Cardinal 3 Drag Clicker

[sandbar]

I purchased this little guy on EBay advertised as "in good condition".
Cosmetic are pretty nice but the drag clicker is not functional.
Is this an easy fix?

[foakes]

Looks clean and nice, Steve —-

I should have the part/parts you need.

Just need to know which part?

N/C.

Nice reels!

Best, Fred

[Midway Tommy]

There's not much to the drag click if you are talking about when line is being payed out. All there is to it is a click spring wire attached to the side plate that rests in the click gear in the drag stack. When line is taken out it clicks. The click gear is part #14795 and the click spring was never a part option, you have to make your own replacement part. I use piano wire and get it from the hardware store. Cardinal 3 diameter is 0.025", or 0.62mm. Considering the reel condition I doubt there is anything wrong with the click gear. More than likely the click spring is bent out of position (sideways), but I suppose it could possibly be broken. Open it up so we can see what the problem is.

The click spring wire is on the back side of the side plate behind the Cardinal C3 label.

[sandbar]

Here it is.
I haven't had a place to work on reels for quite a while now due to an overload of family stuff filling my house. In the process of digging out.
Pictures are on top of my bedspread.
What am I looking for? It looks really clean.

[sandbar]

[sandbar]

[Midway Tommy]

The click spring wire is broken off. You'll have to remove the remains from the side plate and install a new one. If you have calipers you can measure the diameter of the piece that's left. It should be 0.025 in. It should be long enough to get past the click gear, probably as far as over the bronze bushing. You'll have to crimp/bend the new one in between the two retaining blocks just like the the remaining piece is crimped. You can get the music wire at most hardware stores. Just Google K&S .025 music wire to find a store near you. It comes in 12" & 36" lengths, around a buck or two per piece. 

[foakes]

I'll drop a couple of new ones in the mail tomorrow, Steve —-

Actually later today, since it is 12:53 AM on Friday right now.

Plus, the Post Office is not closed for Good Friday.

Hitting the hay now.

N/C.

Best, Fred

[foakes]

Also, the click wire needs to protrude the exact proper distance to work properly.

An easy trick I have done is to attach a split shot firmly between the (2) click-pin supports so it will stay in place.

It can also be crimped like Tom points out.  Whichever works best for you.

Best, Fred

[Midway Tommy]

Did you mic the diameter, Fred? They never made replacement springs for the ABU Garcia black series. The older Cardinal 6/7 springs are usually a little big for the smaller 3.

[sandbar]

Thanks Fred and Tommy.

[sandbar]

The wire is .025.

[Gfish]

Interesting. The C-3 looks to be more complicated than the original Zebco Cardinal's, but with many of the same features. Is it a graphite reel?
 Fred, Tommy or anyone else; have any preference between the two?

[foakes]

The C3 is an excellent metal reel, Greg —-

Both the original Cardinal 3's and these are great reels.

The fulcrum drag system and well engineered components are a pleasure to fish.

The 3's and C3's are nice and tough little ultralights.

Hard to beat!

Best, Fred

[Midway Tommy]

Greg,
Some people prefer the black versions of the 3, 4, 4X, & also the 5 because they have a silent anti-reverse, you can manually close the bail and they have the skirted spool. I really don't have huge preference, I fish both styles equally, although I do fish the black ones a lot.