Reel Repair by Alan Tani

Spinning Reel Rebuild Tutorials and Questions => CrAck => Topic started by: FlipFlopRepairShoppe on April 16, 2019, 06:26:51 PM

Title: CrAcK 300
Post by: FlipFlopRepairShoppe on April 16, 2019, 06:26:51 PM
Got in my first Crack/Luxor.  Had to take a mechanics pick to scrape all the paint off of her screws so that I could open the body of the reel up.  Luckily for me the paint was fairly soft and those screws backed right out.  I'd heard horror stories of how brittle they are, so they'll be getting Never Seize compound on them when I reinstall them. 

Wow these internals are robust.  No wonder why the northeast guys fished them for so long.  I've never seen a bronze reel gear that deep and with that much support for the teeth.  That dust guard on the spindle gave me pause for a minute.  I'd never seen a setup like that before. 

I'm not finished with her, but I only had time for a tear down.  Will post pics of her when she's back together.
Title: Re: CrAcK 300
Post by: FlipFlopRepairShoppe on April 18, 2019, 08:06:02 AM
Tore the side plate down and found this.  Is it normal for these to be this chewed up?  Something tells me that's going to be a No.  LOL, man do I ever have the luck with these surf reels....
Title: Re: CrAcK 300
Post by: Midway Tommy on April 18, 2019, 06:50:54 PM
That can happen when the anti-reverse ratchet gear is softer metal than the dog and the user over stressed, i.e. continuously slammed, the anti-reverse mechanism with the drag set way too tight. A lot of people do that on the hook set and it is really hard on the anti-reverse mechanism. It should still function in that state, but you can dress, i.e. touch up with a file, those teeth. They should be dressed fairly evenly, though.   
Title: Re: CrAcK 300
Post by: 1badf350 on April 18, 2019, 08:02:06 PM
Heres a replacement if you need or want one

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-Crack-300-Main-Gear-vintage-parts-/113722584123
Title: Re: CrAcK 300
Post by: Alto Mare on April 18, 2019, 08:22:25 PM
That does happen when the reel is abused. I'm with Tommy, a file should reshape it nicely.

Sal
Title: Re: CrAcK 300
Post by: FlipFlopRepairShoppe on April 18, 2019, 08:25:51 PM
Thanks 1bad, I saw that one on ebay last night and thought about it. 

Alto, Midway, I'm going to dress it up with a file.  I think there's enough gear material there to save the gear.  I'm not going to keep throwing money at this reel, and if she isn't fishable with that repair, then she'll go up on the shelf o' old reels.  I've got a Penn 704 now that's ready for hard duty and I can  keep that reel in action with spare parts nearly forever.  Not to mention a DAM 270 that'll probably outlive me.
Title: Re: CrAcK 300
Post by: Midway Tommy on April 19, 2019, 02:45:41 AM
It will still fish and be functional, although you may feel a little bit of difference in the resistance in the click when the anti-reverse is engaged. You may have to mess with the point or angle on the dog, too.
Title: Re: CrAcK 300
Post by: FlipFlopRepairShoppe on April 19, 2019, 08:53:07 PM
You're absolutely right, Tommy.  I hadn't thought that far into the project, but depending on how the angle changes, you are completely correct.  For right now I'm contemplating leaving it alone.  She catches just fine in anti-reverse and while the leading edge is alittle chewed, I don't think anything's in danger of shearing.  That old bronze is pretty tough and I doubt it's work hardened enough to crack, but rather keep deforming if abused.

If I'm off base with my thoughts, please correct me, gentleman.