What to do...

[peesherman]

So a while back, My bellevile broke into pieces on my 550.  I didnt feel like ordering an entire pack of them online+pay for shipping so I went out to find a compatible part.  I ended up finding a bellevile from a Jig500.  I was able to get my drag working again, but the problem is that the bridge moves back and fourth since the Jig500 bellevile is on the thinner side and there isnt the same dome like shape as on the newell belleviles.  Any way I can solve this? 

If I lost you...

When I grab my handle, i can move it up and down since the penn jigmaster bellevile isnt the same shape as the original Newell belleviles.  The jigmaster bellevile works, but that space is going to cause issues real soon.  The bridge already slipped out from the dogs the other night.

[Bryan Young]

The belleville has nothing to do with the handle moving up and down.  Sounds like you are missing a screw that holds the gear sleeve in place.  See  and

[peesherman]

auh, so you think im missing part# 3-21?  I swear there wasnt a screw in there to begin with.  But then again, I stripped my 550 at the beach at night, so who knows!  lol

[Bryan Young]

Funny, I don't see the screw in the schematics, but has clips there instead.  There are guys that knows Newells more than I to be able to tell you the size of the screw needed.

[peesherman]

Yeah, some of my newells has a screw for the gear sleeve and some of my other newells has c-clips.  Thanks though. 

[kili05]

The older newells such as the 1st gen P's had the c-clip. The newer ones have the screw for the bridge sleeve.

You need to play around with different thickness washers to build up the space either between your drag spacer and your drag stack, or your drag spacer and the star drag. This is common with newells. Especially if you change out graphite stars with aluminum stars as the aluminum is thinner. Try part 18-505 from Penn.  People also use this theory to get more drag out of the reel.  Make sure you don't add too much washers as you will have what's known as 'forever drag'.

Only if you have a 4 stack drag does the drag spacer really come into play...as it has a lip on it which pushes against the face plate if your drag stack is too thick.

[peesherman]

I was able to find a spare washer to go above the spacer to solve the problem.  I gotta go look for more screws later this weekend just incase I loose em again. 

[REK]

Some reels have 2 clips...#3-21.