Reel Repair by Alan Tani

Spinning Reel Rebuild Tutorials and Questions => Abu Garcia/Garcia/Mitchell => Mitchell => Topic started by: GHETTOWRAPPED on February 21, 2026, 02:33:35 PM

Title: Mitchell almost had it right
Post by: GHETTOWRAPPED on February 21, 2026, 02:33:35 PM
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The beautiful 402, a prizefighter with a glass jaw.  I have personally destroyed many gearsets using just 17# mono!

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This VS150 was on the bench, compare the gear teeth direction to the 402. All the reels are left hand crank.

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Out of the Mitchell graveyard, I pulled the axle off a stripped out 402 main gear.

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Also, I dug up a 403 main gear and removed its axle and swapped it with the 402.  Of course, the 403 pinion will be installed in place of the 402.

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As far as the planamatics, I'm gonna put braid on it so the crosswind would not be necessary(?) It may even give a nice even line lay.

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I'm a big fan of the 302 look, so I put the new gearset in a black housing, with only the red selector and power knob. The chrome handle weighs twice as much as the standard military issue.

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Title: Re: Mitchell almost had it right
Post by: oldmanjoe on February 21, 2026, 05:32:51 PM
  The down fall most times is small Main bearing with a grade  ABEC 3 .   Sloppy tolerances  and backlash will kill gears fast .