Abu Pro Max low profile baitcaster - seized stardrag nut

[dongmat]

Hi All

Great site!  A friend who fishes with a bunch of us on an annual trip turned up last year with a seized drag nut (to the main gear shaft).  He had only come with us once before and didn't realise the ravages of salt water, the need to back off his drag between trips and the importance of servicing his reel.  After last year's trip I offered to see if I could get his reel working properly again and have been regularly applying penetrant (initially Inox then WD40) over several months in an attempt to free the bond between nut and shaft.

I am imagining that salt has crystalised and bound the two together but the metals may also have bound (?) even though they are both brass(?).  If my salt crystal theory is correct then i am thinking that a mineral type solvent will do little to dissolve any crystallised salt although I am getting regular small crystals (?) in the residual penetrant on the top of the star drag nut (the reel is standing on its side to allow best penetration down the threaded shaft).

Given that I can't apply heat, I have considered trying some dry ice on the shaft in the hope that it shrinks this slightly more quickly than the drag nut, but have yet to do this.....

Any suggestions from anybody?

I have warned my friend that he should probably start looking for a new reel.

regards

dongmat 

[Irish Jigger]

Welcome aboard, dongmat.
Don't give up on the reel yet.
Some of the Abu guys will be along soon to offer you good advice. 

[alantani]

here is a schematic for one of the reels. 

http://www.abugarcia.com/sites/default/files/schematics/PROMAX%20%201700.pdf

if it is not correct, take a look and see if you can match it up. 

http://www.abugarcia.com/support/reel-schematics?field_schem_numb_value=promax

can you take a look and give us the part numbers that are stuck? 

funny that it's locked so badly.  um, any possibility that you have a left handed reel and you are trying to back off the nut by turning counter-clockwise?   

[dongmat]

Thanks for the response.

Not sure if this is the correct schematic but it is certainly close.  Part no. 70 (starwheel) is seized to part no. 55 (screw).  The whole assembly turns (as it should) when the handle is wound and the drag itself operates albeit only at the one setting due to being unable to adjust the drag.

I appreciate the suggestion that it may be a leftie reel but sadly no - nothing obvious like that.  I too am surprised at how solidly the two are locked together.  Am wondering if a soak in one of the salt buster type of products might help?

regards

[willybendit]

Hi Dongmat     try household Vingar just give the parts a good soke as you would with WD40    tightlines Alain

[Bryan Young]

If there is something like saltaway in your neck of the woods, that product works great for these situations.

[dongmat]

Thanks for both above suggestions - will give each a go in turn.   I am from Australia and can get the saltx products like xs50 which is claimed to be good for such a situation including full reel immersion.  Will let you know how this goes.

Regards dongmat

[Keta]

Try to gently tighten the nut a tiny bit then try backing it off.

[dongmat]

Bingo!

Special thanks to willybendit - the vinegar did the trick!  Soaked the stardrag section of the reel for around 10 days trying it from time to time.  Last attempt I thought i detected a slight movement and then just kept trying forward backward and within a few minutes I had worked it free.  Am about to dismantle and do a proper service but it appears that the inner section of the stardrag is some sort of aluminium alloy whereas the screw is brass - little wonder they bonded....

Thanks for all who contributed thoughts and ideas.  I will definitely stay with this website.

regards

Dongmat