless crankbaits when I tried out the braking system.

I find it impossible that the grooves are occuring from a fight with fish because when I pull on the line, the line goes up pushing up against the underside of the hood and the hood has no grooving itself. Then again my drag is always locked and the fish are normally not stripping any line.

Look at the Daiwa video and watch how much line play there is coming out. It's not shooting straight out. It's going down, across, and all over. Line moving that fast burns. Forward to 1:40.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaPGwJ7h-cM

Again, my grooves are not that evident but I can see and feel them on my reel.

[rcr1959]

Even though I don't own the T3 Bal., I am leaning toward the conclusion that: A) Type of rod used in test (off-set guides)+ heavy braid line. or; B} real foot is "flexing" under load. JMHO.

[zenbassr]

It is user error not the design's. Daiwa wouldn't have released it if it didn't pass testing.

so it was designed to require a metal band aid to prevent grooving?

what other Daiwa low-profile reel is exhibiting this kind of issue?

[wtuna]

where can i buy this metal lip. I have the T3 1016

[Buck2thPerch]

It is user error not the design's. Daiwa wouldn't have released it if it didn't pass testing.

so it was designed to require a metal band aid to prevent grooving?

what other Daiwa low-profile reel is exhibiting this kind of issue?

Q & A from Daiwa missed this for sure. I just tried this on my Zillion and Dobyn rods. SAME EXACT thing!! Under load whether a Bass on the other end or not, if there is good amount of torque and tension during retrieve, you WILL see grooves!! To make it worse, rods with spiral wraps per TT's review sits offsett and lower, just makes this grooving issue even more prominent. Daiwa has already bandaided one area of the reel with the metal plating between the spool and the T-Wing line guide and has been thoroughly discussed on this forum already. This fixed the groving of braid. But the Lip grooving we are all discussing now is the same issue as welll but on a different area.

where can i buy this metal lip. I have the T3 1016

Sorry, it was just an idea from me looking and assessing the issue. There is no metal lip. Nor have Daiwa addressed this issue.

[legendaryyaj]

OT: Lake Demontraville eh? Lucky you!

[Buck2thPerch]

OT: Lake Demontraville eh? Lucky you!

I live 10 mins away from the lake. Its my go to lake after work and on days I dont want to drive to other lakes in the State. Demontraville has been closed to harvesting bass for well over 16yrs now. Many 4lbs - 6lbs bass and I have seen well over a dozen 7lbs +.

Back to subject, I am going to try to fabricate a plate to go over the lip. Once I do, I will post pics.

[GARRIGA]

I stand by my comment that Daiwa needs to compensate the early adapters who were force to be guine pigs on what is apparently a design flaw. Wouldn't surprise me if they knew of the issue and felt most wouldn't notice. They must have forgotten about this board.

Could also be that placing metal plates in the required areas removed from the aesthetics of the reel and/or added unnecessary weight or demonstrated that plastic or plastic like components have their issues. If this new material is the future then it's not looking too bright and perhaps more R&D is required to understand its limitations and strengthen them.

Personnally, where's my aluminum Z1016 and don't waste my time with gimmicky wing designs that generate an amazing 5% more distance or as marketing will say it - 10% overall water coverage because they included the return. I don't need cute ad campaignes and just gear that fills the required niche.

Some will say the wing increases finesse pitching ability but at the T3 price I can get a PIxie that accomplishes it better without plastic. Yes, the T3B is cheaper and provides a level of casting not normally found in that price range but couldn't they just make a watered down Pixie to do the same for similar price. T3 to T3B pricing is comprised of brass gears, lower end heavier handle without bearings and a heavier cheaper non RCS spool. I think many would buy a water downed proven platform like the Pixie even if it was more then the T3B. Do like the Exo skeleton to shave weight and make it from aluminum vs MG to save money. Regardless what is done just test it and spend as much time on R&D as what was committed to a marketing campaigne.

Just my ramble based on pure speculation and not necessarily the view of others or the truth.

[pawneunubs]

my T3 i use it to catch red tail cat up to 5kg. no grooving at all, when clearing bird nest i place my thumb and index finger directly in front of the lip. I have the T3 for almost a year

[muskyhunter]

Took the t3 out to the Pond this mornig. Love the casting system.

Casting distance is close to my other reels but it's effortless ad smooth.

Can't wait to supertune

Got some new parts from Nitroman77. The T3 really benefits from the upgrades. It't little noisier but definately allot smoother.

I installed carbontex drag washers with cal's drag grease, polished the metal washers.

Boca 7 bearings and upgraded the worm gear bearing. The stock bushing was pretty beatup, not sure how the previous owner treated the reel.

Cleaned and lubed the 4 handle bearings and changed the handle from one of my premiers.

Can't wait to try it this weekend. Will be pairing it my NRX803C.

[Hobie-Wan Kenobi]

I know this is old but, could there be a greater chance of grooving at the end of a long cast? The line would sit lower thus, be more prone to rubbing. I haven't noticed any rubbing but I have a Helios which has "mini" guides and under normal conditions I havent seen any rubbing. It is far too cold to hook into anything so I cant say if fighting a fish at the end of a long cast would result in grooving.

[PCSnooker]

I happen to love my t3's. I haven't had them for a year yet, but have landed a good number of hard fighting saltwater fare including jacks in the 12 lb range and a few snook 30" plus and have yet to have an issue. None of my rods have micro guides though I will agree that the finish isn't the most durable as I've got marks on one reel from a loop of braid coming in contact with the reel during a cast. But no worries there really because it's not going to corrode being made if carbon fiber composite. It is the most user friendly reel though with an SV spool. I was casting directly into a 20mph head wind with gusts in the 30's a couple of days ago with a 115mm jerk bait and didn't have one hint of overrun.

[Jeremy S]

I have finish issues with my T3 1016 as well, it's just fragile. I have an entire boat full of Daiwa reels and this is the only one with a mark on it and it's got 10 hours of fishing time. It urks me that the finish just chipped off for absolutely no reason (where I rest my thumb) when my reels never go on the deck or in the locker without a thick reel cover on it.