Penn 230 GTO Levelwind

[spes]

This reel doesn't have a left bearing cap.
All tightening comes from the spool tension control on the right.
Which basically is pushing the reel to the left.

[alantani]

maybe shim the left side of the spool shaft to move it over to the right?

[spes]

lol,,
I don't have to ask how to do that one!

Will give that a try

[spes]

opened it up and dropped a bearing shield on top of the left bearing.
put it back together, it helped a little,, but still slips when an acceptable amount of drag is applied.
opened again, there isn't enough room bewteewn the bearing and the ?idle gear?
to fit a swcond bearing shield.
Any way of putting a push spring there?
That would have to sit ON the bearing not in it right?

[Tile]

Check to see if there is a copper shim under the bearing. If this one is missing or is too thin there is your problem. Can you post a picture of the left side plate ?

[spes]

It looks the same as in Alan's 320 tutorial
http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=9.msg9#msg9

I'll have to fab something to get that bearing out..

[Tile]

The left end of the spool shaft should rest on the shim not on the bearing. The shim can be accesses by taking out the bearing. Also check to make sure that the gears are meshing properly by taking the bridge assembly out with the main gear and drag washers sleeve and star knob place in it the spool assembly and pinion gear with the yoke. In this way you can see if the gears are slipping.

[Tile]

Any news on the reel?

[spes]

no news is bad news i guess.
I did check and the shim is thee on the left side
Frustrated I took the reel to my local tackle shop and asked him if he could see something I was missing.
He also could not come up with a definitive answer.
He said he doubted the small nicks in the spool shaft were doing it because the pinion gear engages quite soundly when manually engaged with the reel apart. He suggested replacing the pinion gear, but said that was purely a shot in the dark.
I've about given up on this reel.

[usncporet]

Wow, just spooled up a brand new 230GTO last night and about 1/2 way thru it started doing the same exact thing that SPES reported! Amazing that the very first thread that came up when I searched "230 GTO" was this. I took the reel apart this morning without having read any of this and all looks normal. Bought it off e-bay of course, so don't know what PENN can or will do if anything. Was NIB box. Maybe this is a great learning tool!
Wish me luck! 

[Tile]

The pinion gear engagement groove is cut too wide and allows the gear to jump off the spool shaft under load. The notches on the spool shaft shoulders provide the slipping surface for the pinion gear.

[akfish]

Penn has stopped making both the 220 and the 230...

[Tile]

The solution to the problem is a new spool shaft with wider shoulders and no notches. The GTO series was replaced by the Defiance series.

[edylina]

I just had this same problem with this model.  I put 2 thin brass spacers under the bearing in the left side plate and stretched the clutch springs and so far no problems with clunking while drag is engaged.

[spes]

My Penn 230 sleeps with the fishies