I'm new on here so first off, hi everyone. I've always fished spinning reels and recently decided to dabble in baitcasting. I didn't want to teach myself on an expensive reel so I picked up a couple ebay finds. This one is the shimano catala 301. I fish with spinning reel handles on my left hand so the left handed baitcaster feels more natural to me. The reel looks clean on the outside and I took some pictures as I cracked it open.....and I figured out how to post pictures.
The outside was clean. The only real issue I found was a rusted anti-reverse bearing. I used some reelX and cleaned it up and it functions.
I still have a Corsair 300 and a Catala 300. I had 2 Corsairs but traded one back to Shimano for the Catala when they were doing the free upgrade. I haven't used either one in more than 10 years but I'm a pack rat and rarely get rid of anything!
I oiled bearings with reelX, greased drag washers with Carl's and greased gears with blue penn grease. All and all the insides look good other than some plastic parts. I haven't decided if I will add smoothdrag washers or do anything with the rusted anti-reverse. The corvalus uses many of the same parts and replacement roller clutch assembly is like $20. The reel seems to function smoothly but I'll have to give it a good whipping on some redfish and snook.
If it's just surface rust on the ARB you might be able to disassemble it, clean it up, reassemble it, and have it good to go.
I had never seen a plastic bushing under a Shimano cast control knob. Makes sense I guess since there is a ball bearing on the spool shaft.
-steve
Quote from: MarkT on July 08, 2016, 06:11:12 PM
If it's just surface rust on the ARB you might be able to disassemble it, clean it up, reassemble it, and have it good to go.
The only problem I foresee is getting it out, any suggestions? I used a little reelX and a towel to spin it around and it functions. I'm probably going to fish it and see what happens. Maybe sometime soon I'll take another crack at it.
Quote from: oc1 on July 08, 2016, 08:42:50 PM
I had never seen a plastic bushing under a Shimano cast control knob. Makes sense I guess since there is a ball bearing on the spool shaft.
-steve
It seems like a decent design and most of the parts seem sturdy enough. The plastic bushing could be easily replaced with a bearing, but it still has a plastic yoke so I don't know how much money I would want to put into it. Maybe there are some inexpensive metal replacements for the plastic parts? Would it be worth it? I don't know.
The line guide seems to be plastic and doesn't have an insert. I planned on using braid, and the previous user had braid on the reel. It seems the braid cut some grooves into the side of the line guide. Is this line guide not meant for braid? Should I just use it or maybe replace it? Thanks for any help.
Shimano baitcasters have always had plastic yokes, but they do not do as much heavy lifting as yokes did in older designs. Are you sure there is not a black insert in the levelwind guide? If you drag a needle point around the guide and can feel grooves then I'd worry. Finding a replacement would be difficult unless you can find a parts reel or if the guide from an old Calcutta also fits a Catala.
-steve
Quote from: oc1 on July 09, 2016, 09:06:20 PM
Shimano baitcasters have always had plastic yokes, but they do not do as much heavy lifting as yokes did in older designs. Are you sure there is not a black insert in the levelwind guide? If you drag a needle point around the guide and can feel grooves then I'd worry. Finding a replacement would be difficult unless you can find a parts reel or if the guide from an old Calcutta also fits a Catala.
-steve
There is no insert I can see. There are obvious grooves worn into the guide I can see them with my eye. The newer corvalus is almost the same and many of the parts are the same so maybe the line guide from that will fit.
They have different part numbers but look the same in photos.
A guy in a LMB forum said the levelwind insert popped off on his catala.
http://www.thebassbarn.com/forum/9-tackle-box/79433-shimano-catala.html (http://www.thebassbarn.com/forum/9-tackle-box/79433-shimano-catala.html)
-steve
So the line guide from the newer corvalus/cardiff doesn't work as a direct replacement. The hole for the stabilizer bar is slightly smaller and the threads for the panel cap are smaller. Anybody want to sell me a line guide for a catala? Otherwise I'm going to have to modify the newer line guide to make it fit.
They do have an insert in the levelwind. Can you see it in this picture? My Catala 300 is in better shape than your 301. I'll sell you the line guide... It comes with the rest of the reel! I still have the box it came in too. You cover the shipping and you can have it. I don't think it's seen the light of day in 15 years. I used it with 12# mono (p-line CXX) so the line guide is in good shape.
The line guide looks like the same as a Calcutta?
Hi MarkT,
If Rippin doesn't want it, may I buy it from you? My kids did not like rock cod fishing with my Abus. They said it was too hard to crank. Art. Or maybe I need to look into a line guided Squal or Fathom. Hmm.
Thanks , bryan
Quote from: Bryan Young on July 14, 2016, 03:52:51 AM
The line guide looks like the same as a Calcutta?
I tried one from a different reel. The only major difference is the threads on the pawl cap. They could make all the reels with the same line guide if they wanted, but that would make our lives too easy for repairs.
that's just not right!!!
A BIG thanks to MarkT for helping me out with a catala 300 to scavenge parts from. I installed the line guide and took the reel for a test drive and all seemed well. I still would like to clean up the anti-reverse bearing some more. If I soaked the roller clutch assembly, what would be best to soak it in? Lots of reelX? Or would a solvent work? I would like to keep the anti reverse bearing in the assembly, I think the other part is stainless steel, removing it would prove troublesome and may cause damage. Thoughts?
Upgraded the drag with carbontex. Went into the anti-reverse bearing a little bit with some more reelX and it seems to be working well.
I've taken the ARB out to clean it. Wrap a rubber band around it when it's half way out to keep the rollers in place.
Do you know if the braking can be adjusted? I'm starting to get the hang of casting but its almost too much casting brake. Thanks.
I'm sure Dawn at Smooth Drag has the AR bearing for that reel cheaper than the $20.00. The hard part is getting it out without ruining the side plate.
Quote from: handi2 on August 08, 2016, 01:11:56 AM
I'm sure Dawn at Smooth Drag has the AR bearing for that reel cheaper than the $20.00. The hard part is getting it out without ruining the side plate.
Which is exactly why I haven't tried to remove it. I'm concerned about ruining the side plate while pounding it out with some corrosion holding it in. I cleaned it up well without removing it and it is performing as it should so far. Still haven't landed a fish on it, the tarpon I have been after are masters of unhooking themselves. I need to use it on some hard fighting redfish or snook to see how it holds up.
As I recall you can use a 10mm socket to tap it out. You want one that is the right size to press on the outer race and push it out. If I'm wrong, check out some other sockets until you find the right size. Experiment on the Catala I sent you. You can probably use it to replace the one in your reel.
Quote from: MarkT on August 10, 2016, 02:52:37 PM
As I recall you can use a 10mm socket to tap it out. You want one that is the right size to press on the outer race and push it out. If I'm wrong, check out some other sockets until you find the right size. Experiment on the Catala I sent you. You can probably use it to replace the one in your reel.
Funny you should say that because I already removed the one from the reel you sent me. It came out but not without some slight deformation of the side plate, which is why I don't want to do it to my 301 unless I really have to.