Cavalla drag/free spool problems

[huxpat]

All of my Cavalla 20's and 30's have come to have pitifully lower strike drag (6-9 lbs) before free spool binds up. I thought that one of the bearings was crushed from too much axial load at some point, but have replaced the pinion and both small spool bearings and the larger left side spool bearing on one of them with no improvement. My brother said he fixed a CA-15 with similar problems by replacing the "waved washer" in the drag plate assembly. I thought somehow maybe the compression spring was bad but seems like that washer is my most likely culprit. He was telling me it was the "wave spring" and I wasn't quite sure that was and didn't see such a thing on my parts list and didn't realize it was a spring loaded washer rather than an actual spring. Since this has happened to all my reels, wondering if anyone else has had this experience with Cavallas. The Bellevilles look fine on the face of it, don't appear flattened out. Can only be so many more possibilities. Aside from binding up, you have to turn the preset almost all the way to the end of its range to start getting any kind of drag.

Any suggestions on how to separate the drag plate from the rest of the assembly? I can't even get it apart to look at the washer. Never mind. It was a simple clip holding the drag plate in place. Okay, wave washer looks wavy and fine on the face of things, doesn't seem flattened, but maybe just not as strong as it should be? Dunno. My brother said it will look okay but I'll need to bend it each side of it a little higher again to make it work correctly. Will give it a whirl and report back.

Okay, seemed to be a improvement initially but not really quite as sure after a few tests. 

[alantani]

jim nomura has worked on these the most.  when i get his password problems straightened out, i will get him to look at this. 

[JGB]

Huxpat,

You need to replace the lever arm key 605 part # 16050110. I think if you look inside the lever arm the 2 contact lobes (the part that rubs on the cam) will be worn down to the point that  you loose free spool. This is caused by the rough surface of the early cams that grind away at the lobes. I have found that replacing the cam with part 16020013 (revised part from a soltera 10cs) addresses the issue with wearing the lever arm. You will lose a small amount of max drag but it is not really noticeable.

FYI the lobes start out tall enough to just fit into the cam free spool detente slots. You can tell it is working properly when you see the drag adjust knob jump out when the reel jumps into free spool. This jump is what opens the drag up and gives you the  proper free spool to strike ratio. You can 'cheat' a bit by replacing the wavy washer with a solid washer and get increased strike drag but the drag will engage strongly without the soft drag ramp just out of free spool.

The reels that follow the Cavalla now use a SS lobe that is pressed into the lever arm. The Soltera uses a resin lever arm with a SS piece that covers the lobes (thin but it seems to hold up with the smooth cam it uses).

Give Okuma a call and see if the parts are available  909-923-2819 ext 135 (Ronald Almanza)
You might want to order 2 sets (spare parts) if you plan to keep the reels a long time. the truth is if you order spares the parts will never wear out  .

Jim N.

[Bryan Young]

the truth is if you order spares the parts will never wear out  .

Isn't that the truth?  and when you don't order spares, the parts seem to wear out the fastest.

[huxpat]

Just checked the lobes and yes, completely worn away. Dumb of me never to have looked for that. I've serviced a Daiwa and a TLD for a guy whose drags didn't work due to cam issues so should have thought to check that. One of the reels still works well and it's lobes were not nearly as worn and switching its lever drag arm produced an immediately working reel in the others. Now fingers crossed they still carry any parts for the Cavalla.

[huxpat]

Got the new lever arms, installed them, and all my reels are back to ferociously strong drag with free spool. Have to say, aside from that design flaw, the Cavalla's were a stellar deal when they were discontinued and were routinely selling for $150-200. Still one of the few good 20 and 30 size reels below 40 oz with a great large offset handle and aluminum frame. I love the Makaira, but dislike the jump in weight from the 27oz MK-15 to the 46 oz MK-20.