I finally got around to trying my hand at servicing my Accurates. I have a pair of BX2-500Ns. I broke them down and greased and oiled everything. On the first reel I removed the shields from the spool bearings and on the second I left them intact. Upon reassembly the first reel feels very rough. It's not too bad as long as the drag knob is in it's lowest setting, but as soon as I add drag the reel handle gets hard to turn and the drag lever becomes stiff. Everything is better than new with the second reel. I tore both reels down a second time and everything seems to be identical other than the missing bearing shields on the bad reel. All of the bearings were in excellent condition when I serviced them. Perhaps I damaged a bearing during reassembly? Any suggestions on what I should check?
Pinion bearing. Those should be packed with grease and sealed is better.
Thanks Bryan! I'll check it out.
I also forgot to ask about greasing the drag plates. I was a/bit surprised by the amount of grease on the drags. I typically lightly grease the carbontex washers and wipe away the excess. Should I also lightly brush the drag plates with grease or wipe them dry?
Drag plates should be wiped clean with rag. No need for cleaners.