I just bought a brand new Pflueger President XT Casting Reel. It’s not a bad reel but not something I would have sought out. But for $50 CAN when they retail for $80 US was a pretty good deal so I bought it.

I pulled it apart to soak the bearings and re-lube them as I do with all new reels and noticed there was no bearing on the spool tension knob side, only a white bushing. The bearings all seemed uncharacteristically stiff as well compared to other Pfluegers I’ve purchased.

I am wondering if maybe the guy I bought it from pulled a fast one and put crap bearings in it and replaced one with the bushing? Or if maybe this is how they come now?

I was thinking about replacing all the bearings with better ones anyways but I’m wondering if anyone has super tuned one of these yet and if it is supposed to come with the bushing can it be replaced with the additional bearing?