I am new here, and very glad that I discovered this site. It is a great resource.
Anyway, I lived in the Keys for many years, but moved away about 8 years ago. Now that I have retired, I am back. I have not used my Penn ss reels (3-650, 2-750) since I left and thought I should go through and clean and lube them. The 750's were used only for offshore pitch baits, but the 650's were used much harder for reef fishing. None was ever apart before. I was actually surprised that they all came apart so easily, and are so simply designed.
All went well, except for the oldest 750 which I got in about 1980. There is a noticeable bind as I turn the handle. When I took it apart, I noticed that the shaft was not really anxious to leave or return, and required some coaxing. The end did not line up exactly with the socket and, although it would slide in, would not do so easily. The reel is usable, but I wonder if the problem could be with the shaft, the bushing, the pinion, or something else entirely.
Is the shaft bent? How does the crosswind block look, front and back sides. What about the crosswind gear. I would look at these first if the shaft is not lining up with the crosswind block. Bob
The crosswind block and gear both look fine. A bent shaft was my first guess, since it is tight going through the pinion in both directions, but I rolled it on a flat surface and cannot detect a bend. There are 2 tight spots in a complete in-out travel of the shaft. I can't get the bushing cap off to check/clean the bushing. I am going to pull it apart for the third time and try again.
Do you feel any rough spots on the shaft with your fingers? From your explanation, you'll need a new shaft. With my experience with these reels, I was thinking the crosswind block or gear as well, they usually go first
Welcome aboard, by the way.
Sal