The last time I took my 501 apart the thumb screw spring just flew off and never to be found ::) So I got another one from Scott's but how do you put it back in ?
Marc..
insert the thumb screw from one side, then the spring from the other, then screw on the collar as best you can. then put the side plate on the frame and screw down the thumb screw as far as it will go. that's the easiest way to get it to seat.
Ha!! Thanks Alan
Marc..
I have a 500s that is slightly different. It has an e-clip that retains the spring on the the thumb screw. If the spring is installed on the inside of the sideplate, the thumbscrew can not be retracted enough to turn and seat the sideplate on the frame ring. The sideplate seems to have a recess on the outside that accepts the spring end, and the e-clip holds the works together on the inside of the plate. Not sure if this is the OEM setup, but it's the only way I could make it work on my reel. My other 500 Jigmasters require one to pull on the thumbscrew to compress the spring, retract the thumbscrew and rotate/remove the sideplate. My 500s has the spring on the outside of the plate, requiring one to compress the spring in order to engage the threads and tighten the thumbscrew during reassembly.