Universal Newell Stainless Bridge/Gear Sleeve

[Frank]

Would anyone be interested in a stainless gear/bridge sleeve for Newells? It would be nice if we could come up with a design that would fit all the series reels. As far as I know three different types exist - Blackie/P series model with the pressed on washer and a recess on the dog gear end for the bridge post - first picture. The G series with a recess on the dog gear end for the bridge post but no pressed on washer - second picture and the No Letter, C, S and reissued P series, Red, Purple, Pink, Blue and Clear sleeve - third picture. It would have to be made in three lengths, 200/300/400 series being the shorter one, 500 a little longer and 600 series being the longest.
Can anyone come up with other variations?

[Newell Nut]

The newer Ps are the same as the S,C and G with 3 stack drags. The pressed on washer was the first edition and some of those were stainless sleeves.
The 400 is the same length as the 300 series. They start to get longer with the 500 and again with the 600.

[Frank]

The newer P series are the same as the S,C and No Letter series. All the G series reels I own with a 3 stack have a recess on the dog gear end for the bridge post identical to the first issue P and Blackie reels.

[Frank]

"The newer Ps are the same as the S,C" Yes, I stated this in my first post. Thanks.

[Newell Nut]

I don't know the clue on the recess under the gear sleeve. I only have one G reel but I know I have several reels with the recess under the gear sleeve. If all had the recess they should work okay in any reel but without the recess there would be limits on some reels.

[Frank]

That was my feeling too Dwight.. If you made a stainless sleeve similar to a S, C or No Letter series reel with a Blackie, P, G series recess it should fit all Newells? You would just need it in three lengths. Can anyone come up with a reason why this wouldn't work?
Added bonus - The newer sleeves in the S, C and No Letter series have ten teeth on the dog gear as compared to eight on the Blackie, P and G models. Less handle back play.

[Frank]

Pictures added to the first post.

[Newell Nut]

Good Illustration. By using Bryan's thin washers and thin CF I have been attaching them to regular sleeves and creating 4 stack drags and with the new kit installed I am actually making a 6 stack drag and they work nice. I have attached them with the same material that we use to attach competition rifle actions to the stocks.

[Frank]

So a 10 tooth sleeve as in the third picture with a recessed hole as in the second picture - add Bryan's washer kit. All stainless steel. Sound like a winner!!!

[Frank]

Dwight,

Did you run into any clearance issues on the sideplate with the 6 stack?

[Newell Nut]

No clearance issue at all on the 300s with the 6 stack arrangement. The thin .020 SS washer and .020 CF are the correct amount of space under the gear so everything works out just fine.
The only spacing issue that I have had at all is on the 500s and it is the wider Belleville that hits. Replace it with a smaller OD Belleville and it works fine. IF you used Bryan's kit this may not happen. I use .6mm CF and Bryan uses .5mm CF which is just a little thinner.

[Frank]

Great. Thanks.

[eguinn]

   Some things to think about as I'm sure you are all aware of, when you start changing drags going from a 3 stack to a 5 or 6 stack is the stack height, don't get any taller than the original stack height if you can help it as it might push the top hat into the right sideplate & cause binding. In fact you want to check to make sure that the top hat spins freely inside the sideplate, make sure you have plenty of clearance around the top hat, you want .004 per side or you want the diameter of the top hat to be .008 smaller, I know I had this happen & it drove me nuts for a while till I figured it out. You might have to not use a bellevue washer to keep the stack height the same. Ed

[Frank]

Hi Ed,

Yes, I've run into that problem even with 3 stack systems on reels. Sometimes if the washers are just a little thicker than stock you end up with binding. Another issue I've encountered is intermittent binding while cranking the handle. This was caused by the drag spacer rubbing the hole it passes through in the sideplate. A little rolled up sandpaper rotated in the sideplate hole solves that problem.

[Newell Nut]

Ed
The additional stack numbers are allowed by using thinner SS drag washers and thinner CF washers. A 5 stack from Bryan is the same height and a factory 3 stack.

Dwight