501 Jiggy acting up.

[Rancanfish]

Just sitting here playing with some reels after working on the boat...

Holding a 501, cranking it in gear with about 3/4's of the drag tightened down.  Oddly it cranks along real smooth for different amounts of time.  At a certain point, it puts the brakes on the spool by itself somehow?   Lasts for three or four turns, then lets off for a few turns, then mildly puts the brakes on.

I can't picture in my mind what could cause the intermittent slow down.   

Any idea where I should start looking?  Greased standard drags, stainless spacer, AccuFrame, stock sideplates is the set up.

If I back off the tension knob, it stops, but not until I introduce spool slop side to side.  I don't understand how it can come and go.  It does not go away if I back off the star drag.  Hmmm.

[Keta]

Hold the spool from turning with your thumb and turn the handle and see if this fixes the problem.

[Rancanfish]

Nope.  When I release my thumb it cranks a bit and then.....brakes.

Ok this morning I pulled off the sideplate and crank and it's obviously in my gearbox/drag stack.

Now two minutes later it has stopped.  Great - a reel with a mind of its own.

Now when I hold the spool, crank and release, the problem is back.  And gone........

What were you thinking with your question Lee?  Since my answer is both yes and no now? 

[otghoyt]

Look at the spool engagement slot on your main gear and see if the ears are straight and the reinforcing ring is in it's proper place and sittin pretty.  I had a  Bluefin Tuna freight train my 146 Squidder and all that got rearranged.  Did exactly the same thing.  It was rubbing on the spool shaft.  About drove me to *%$*@&*)  off!!!