Reel Repair by Alan Tani

Spinning Reel Rebuild Tutorials and Questions => Abu Garcia/Garcia/Mitchell => Topic started by: joesan on August 25, 2021, 07:25:12 PM

Title: mitchell 320
Post by: joesan on August 25, 2021, 07:25:12 PM
My neighbor brought me a Mitchell 320 reel he was trying to repair. The bail was off and he had some parts including a broken bail spring. While much is similar the the 300 I'm familiar with,  the bail systems seems different and I'm not sure about the re-assembly. I found a utube video on the 320 bail, but it isn't the same configuration as the 320 I have. The utube video had 2 slots for the bail spring keeper whereas mine has a triangular keeper.  I wonder if there is something missing, or am I OK with a new standard mitchell bail spring?

Any help would be appreciated. see the attachments and apologies for my armature photo errors
Joe
Title: Re: mitchell 320
Post by: Gfish on August 25, 2021, 09:02:28 PM
Interesting. What's the rectangular opening in the bail arm for(last picture)?


"The more laws, the less justice" that's interesting too. Takes some thinking...








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Title: Re: mitchell 320
Post by: Midway Tommy on August 25, 2021, 09:30:58 PM
Quote from: Gfish on August 25, 2021, 09:02:28 PM
Interesting. What's the rectangular opening in the bail arm for(last picture)?

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The trip lever when you cock the bail.

QuoteThe utube video had 2 slots for the bail spring keeper whereas mine has a triangular keeper.  I wonder if there is something missing, or am I OK with a new standard mitchell bail spring?

Nothing is missing. You should be just fine with what you have. The double slot is because they used he same rotor for both left & right hand crank reels and the bail springs and bails & screws were different. Yours has a double angled box to accommodate both spring wind directions rather than two different slots.     
Title: Re: mitchell 320
Post by: joesan on August 26, 2021, 03:34:40 PM
Thanks Tommy.
When I reassemble the bail, I don't have the spring tension  I need to have the bail return to the normal position. I'm wondering if I am not applying enough tension when I rotate the spring by only about 120° CCW from the triangle keeper. Do I need another full rotation of the spring?
I'm probably doing something wrong, but my 80 year old brain doesn't see it. Sorry to be such a bother Tommy.

One other thing Tommy, I don't remember having to remove the spool on the 300 to assemble the bail, is it required on the 320? I see that I could apply more spring tension if I could rotate the bail 360 degrees.
Title: Re: mitchell 320
Post by: Midway Tommy on August 26, 2021, 05:01:43 PM
With your rotor design you may have to give it another wind, but becareful not to wrap it too tight. That can screw up the spring tension. I'm not sure what you mean by removing the spool. I usually remove the entire rotor unless the bail wire can be completely removed from the bail arm/plate. I like the freedom to easily flip the bail over the rotor to get the correct tension on the spring.
Title: Re: mitchell 320
Post by: joesan on August 26, 2021, 05:16:38 PM
OK, thanks I got it.
Always appreciate your help Tommy.