Help! 300C binds when bridge screws are fully tightened?

[Vintage Offshore Tackle]

I just bought a 300C that is in nice shape except that the handle does not turn freely when the bridge screws are fully tightened.  It feels fine if you loosen the bridge screws one half turn.  It free spools like a perpetual motion machine, so I'm sure it has nothing to do with the spool.  if someone would please tell me what might be the problem I would really appreciate it

Thank you,

Randy

[Bryan Young]

Possibly the main gear or washers are contacting the sideplate. It could also be that the undergear washer is too thick as well.

[Vintage Offshore Tackle]

Thank you Bryan.  I hate to take it apart because it takes me forever to put them back together, if I am lucky enough to not lose the dog spring, and it's really hard to hold everything in its proper location while I turn the bridge to its proper location.  I don't have enough fingers (or coordination).

[Hamachi]

Hey Randy, this may seem obvious but did you crank down on the drag to set it before testing? It may clamp down on the stack enough to stop the rubbing. Or an eared metal washer came out of its groove.

[alantani]

i'm wondering if someone put two drag washers under the main gear.......   

[Vintage Offshore Tackle]

Hey Randy, this may seem obvious but did you crank down on the drag to set it before testing? It may clamp down on the stack enough to stop the rubbing. Or an eared metal washer came out of its groove.

Thank you for the suggestion Warren, but I did try cranking down the drag and it doesn't make any difference.  It binds at all drag settings. 

[reel man]

I'm wondering if the spool is binding because it's not centered.

[Vintage Offshore Tackle]

i'm wondering if someone put two drag washers under the main gear.......   

Thanks for the idea Alan.  I will check it out when I work up to courage to take it apart.

[Vintage Offshore Tackle]

I'm wondering if the spool is binding because it's not centered.

Jerry, thanks for the suggestion, but I don't think that's the problem.  The spool appears to be centered, and it free spools like a champ, and the binding in gear problem goes away if I loosen the bridge screws one half turn.

[alantani]

i'm wondering if someone put two drag washers under the main gear.......   

Thanks for the idea Alan.  I will check it out when I work up to courage to take it apart.

Send it upto me!

[Bryan Young]

Randy, send it to me.  Alan has way too many reels on his bench.  I'll take care of it for you.

[Vintage Offshore Tackle]

Thank you guys!  I am going to take a shot at it, but if I can't get it back together or working I will probably take you up on those offers!

[Keta]

On similar issues I have found,
#1.  I put in too many spacers/bellvise washers to reduce star travel from free to drag and the top washer is hitting the frame.  This usually stops when tightening the drag so this is most likely not the cause.
#2. The ears of the top eared washer came out of the gear.

Alan's suggestion about too much washer under the gear is a third possibility.

[Vintage Offshore Tackle]

I took the reel apart, didn't see anything wrong, put it back together just like it was and now it doesn't bind anymore.  I have no idea what was causing the problem, but I'm a happy camper now!

I thought that the 300C internals were just Jigmaster, but it was a lot easier to put back together because the bridge assembly just drops right in without having to hold everything together while turning it into place.  That wasn't so bad after all!

Thanks to everyone for their help and very generous offers.

Randy

[Hamachi]

Good. I came on here ready to start yelling at you. Glad to see you got it sorted. Alan said there'll be repairs like these...