26-116 Hex Bearing

26-116 Oldest version was a screw in bushing/bearing with "26-116" stamped on the hex head. Penn changed the handle side plates and the bearing styles, but kept the same bearing number. Ebay.com or other auction sites might be the only place you will find the older style 26-116 that screws in.
This went with an older style spool shaft design, which was slightly shorter? (Metal spools with three piece construction, that had hubs on either side of the straight center of the spool.) Used by 116A 10/0 reels. (114H used 26-??? and 115L the same type but 26=114 - Check old charts to confirm)

FOR 116A 10/0 REELS: We don't have a page built for the 116A 10/0 reel, but it has a similar design change with an extra complication. Newer 26-116's are the push in cap with ball bearing in it. The older 26-116 was a screw in bushing/bearing with "26-116" stamped on the hex head. Penn changed the handle side plates and the bearing styles, but kept the same bearing number. Ebay.com or other auction sites might be the only place you will find the older style 26-116 that screws in.

PLEASE COMPARE YOUR EXISTING BEARING TO THE 1st IMAGE:

Click to view larger
Image shows the difference between the earlier hex head bearings and the later 26-116 push in style ball bearing cap.

26-116 Bearing Cap (Short)

26-116 push in cap from inside, comes with bearing, first design is 103-116 SHORT cap with 55-116 bearing inside.
This style worked fine in the 114H series Senators with the larger hole in the plate to hold the bearing cap, as well as the 115L 9/0 reels.
(Later spools, either Aluminum or Chrome over Bronze, with the later shaft design to interact with the ball bearing)
This will not fit in the older style plate or spool that used the screw in style bushing/bearing to the left in the above photo.

PLEASE COMPARE YOUR EXISTING BEARING/CAP TO THE 2ND IMAGE:

Click to view larger
Image shows the difference between the first push in style bearing 26-116 (stamped with part#) (right) and the later 26N-116 (taller, plain) (left)

26N-116 Bearing Cap (Tall)

26N-116 push in cap from inside, comes with bearing, second design is 103N-116 TALL cap with 55-116 bearing inside. (Did Penn assign 26N or did we when we found the change?)
This style does appear to work with all of the 114H reels, despite the cap being a little bit deeper. There is minimal play in the newer style chrome/bronze spool when tested. This can be reduced by adding a 154-117 shim to the spool on the non-handle side of the reel to adjust it a little bit.