Reel Repair by Alan Tani

Spinning Reel Rebuild Tutorials and Questions => Heddon => Topic started by: festus on April 22, 2019, 09:34:36 PM

Title: Heddon 238
Post by: festus on April 22, 2019, 09:34:36 PM
This Heddon 238 arrived this morning, was less than 14 bucks shipped. It was functional, could have been fished in the condition upon arrival.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/27/17863_22_04_19_1_25_41.jpeg)

Only real flaw to speak of was a bent handle, but I had another Heddon to donate one the same length, but it's built differently.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/27/17863_22_04_19_1_35_19.jpeg)

The side plate was scuffed, not really concerned about it.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/27/17863_22_04_19_1_35_57.jpeg)

Inside was fairly clean, but needed serviced anyway.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/27/17863_22_04_19_1_36_47.jpeg)

One unthreaded pin secures the crosswind block to the axle.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/27/17863_22_04_19_1_37_14.jpeg)

These reels were built without a ball bearing or rotor nut, a big e-clip attaches rotor to the housing.  The pinion gear is built in as part of the rotor.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/27/17863_22_04_19_1_38_19.jpeg)

(https://alantani.com/gallery/27/17863_22_04_19_1_38_42.jpeg)

This is another one of these B-grade simply built reels with a minimum of parts.  The only plastic is the handle knob, drag knob and spool.  The ad at the bottom of this post says the reel has a metal spool, but this one doesn't.  No chenille pipe-cleaner type dust cover was present in it either.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/27/17863_22_04_19_1_40_10.jpeg)

As I mentioned above, it was pretty clean, this is the biggest gob of grease inside.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/27/17863_22_04_19_1_40_38.jpeg)

The anti-reverse assembly needed a good cleaning, so I took it apart.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/27/17863_22_04_19_1_41_13.jpeg)

The bail trip assembly was a little dirty, so I removed it also.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/27/17863_22_04_19_1_41_47.jpeg)

(https://alantani.com/gallery/27/17863_22_04_19_1_42_13.jpeg)

The dirty parts cleaned up fairly well.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/27/17863_22_04_19_1_42_46.jpeg)

(https://alantani.com/gallery/27/17863_22_04_19_1_43_29.jpeg)

I used Ardent Reel Butter Grease and Reel Butter Oil for lube.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/27/17863_22_04_19_1_43_59.jpeg)

(https://alantani.com/gallery/27/17863_22_04_19_1_45_02.jpeg)

These reels weigh 9.6 oz without line on my scales, capacity is 200 yds of 6 lb. mono.  I failed to get a picture, but it only has one metal keyed drag washer.  I had an old cheap Daiwa back in the early 1970s with a similar drag setup.  Also either one of my D-A-M Quick 270 or Finessas have a similar setup.  Surprisingly, the drag does function. A skilled angler could disengage the anti-reverse and back-reel fight a big fish to be on the safe side, I suppose.

Midway Tommy provided me an online link a while back of old Heddon catalogs.  Looking back, this reel could have possibly debuted in 1972. At least it wasn't in the 1971 catalog.    LOL, I was 19 years old then.  http://www.antiquefishinglures.com/1972heddon.htm
(https://alantani.com/gallery/27/17863_22_04_19_1_45_54.jpeg)

(https://alantani.com/gallery/27/17863_22_04_19_2_33_08.jpeg)





Title: Re: Heddon 238
Post by: Dominick on April 22, 2019, 11:13:25 PM
Nice work Festus.  thanks for the look at the guts of that reel.  dominick
Title: Re: Heddon 238
Post by: festus on April 22, 2019, 11:36:00 PM
You're welcome, Dominick.

I have no idea what that coppery colored metal could be.  Maybe a plating?  I could have shined it with Brasso, I suppose, but didn't want to remove more metal than I had to.
Title: Re: Heddon 238
Post by: mo65 on April 22, 2019, 11:56:18 PM
Quote from: festus on April 22, 2019, 11:36:00 PM
I have no idea what that coppery colored metal could be.  Maybe a plating?  I could have shined it with Brasso, I suppose, but didn't want to remove more metal than I had to.

   I think it is a plating, my 248 has a plating on the main also.
Title: Re: Heddon 238
Post by: happyhooker on April 23, 2019, 01:44:46 AM
Nice look at this reel.  There seems to be a scarcity of handy info on some of the Heddon spinning reels, so this post was definitely welcome.

Frank