Mitchell 300 - the case of the extra shims

[georgefox3]

Hi gang - new member here.  on my 3rd Mitchell reel restoration/cleaning (first being an inherited 300, second a 304 I picked up cheap and now another 300 I bought on facebook marketplace again cheap.)

i was searching for some advice on how to remove a stuck baffle plate and found this website which has lots of good info. I also love youtube especially 2nd chance tackle.

I have a mystery for the group to solve and a separate question.

First the mystery: can you help me identify this shim? ( the one on the left.) i thought it might be the shim to adjust head/housing but i took it apart and that's the one on the right.  i thought i was being very careful with all the shims and washers but must have missed one putting it back together. any advice would be appreciated!

The question is around the trip lever. the bail was not re-setting so i switched out the trip lever from another 300 that is still on my to-do list. is there a preferred trip lever style? the one i pulled out had a small knob as opposed to the one in this picture has a cutout to "hold" the spring.

[foakes]

Those look to be the same size from here —- but likely one is thicker than the other.

There are typically (2) copper or brass shims that go under the thicker under-baffle plate washer.  This might be the one you are asking about.

Plus, there are much thinner washers that adjust the head/housing (takes 1 to 4).

Then there are tiny pinion gear shims (takes 1 or 2).

Then there are drive gear shims (optional, (1 or 2).

Mitchell 300 shimming is one of Life's great mysteries.

But typically —-

(2) shims under the baffle plate washer

(2-3) shims under the rotor head

(1) shim to adjust pinion gear

(1) shim to adjust drive gear

Basically, shimming reduces grinding, resistance, and allows free spinning & rotation.

Best, Fred

[Gfish]

Interesting. Looks like the one on the left is slightly larger. Maybe a former owner/service-er substituted it in there to get it tight again. As long as any shim down in there(rotor-head to housing) dosen't interfere with the gear mesh between the rotor and the pinion, you outta be good.

I once tried putting one of the head to baffle plate shims(larger outside diameter)down in there and it ground itself into the pinion.

[georgefox3]

Thanks guys!

Regarding the trip lever - any preferences? Possible that the original one wore out? I guess that leads to my next question of best source for parts. I think I will be needing a few in the near future.

[happyhooker]

Greetings, George, from Minnesota.

I agree with what was said above on the shims.  Kind of a PITA working on them, but once you get the reel right, it will seem all worthwhile.

I don't think the trip lever style is critical.  Some mechanical engineer whose name is lost to time just thought, for whatever reason, probably to save a few francs, that the original one needed to be changed in style.  I don't think any change was made to improve anything.

Frank

[georgefox3]

ok thanks Frank

[foakes]

Frank is right, both trip levers work equally well.

Just a different version to save cost.

Less is better 95% of the time —- provided material quality stays solid —- and in this case, it does.

Best, Fred