Penn senator gear grind

[Shark Hunter]

You say you got new drags, but no washers?
I would also clean that main gear. Looks like a lot of rust on it.

[UKChris1]

I guess you are still working on this?

I had a quick re-read and noticed a comment in an earlier reply (#23) where you mention (if I understand correctly) fitting a new fibre washer under the main gear as well as changing some of the drag washers. If that fibre washer is too thick it may well raise the main gear to the point where it rubs where it shouldn't. It might not look different, but...

Try the old washer if you still have it. If that removes the problem, I think we can move ahead.

The boss mentioned that Senators don't have close tolerances, and I've been driven nuts when I took apart two 12/0 and found not every part was interchageable between them (one was several decades older than the other).

[JasonGotaProblem]

Yeah I really hope when you do solve this, you come back and let us know what it was.  At 4 pages in, we're all invested.

Even if it was something silly you got wrong, we've all been there. Nobody is judging you.