Stuck spool on new 146

[Flat Top]

Yesterday I started disassembly of the 146 that my buddy sent me. The spool was stuck in the right side drive plate of the reel. Many years ago I came across a friends reel that had the same issue and the pinion gear was frozen with rust to the spool shaft. I thought the same to be true here.

I removed the upper and lower bridge screws and the eccentric screw and lever and theoretically all the innards would be free and the spool could be removed, and the pinion gear could be soaked in penetrant or heated (the one I did before had to be heated) and the pinion gear could be removed from the spool shaft. It didnt happen...the spool was still stuck!

The only thing I could think of was that the spool shaft was stuck in/rusted in the inner race of the bearing....I had never experienced that before. I sprayed the area with Free All Blue Label Penetrant (tough stuff...I use it to clean carbon fouling out of rifle barrels) and let it soak for two hours and removed the spool with ease.....a slight pull on the spool and parts went flying!

Now that I have the reel apart it looks like it was used very little but the reel is full of sand. salt, rust, muck and gunk...its a mess....never serviced? I have my work cut out for me...its time for a good scrubbing down and then I can continue on. As it stands now this should be a good serviceable reel ready to put fresh fish on the dinner table soon. An old Penn reel is a terrible thing to waste!

[Swami805]

Did you get the pinion gear off the spool shaft?  Looks a little crusty

[Flat Top]

Swami805; Yup. came right off, but the drive side bearing sounds a little "crunchy"...probably rusted too. As soon as I complete the clean up I will start on that and get a new one if need be....also the drag washers fell apart when I removed them. Everything else seems ok for now. Whomever owned this reel before I got it did not take care of it at all...used and abused. Sad!!!

[foakes]

Those Squidders have always been some of my favorites.

Typically, when a Penn Conventional reel has been poorly/never serviced and stashed away —- it doesn't need a lot to get it back into your lineup for another 40 years of fishing.

A new drag stack with SS washers & CF —- new under gear washer, new top drag spring washer, and a new bearing assembly for both sides —- full cleanup inside & out —- burnish all inside case parts —- lube with Cal's for the drag stack, Yamaha or Penn Blue for the gears and other friction parts —- grease UNDER the rings & in the frame screw holes —- in this case, maybe a new pinion —- clean up the spool ends with "0000" steel wool —- and then synthetic oil.

Should be good to go.

Great reels in the 146, 145, & 140 sizes.

Sorry Penn discontinued them.

Best, Fred

[Flat Top]

foakes; I have revived many old Penn reels throughout the years and I still use them to this day. I got my first 140 recently and it was near pristine (too good for my use) serviced it and it sits on the shelf. I got another 140 with the Newell kit...not as nice...went through everything and I use it now and am thoroughly enjoying it....then my buddy sent me this 146. I still have an issue...one more....the drive side/handle side bearing is trashed and is froze in place, and it MUST be replaced. Soaking it down overnight and will try again tomorrow. Cant get it out with the hand puller so it might require a mechanical puller. We shall see. If so I will be making a new tool for the purpose. If it aint 6 of one thing its 7 of another, but that is what makes life interesting

[foakes]

Sounds like you know what you are about, FT!

Love those Squidders.

Best, Fred

[Swami805]

The Bakelite can shrink a tiny bit and can be a bear getting the bearing out. Might try getting it warm and seeing it that helps

[Flat Top]

foakes; I am the first to admit that I dont know much of anything, but every time I encounter an issue I treat it as a challenge...a learning experience....next time around (if there is a next time around) I will know how to tackle the issue....maybe. Also, I have a BIG hammer that comes in handy at times..........

Swami805; I researched that and Bakelite can withstand 120 degrees of continuous use. I have worked with metal my whole life but Im very leery of "plastics"!!! I will proceed with caution if it comes to that...thanks!!!!

[Flat Top]

I tried with all my might but that bearing was not coming out! I dont know if my solution was read about on this site or if I found it somewhere else, but I centered and drilled a hole (.144) in the side plate, took a tapered punch, and a huge hammer (only joking) and tapped the bearing out through the hole (it was still hard to get out, but out it came). Then I made a cap for the hole to keep dust and debris out. Saved me a lot of time trying to make a dead hole bearing puller for that tiny sucker, and because this reels condition is not of collector value...its a user.... I dont think it matters much....to me anyway.

[Gfish]

"An old Penn reel is a terrible thing to waste" —-I love it!
Great job FT!

[Bill B]

Good job.  Glad you saved that reel.  Bill

[ExcessiveAngler]

I tried with all my might but that bearing was not coming out! I dont know if my solution was read about on this site or if I found it somewhere else, but I centered and drilled a hole (.144) in the side plate, took a tapered punch, and a huge hammer (only joking) and tapped the bearing out through the hole (it was still hard to get out, but out it came). Then I made a cap for the hole to keep dust and debris out. Saved me a lot of time trying to make a dead hole bearing puller for that tiny sucker, and because this reels condition is not of collector value...its a user.... I dont think it matters much....to me anyway.

Nice job Flat top!
No details on the cap for the hole?
Out of curiosity, could one of those oil ports have went there?
I see there's a few of them, there already!
Not even sure, you can buy that as a part?

[Flat Top]

Thanks all.

The homemade cap (I still have to deburr and clean it up) Has .144 X .0625 nub on the bottom that fits the hole I drilled in the side plate and does not sit beyond the interior mold line of the side plate in the area that the bearing seats. The exposed portion of the cap is .240 dia. I will install the cap with Silicone adhesive sealant and that will keep it in place and allow for easy removal from the interior of the side plate with a push from a punch.... if replacement of the bearing is ever necessary and I cant get it out otherwise.

The lube port is a great idea. I have one in a spare Delmar 285 side plate and the O.D. is about .180....but I am not going to destroy a good side plate to give the lube port idea a try. Those old side plates that have irreparable damage.....it may be a good idea to salvage the oil ports before discarding them. I cannot find anything on line that suggests they are available.

[thorhammer]

Flat Top, great work, on one of my fave reels! I likely have some sort of plate with an oil port you might harvest; happy to send one on me, if you want it. I can check today.


John

[Flat Top]

I really appreciate that thorhammer but I am good to go. I doubt (because I keep my reels meticulously up to snuff) that I will ever need to do this again, but keep that plate handy...maybe somebody on here will experience the same issue and have a need for the lube port/or want to try this modification. Thanks again. FT