Daiwa GS25HS Baitcaster Disassembly Problems

[segabassfishing]

I have a Daiwa GS25HS baitcaster, JDM model. I have hit a wall getting it fully disassembled for cleaning and greasing. The handle plate will not pull away to give me access. The case is cracked open but I don't want to muscle it off. Tried rotating shaft and pressing thumb switch while pulling to see if it has a certain tooth on the gear to release, but no cigar. I cannot find anymore visible screws, e-rings or anything else and even took the drag cap off and felt washers thinking maybe just held on by all the old grease. Can't get spool free of body, seems like it wants to go out the same direction as handle plate, but could easily be wrong. I've tried quite a bit to try to remove it.

Anyone ever work on these or have any ideas? I have a GS20HS as well, but it is fishable and I am apprehensive to take apart before figuring this one out.

Sorry for such a long first post.

[slosh]

Is there a bearing or bushing under that brass spacer? If so the spool shaft is probably seized to it, and that in turn is locking the sideplate in place. Might be worth putting some penetrating oil around that spacer and see if you can't get the spool out. Spool should come out as the reel currently sits.

[JasonGotaProblem]

Can the reel go into freespool? Even if the bearings are crap, does the button move freely? If not, the spool shaft may be corroded into the pinion.

[segabassfishing]

I will throw a small spray of liquid wrench in there this morning and let it think about what it's done!

The spool does spin. Everything was working when I got it (for $10 in the junk bin) it was just making some whirring noises, kind of clunky and I could tell it was that 35 year old grease feeling.

The 25 is really my kind of test run before I take the 20 apart, as it's the one I actually want to use on one of my poles.

[slosh]

It looks a lot like a pt/pr/pm33 series reel, but with a single knob handle. I imagine a pt33 schematic would help a bit.

[segabassfishing]

Yo I tell you what if that doesn't look like the exact same thing, I wonder if it was a rebrand? Thanks dude! I am going to get at it again in a day or two once I'm off work and see what I can wrassle out of this thing. I've got the perfect acid wrap rod lined up for this to start throwing frogs with.