Reel Repair by Alan Tani

Hi all,

After a month of no biters on marketplace for my like new (but used) 114H2 I started watching some videos of the guys who I am going out halibut fishing next month who also run tuna out of Bodega bay.  Those videos had me decide that maybe I should keep the tuna reel for some tuna. 

Thus I opened up the reel to see if it needed anything.  It was in fine shape, but the grease was a bit old and tired.  It actually was well greased and constructed very well.  Not sure why people complain about Chinese Senators....  Drags needed some more Cal's and hoo boy are those metal washers beasts.  I guess all the better to dissipate heat.....

Which brings me to my questions:  I want to get drag up into the high twenties, and figure that I can do that with the Young's 7+1 kit.

1.  Can the standard brass sleeve and gear hold up to that?
2.  If I hedge my bets on adding a stainless sleave and dog from Mystic, can the brass main gear hold up to that?
3.  Are there stock steel gears from old senators that are one for one switches that I can look for on ebay?
4.  Will the frame make all this pointless?
5.  Is this just all pointless, and time to buy a modern reel?

Cheers!

 Pump and reel. Pump and reel. Pump and reel. Doubtful the gears will fail with this method

Ted speaks wisdom, and it is easy to get "into the weeds" especially here in the forum when you start talking about upgrading reels.  And every one of your questions is thoughtfully based, since any upgrade will begin to expose the next "weakest link".  And the next thing you know you have a $400 Penn Senator star drag (nothing wrong with that? John says glancing at the reel bench).  Any (or all) of those upgrades will be fine, but fishing it as is - it's a very capable reel.  And adding one or two of those upgrades (better drag stack, etc) certainly is fine, as long as you always fish the reel within it's limits, and the limits of the stock reel are pretty doggone robust.- john

So the stock gears in these reels could probably power a go cart. They don't "need" an upgrade. Not that folks only do "needed" things to their reels.

I'll mention something though. Alan wrote an article about "kill it in 20 minutes" namely that it kinda sucks to make your buddies deal with potential tangles with your line as you fight a cow for the next 2+ hours. That, if anything, is the strongest argument for quality modern tackle of an appropriate size. With that said, Sal got his 6/0 up to like 70# of drag with aftermarket parts. And sometimes we just wanna fish the way we wanna fish. Where there's a will, there's a way.

I've got drag kits and maybe a few steel gear sets laying around. I could be talked into parting with some for less than current prices, if you really wanna go that route.

Quote from: JasonGotaProblem on April 28, 2026, 03:53:06 PMI've got drag kits and maybe a few steel gear sets laying around. I could be talked into parting with some for less than current prices, if you really wanna go that route.

I certainly am going to want to up the drag, so that offer is very kind. I'll send a PM. 

The fishing would be on a smaller boat with less opportunity to annoy fellow anglers.....

With new drags and a handle upgrade the 114H is a very capable reel.  It doesn't really need much after that. 

I was thinking 100# braid with a long 80# mono topshot.  It's that being too optimistic?

Quote from: Bill B on April 29, 2026, 03:05:12 PMand a handle upgrade.... 

I was thinking a nice aluminum offset arm with an International long banana for giggles.

Quote from: MolBasser on April 30, 2026, 12:57:07 AMI was thinking 100# braid with a long 80# mono topshot.  It's that being too optimistic?

No, that should work.

Quote from: MarkT on April 30, 2026, 02:04:18 AM

Quote from: MolBasser on April 30, 2026, 12:57:07 AMI was thinking 100# braid with a long 80# mono topshot.  It's that being too optimistic?

No, that should work.

Excellent.

I recently picked up a N.O.S. accurate steel gear set.  I am not going to use it if you are interested.

Thank you for the offer, I need to think about a few things but I'll pm you if I want to take you up on it.

Cheers. Love the helpful friendliness here.

IMHO (for what it's worth) if your main gear has a Delrin bushing in the center that's your weak link. I'd be concerned with that even before the gear sleeve if you do as Maxed Out advises. That said if your gear sleeve shows any sign at all of rounding on the handle end replace it. Even a new stock brass one set up properly should be good enough. Unfortunately I'm not speaking from experience in fighting a fish that can overpower a 6/0 Senator only from the standpoint of rebuilding/repairing them after such use.

Quote from: OhReely on April 30, 2026, 04:29:45 PMIMHO (for what it's worth) if your main gear has a Delrin bushing in the center that's your weak link. I'd be concerned with that even before the gear sleeve if you do as Maxed Out advises. That said if your gear sleeve shows any sign at all of rounding on the handle end replace it. Even a new stock brass one set up properly should be good enough. Unfortunately I'm not speaking from experience in fighting a fish that can overpower a 6/0 Senator only from the standpoint of rebuilding/repairing them after such use.

Right now the reel is completely stock and barely (if at all) used.  The brass sleeve is in pristine condition, as are the gears.  It has the hard slick plastic/delrin washer under the main gear.

Various materials have been used for the under-gear washer, it's a matter of personal preference. What you have sounds stock and should be fine. I'm referring to a Delrin bushing pressed into the center of the main gear and peened around the edges of the hole to keep it in place. Once again just my opinion. Use it as Maxed Out advised and you should be fine.