Reel Repair by Alan Tani

Hey all, I've serviced my own reels for a few years now, never has any issues. I recently dunked my SSVI 6500 and figured I would service it just to be safe. I put it back together after cleaning, but it doesn't work nearly as good, and is grindy. I'll attach a few photos of how I assembled it, but I think the issue is that the pinion is sitting too high.
In the photo you can see there is a few mm gap between the shelf the pinion sits in and the pinion. This only happens when i tighten the rotor nut, but I'm only getting it hand tight. Now I'm not entirely sure that this is my issue, so any help would be greatly appreciated. I will attach a picture of the pinion stack below as well.

Not that familiar with your reel, but I know it has seals around the rotor, and more than once I've had some small shims, spacers, seals etc. walk off my workbench. I would make sure you have all the small parts using the schematic. Mystic Parts has the schematic.

Those reels have shims on either side of the main gear. And I've heard it a few times that when you service it the first time you'll likely need to move a shim from the far side to the handle side to get it to be smooth again. Not sure that's the problem here but figured it's worth sharing.

Quote from: MACflyer on June 19, 2026, 06:48:27 PMNot that familiar with your reel, but I know it has seals around the rotor, and more than once I've had some small shims, spacers, seals etc. walk off my workbench. I would make sure you have all the small parts using the schematic. Mystic Parts has the schematic.

I've triple and even quadruple checked the schematic, even layed every part out as it is in the schematic just to be sure. Appreciate the advice though.

Quote from: JasonGotaProblem on June 19, 2026, 07:22:03 PMThose reels have shims on either side of the main gear. And I've heard it a few times that when you service it the first time you'll likely need to move a shim from the far side to the handle side to get it to be smooth again. Not sure that's the problem here but figured it's worth sharing.

I've switched all the shims around, both changing the order in which they sit and the side they sit on. I've added and removed shims as well, nothing seems to help. In the first photo I attached, while spinning the rotor in that state it feels grindy, even without the main gear in place.

Maybe check, clean, and oil the 2 bearings again, and check the clutch sleeve? Maybe rotor not aligned creating the small gap?

Yeah at this point I'm wondering about the state of the bearings.

The reel was working great before I took it apart, and I cleaned all of the bearings while servicing it. They work just fine right now. Clutch sleeve looks good, and I'm putting the rotor on the only way it goes on. When I reel i can feel the main gear and pinion not meshing very well.

Could the clutch sleeve be upside down? The schematic shows it opposite of your picture?

The key is in the sentence where you stated it feels grindy, as pictured in the first photo without the main gear.

I would go over the pinion bearings again—-especially looking for any corrosion on the pins or sleeve of the anti-reverse reverse bearing.

It only takes a slight amount and you get that whirring grind; good thing a replacement A/R bearing is easy to be had.

*Edit, I just read where you said it was working good before disassembly. You mentioned shims, does it get any better with the pinion gear shimmed as far downwards as it will go?

Quote from: MACflyer on June 19, 2026, 10:22:53 PMCould the clutch sleeve be upside down? The schematic shows it opposite of your picture?

Good catch ,It looks like something is upside down , to keep the pinion up hight .

Woke up this morning and hopped right on here and checked out the reel. The clutch is right side up, and it wont fit into it's slot if it's turned the other way. I shimmed it a good ways, but then I ran out of spare shims so I couldnt get it to go all the way down. It felt just about the same. At this point it's beyond my expertise, and I'm bringing it to get looked at later today, will provide updates.

It got dunked. Interested; was there any water ingress found where it shouldn't be when you were disassembling?

Does it feel "grindy" when A/R is off reeling bassackwards?Just a thought...

Quote from: Gfish on Today at 04:47:50 PMIt got dunked. Interested; was there any water ingress found where it shouldn't be when you were disassembling?

There was a decent bit of water that dripped out when i removed the sideplate.