I bought a used 332 and tore it completely down this afternoon. I've had the reel for a season and bought it for my kid. I only checked the drags and oiled the bearings last year. It never did free spool that well but I figured it was probably safer for the kid that way anyway ;D
I just got done tearing it down and pulled the bearings out. On the right side there was a small thin washer under the bearing. I do see it on the schematic and if it's on my other 332.........I never noticed it.
So I got all the grease (imo it was way over-greased) cleaned out of it, drags looked good still so I threw some grease on those, cleaned/oiled the bearings (seem fine) and put it back together.
Freespool still sucks. Bad bearings? That shim affecting it? It doesn't seem to change when I loosen the left side cap either.
It could be a host of things, such as needing a new yoke to from slightly twisted, to pinion gear is too tight,...maybe the bearing cups are too tight. Just my guesses at this point.
I have not seen very many Newell's with the spacer on the right side but it's possible.
You said you cleaned the bearing - did you open the bearing & clean the inside. Then Oil them. When installed there should be a TINY bit of side - side play.
Did you clean the spool shaft till it shines & also polish the inside of the Pinion Gear
There really shouldn't be much or any play in the spool of newell reels. All of my newells' bearing caps are practically tightened and they still spun like tops. Too fast at time even.
You need about .005" of play which is very little side movement first of all. Second clean the grease out of the ID of the pinion and oil the ID of the pinion. Then you will see the freespool really pick up.
I removed the shim that was in there and it helped. There really wasn't any side play before and I have a slight bit now whick can be taken up by the left side bearing cap. I does spin better but still isn't right.
I did grease the pinion a little... :-[....just brushed a tad on the inside. I didn't even think about it.
Does that spacer belong in the reel somewhere? I didn't even look at the left side in the schematic.
So what do I polish and shine the shaft and pinion with? How do I open up the bearings? I hit them with brake cleaner, air and then Reel X.
Someone uses S S Steel Wool. I use Very Fine Grinding Compound on the both ends of the spool shaft. I also use it in the Pinion Gear. Clean ALL parts 2X with Brake Cleaner & wipe clean. Do a Search for opening Bearings, I know this info is here.
Mike
Thanks Mike,
I hit the shaft with my dremel and some Flitz compound (very good stuff btw). I cleaned out the pinion real well, rubbed a little reel x on the shaft and re-assembled. It's way better. I am going to compare it to my other 2 (332 and 220) to see where I am at.
I will search on the bearing thing.
PLEASE
No more Dremel on any shafts. It takes too much metal off the shaft. I put Compound on a Q Tip & run that through the Pinion. Compound on a Small rag & clean by hand.
Mike
oh well.........too late :o
Found this while looking for info on opening the bearings (still looking but see that it involves a small fish hook).
to get the maximum amount of freespool from a star drag reel with a full length spool shaft, start by cleaning out the bearings and lubing them with tsi 301. then look at the pinion gear. just run a q-tip through the pinion gear and clean out the gunk, then dip the pinion gear in tsi 301. if that does the trick, you're done. if not, take a q-tip and snip off one end, then put the stick end in a drill. now add a little toothpast to the q-tip and slide the pinion gear onto the q-tip. now very carefully make sure the q-tip does not snag on the pinion gear and get it SLOWLY and carefully spinning. keep spinning the q-tip until the inside of the pinion gear is nice and polished inside. then clean off all the toothpaste and lube it with tsi 301. don't forget to clean up the spool shaft. polishing is ok, but no sand paper.