Reel Repair by Alan Tani

Sounds like the main shaft isn't moving freely.
The cross-pin end of the main shaft may be binding up in the frame - I've come across this before in a TLD25.
Winding a few turns may be just enough to loosen the shaft, allowing it to move left into a free-spool position.
If this is the case, you should see the drag preload knob move in a fraction during the first wind or two while in free-spool.
All the best, Justin

the pressure plate rides on a bearing.  it sounds like the bearing is not sliding easily on the spool shaft.  check there first.

Alan,

Just used your tutorial for the first time to take apart a tld 15 to fix the drag...  works great now!!!!   Thanks.

BodegaErik

any chance i can temp you with a stainless steel handle arm and a 4/0 kolekar grip?

I can thoroughly vouch for this upgrade - works a treat and a worthwhile investment, especially if you've hot-rodded the drag and bellevilles...
Cheers Alan!
Justin

Alan,

Can't temp me with anything right now....   Just trying to keep the gear that I have in working order!!  After I get a new boat in the next 5-10 years, then I'll be looking at upgrading equipment!!

Thanks for the great tutorials.....

updated pdf link

http://fish.shimano.com/media/fishing/techdocs/en/TLD15_v1_m56577569830498877.pdf

Alan,

Upgraded my tld 15 per your tutorial.  Used the Penn drag, the heavier bellville washers and added a Kolekar handle and grip.  What a great package!  Got to break it in on a near 50# yellowfin last month on the Iman bank out of Cabo San Jose, Baja.  The handle makes it easy, plus the drag upgrade puts plenty of pressure on the fish.

Thanks Alan - learning to maintain my own reels is making fishing even more fun!

I purchased a used tld 15.  I noticed that some times when i put the reel in free spool, it wont free spool.  If i press on the drag adjustment knob, it clicks to the left and the reel free spools.  Where do i find out more info on upgrading reel and where do i buy the parts?

Thanks

someone else had the same problem. 

Quote

Quote from: troutman561 on August 26, 2010, 01:30:48 AM
Hi Alan, I am not sure if my message I sent earlier made it because I had nothing in my outbox so I am going to try again. I just pulled my 15 year old TLD 20 apart and greased everything and replaced the main drive shaft bearing. It free spools great and everything feels smooth. The problem I am having is when it is in free spool the preprogram dial is in towards the reel like it should be and all is well. When I engage the drag to strike, it pops out like it should but when I move it back into free spool the dial will not pop back towards the reel until I just slightly nudge it in a clockwise direction. At this point it goes back into free spool. I took it all apart and checked everything and all seems well.. Any ideas?  Thanks, Ryan 

check the left side plate.  often the graphite will swell and the spool shaft will not travel right to left as easily as it should.  see the hole for the spool shaft and cross pin?  yup, it's probably binding right there. 



pull the spool shaft and cross pin out of the spool.  first, take the spool shaft alone and see how well it fits.  if it's too tight, go in with a round file and lightly file each side of the hole, then recheck it.  ok, it spool shaft slides easily now?  good.  let's check the cross pin. 

install the cross pin into the spool shaft and try sliding it in and out of the hole in the left side plate.  it's stuck as well?  no surprise.  get a small flat file and file down all four surfaces of the slot that the cross pin fits into.  again, do  this slowy.  too much and you'll need a new frame.  get this right and the reel should pop in and out of gear easily. um, if that is the problem.........   

Hi Alan, I've just completed the overhaul of my TLD15 and it needed most of the tricks, including filing out the side plate so the shaft will float nicely. I got my parts from Mikes reel Repair, although they neglected to tell me until the drag washer arrived that they were out of stock of the beefier bellevilles, so i have reassembled with the old ones. All seemed sweet but on testing...

1. I can wind the pre-program the whole way up, not lose freespool, but I only get 11lb of drag at strike and 20lb at full

2. As I add drag, the handle gets harder to turn, at full drag, it's useless.

I assume that the Pinion bearing may have something to do with issue 2? Aside from the bellevilles I'm at a loss for issue 1. Any ideas?

Cheers

Mike

G'day and welcome Mike,
Re: question one, around 15lbs is the practical limit for this reel, as higher settings will compromise the pinon bearing.
This, unfortunately, also answers your second question - a new bearing is likely required.
Hope that's of some assistance.
Cheers, Justin

Cheers Justin. Seeing as your also in Aucks, where is the best place to get one?

I've got a bunch - I work in Onehunga, if you're in the neighbourhood.
If you're nearer the Shore, Auckland Bearings (on Diana Drive) are great.
Either that or PM your address and I'll post one out.
Cheers, Justin

Awesome. I'm At Ruapehu till tomorrow night but could pop past on Wednesday? What's the damage?