Mitchell 300 maintenance questions

Started by dohcsvt, September 01, 2018, 06:57:16 PM

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dohcsvt

Hello, I have used a lot of great info on this site to help me get my dad's old Mitch 300 back to working order, but I still have some issues.

Background info: my father passed about 10 years ago and I gave away all of his fishing equipment to friends/family except for his beloved Mitchell 300's. Fast forward 10 years and my life has slowed enough to allow me time to take up fishing again. I dug out dads old Mitchell and used it  a couple times then realized it needed maintenance. I ordered up Penn grease and maintenances the reel but found the reel to be gummy. Searched around and found a thread on hear about cutting grese 2:1 with oil... problem solved, THANKS! The side plate screws had been buggered up over the years so I found some on eBay. The bail spring was a little weak... eBay. Here I s the last problem.

The A/R works, but does not make that distinct clicking that I am used to. In fact when I turn The A/R off the sound it makes does not change, but the reel will reverse. Secondly, there is excessive play in the handle before the reel turns.... probably about 1/32 of a handle turn play. I think these issues can be fixed by shimming the pinion gear (no shims were present, I assume dad had lost them over the years) but before I spend $12 or so on eBay for shims I was looking to see if I am chasing the right problem? Thanks for any feedback.

George6308

Sounds like too much grease in the A/R. Try removing the excessive grease and use reel oil.

happyhooker

Welcome, dohcsvt, from Minnesota USA.

I would second the "too much grease" idea on the "silent" A/R.  The older metal A/R dogs make a diff. sound than the newer plastic ones.

I believe you may also be on the right track concerning shimming the pinion gear.  I, like you, am always short of shims, it seems, and it is always a process of adding a shim, checking, maybe adding a second shim, check again, maybe add another shim elsewhere, etc., etc.  It is a labor of love, and if you stick with it, the results have a chance to be very satisfactory.  Check your line lay.  If it is stacking a tad too much on the front of the spool, sometimes removing a shim from between the rotor gear and the body will both correct the line lay and tighten the clearance a bit between the rotor and pinion gears.

Frank

dohcsvt

Thanks for the replies. I have gone in and cleaned off some of the grease from the drive gear and  cycled it with the side cover off. Sounds like it is supposed to. Put side cover on and sound is different. I think it is the pinion and head gear that is making the noise. Is it possible for the gears to make more noise thuan the A/R dawg?

George6308

Gears do make a winding noise on my two 300's.

dohcsvt

Would I need to play with shimming of the pinion and the head?

mo65

   You're on the right track, shimming of the gears on these Mitchells is very critical. If out of sync they will definitely "out talk" the AR dog. Even at the absolute best they are still a bit noisy, just by the design of using so many gears. 8)
~YOU CAN TUNA GEETAR...BUT YOU CAN'T TUNA FEESH~


Gfish

Yeah. In the long run it might be a good idea to get the shims for these reels if you plan on using them. Shimming them can be "a labor of love" as Frank said. The last time I did it, it took about 2hrs. with the disassembly, addition/subtraction of a shim, then reassembly to check.
Fishing tackle is an art form and all fish caught on the right tackle are"Gfish"!

dohcsvt

It sounds like I am going to bite the bullet and order some shims. To repeat an earlier question, do I need to play with the pinion shims and the head to body shims? As an engineer that seems like what I would need to do, but sometimes things are not as they appear. Thanks for all the input.

dohcsvt

1 more question. What does shimming the baffle plate actually accomplish? When I put the reel together the baffleplate was very lightly catching on the spring in the housing, I slightly tweaked the baffle plate and all is well. However, where I can buy the other shims offers combined shipping and if I will eventually need baffle shims I might as well get them now and save a few dollars. Will I ever need the baffle shims? Thanks again.

mo65

Quote from: dohcsvt on September 03, 2018, 12:47:05 PM
To repeat an earlier question, do I need to play with the pinion shims and the head to body shims?

   Yes...adjusting the pinion's depth of engagement with the head gear seems to give the most adjustment for feel and noise. It's kind of surprising how much a single skinny shim washer will affect these gears' mesh. I'd say your little tweak of the baffle plate will be all it needs, but might as well get a few of those shims too.
~YOU CAN TUNA GEETAR...BUT YOU CAN'T TUNA FEESH~


dohcsvt

I stopped thinking like a sentimental son and started thinking like an engineer...duh. I have a second 300 I purchased to make a pair. I maintenanced it at the same time as dads. I took the pinion shims out of it and put them in dads. Quieted right down and runs like a champ. All I need are pinion shims. A couple auctions currently on eBay, I will see what's the cheapest. Also may call local shops and see if I can source them locally. Thanks again!

happyhooker

If I remember right, at one time, the older 300s had 4 different possible shims: behind pinion gear; behind rotor gear; behind main gear, and; under baffle plate. The latter two aren't even on some of the newer schematics; I was told the baffle plate shim didn't get used much (because it was easier to tweak the plate itself, in many cases) and the shim behind the main gear was only needed if the gear rubbed on the body cover, and that was mostly eliminated when Mitchell molded a raised boss or ring in the proper location on the later models.  Any particular reel may have all of these shims, or none of them, or some of them, or more than one shim on any of them.

Frank

foakes

Quote from: dohcsvt on September 03, 2018, 02:25:35 PM
I stopped thinking like a sentimental son and started thinking like an engineer...duh. I have a second 300 I purchased to make a pair. I maintenanced it at the same time as dads. I took the pinion shims out of it and put them in dads. Quieted right down and runs like a champ. All I need are pinion shims. A couple auctions currently on eBay, I will see what's the cheapest. Also may call local shops and see if I can source them locally. Thanks again!

Frank is right on the variations over the years —

If you cannot source the shims you need EASILY locally, just let me know, and I will send some out to you.

N/C.

Your Dad would be proud that you are maintaining the old 300 to a useful condition.

Not shimming these Mitchells properly is akin to having your shop tools like chisels, saw blades, and cutting tools dull and gouged up.  Not much use if they are not ready to go.  A reel is the same way — just a tool to get the job done efficiently and smoothly.

If maintained, your old quality reels will be good for decades to come.

Best,

Fred
The Official, Un-Authorized Service and Restoration Center for quality vintage spinning reels.

D-A-M Quick, Penn, Mitchell, and ABU/Zebco Cardinals

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The first rule of fishing is to fish where the fish are. The second rule of fishing is to never forget the first rule.

"Enjoy the little things in Life — For someday, you may look back — and realize that they were the big things"
                                                     Fred O.

dohcsvt

Thanks Fred. I just ordered a dozen 0.010 pinion gear shims. If I determine I need a head shims, I may take you up on your offer. Thanks for all of the input.