I just got on less than a week ago and I like how it casted, action everything about it, Until this afternoon. It done grenaded on me at the ditch, Jigging blew the anti reverse out of it. Probably less than 500 cast's on it. Inside is a mess of shavings. Looks like Ill be going back to the squidder. Did I get a bum unit or are they weak?

A guy i was talking too this weekend on the cape had one, and its been serviced twice already, a lot of problems. My 7000c3 with a rotting sideplate was looking pretty good as he was ready to throw his in the drink.

I like the reel but had a similar problem last year with a dinky keeper blowing it up, but i had my receipt, sent the reel back to abu and it was fixed and returned in a few weeks on their nickel.
They blast out so many of these reels, maybe a couple lemons fall thru the cracks.
Since then no problems, mine took a couple fish today with ease.

over the past two or three years I have been through 4 or 5 of the 7000i HSN. If I fish once a week I am happy so I dont beat the daylights out of them.

I could of had a Saltiga (spinner) with all of the money I wasted on those 7000i.

Chinese junk :realmad:

If you need a levelwind, go with a Saltist or Tekota.

if your going to use a abu, go on e-bay and buy one of the sweedish models. then look for parts reels. been using a 7000c3forever with very little problems. the chineese have no quality control as we know it. .02

anything beyond 6500 Abu is made in china now:agree:

If it's new send it back, if you bought it used buy a spare sideplate or two and keep that sucker clean.I've been told a very light film of oil on the sleeve and nothing on the bearing itself.I think it's common for abu's to eat the AR bearings.They are a plastic clutch type and need to stay clean and dry to work.I bought a sideplate for my Record 60 last year I think it was between 20 and 30 bucks.Stright from ABU.I think the bearing is too small and cheap.I still fish them but I always have a backup.

well the reel has ben returned and I got a hell of a deal on a calcutta 700b The internals looked like a hand grenade went off in there. How's the feelings on the calcutta