Penn 160 stumper!!!

Surfwrangler · February 25, 2015, 10:46:41 PM

Ok guys I was given a pretty nice little penn 160. So I broke it down to clean It up and replace the drag washers. I ended up swapping out a main gear I had because turns out the little guy had a steel main gear that had rusted through the slot where the eared drag washers slid inside ( alan is right that old steel run of gears wasn't so great - see pic). Any way I reassemble and the thing spins great and dog engages correctly etc....until I put the spool into the pinion gear and reassemble. Then it feels like its full of rocks and barely turns. I can't figure it out??? I wa at it for hours tearing down and reassembling. Same result every time. When the righ side plate is off the frame it works perfectly, once fully assembled it doesn't really work at all. Any ideas?

Shark Hunter · February 25, 2015, 10:53:10 PM

Could be a number of things. Pinion engagement to the spool, or the pinion is just shot and will only work with the old gear. You need to replace the main and the pinion together. Put the old gear back in and see if it works.

Keta · February 25, 2015, 10:53:41 PM

The gear on the right came from the factory like that, notice the cut for the ear is at the root of the gear tooth.

Gears should be replaced as a set.

Surfwrangler · February 25, 2015, 11:52:33 PM

Hmmm yeah I guess that could be it. But I tried swapping the other pinion that matched the new gear in and that didnt work either but now I'm not sure what's in there to be honest. I probably did it 8 times today! If the main and pinion weren't meshing nicely wouldn't it feel rough before I engage the spool shaft with the pinion??? Bc it doesn't right now it's nice and smooth??? I will try and swap the ok gear back in there and see if it works I guess.

Keta are you saying that the cut in the old steel gears is ok??? It looked to me like it was rusted through but if you say it's all gravy then I guess I will use it.

Shark Hunter · February 26, 2015, 12:17:35 AM

Some gears came new like this.

Keta · February 26, 2015, 12:33:01 AM

Do you have a bent spool shaft?

Surfwrangler · February 26, 2015, 02:21:52 AM

Not that I can tell on the Ben spool shaft. The thing worked ok before I took it apart ha!!!

Good to know on the gear with the slat cut in it.

alantani · February 26, 2015, 04:56:40 AM

are you absolutely certain that the gears are the same?

RowdyW · February 26, 2015, 05:13:53 AM

It might have a worn or bent yoke or jack. Try new ones, they are cheap & will last a long time. RUDY

Surfwrangler · February 28, 2015, 02:35:38 PM

Swapped out the gear to the old steel one and it works like a charm. Thanks guys y'all are the best.

Aiala · February 28, 2015, 03:53:24 PM

I'm in the 160 Club, too! Here's my latest restoration:

Nothing but new CF washers... what a neat little classic! Probably as old (or older) than I am.

~A~

Surfwrangler · February 28, 2015, 07:26:12 PM

Yep a neat little reel for sure. Nice mid size. I really like the stand on it

George4741 · March 01, 2015, 03:53:20 AM

Quote from: Surfwrangler on February 28, 2015, 02:35:38 PM
Swapped out the gear to the old steel one and it works like a charm. Thanks guys y'all are the best.

I had a similar problem when I mixed up the gears between a 350 Leveline and new 155. Even though they use the same gears, it wasn't smooth turning with the wrong combination. Moral of the story, don't mix gears.

I'm glad to see that the 160 is finally getting some attention on this forum. I like it and the 180 much better than the wider 155. Who needs that much line, anyway? I don't have a 160, but I do have one of it's cousins, the drag-less 165: