Penn 50VSW HELP!!!

Started by CandR, February 25, 2011, 01:59:16 PM

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CandR

So I was trying to service the drags on my 50vsw, and I was quickly tearing down the reel, and removed the retaining ring and little metal tab. doh!!  the little metal piece that I assume needs to be lifted so as to remove the drag cover has sunk and is flush with the drag cover, and I cannot get the cover off!?  What kind of design is this?

Any suggestions (pain free), or am I going to have to cut a slit in the drag cover with a dremel, just so I can get at the little pin, and lift it up.....and then unscrew the drag cover.

thanks alot!!!

Ted

Dominick

Ted:  Glad you asked.  I did the same thing.  As a matter of fact, I ordered a replacement cover.  When the replacement cover came, I tried again to get the little pin up and was successful.  I used a pointy dentist tool to dig at the pin.  The pin has a slight groove in it where the locking circlip holds it in place.  You should be able to grip the groove and hold it out.  It'l probably slip a few times, but eventually you will get it up high enough to grip it.  If you don't have a pointy dentist tool to use try a small fish hook.  Have an alligator clip handy.  Dig at the pin and raise it to the point where you can grab it with the alligator clip to hold it out of the way.  I would help to have a third hand to use the alligator clip.  Then unscrew the cover.  Once the cover is unscrewed be careful of the little spring retaining the pin.  Put the little tab and circlip back on so you don't lose it.  If you end having to destroy the cover to get it off, let me know, I'll send you the one I ordered and did not use.  If you destroy it, save the pin and spring.  Gratis to one of Alan's Reelheads.  Dominick
Leave the gun.  Take the cannolis.

There are two things I don't like about fishing.  Getting up early in the morning and boats.  The rest of it is fun.

alantani

thanks, dominick.  yes, that is correct.  it WILL come out.  you may have to dig a little more.  alan
send me an email at alantani@yahoo.com for questions!

Dominick

Quote from: alantani on February 25, 2011, 11:17:13 PM
thanks, dominick.  yes, that is correct.  it WILL come out.  you may have to dig a little more.  alan

Whew! It's good to be seconded by the master.  Dominick
Leave the gun.  Take the cannolis.

There are two things I don't like about fishing.  Getting up early in the morning and boats.  The rest of it is fun.

CandR

Dominick and Alan,

Thanks alot for the info. Fortunately for me, a local tackle shop here in Palm Beach carries Penn parts (Lott Bros), and when I called and talked to one of the guys at the shop, he said he'd made that very same mistake a long time ago, as well. He also suggested to dig. I bought a new drag cover plate from him, and wound up digging a hole out around the pin/spring with some sharp pointy tools. Was able to pull the spring out in good shape, and grab the pin with needle nose pliers and pull it out as well.   Destroyed the old drag cover plate, but its a $5 part. New cover plate installed correctly.

Geez, for a $600 reel, this seems like a really bad design- I've pulled off many c-clips on different reels, and I dont ever remember being "screwed" like I was by the Penn. Think they would have something a little more sensible. Anyways, disaster averted!

By the way, Alan, cleaned out the bearings, and relubed with TSI301, and wholly cow batman! It went from spinning for 15 secs to ~90 secs, with full drag. Saweeeeet!

alantani

thank you very much for you post.  people can often learn more from the mistakes of others, which is why i made this a sticky.  alan
send me an email at alantani@yahoo.com for questions!

Cast-Away

#6
Hi everyone, I've been lurking here for a while and I've gotten a lot of very useful information, thank you all very much.  I had difficulty with the registration but apparently it somehow worked itself out ???.  

I have about 20 reels that I service every in varying degrees every year or so depending on how much use they get - I'm by no means a pro but I'm getting pretty good at taking things apart and for the most part getting them back together.  This winter I had some extra time on my hands so I've done a complete tear down on all of my reels and I'm down to the last few.  Right now I have a fairly new 50VSW on my desk, last night I had the left side plate off and the spool out, I briefly looked at the retainer you looked at on the drag cover but since everything else in the reel was very clean and the grease looked good I just blobbed a little new grease in a few places and closed it back up.

For nothing more than curiosity I'm tempted to go back in and open up the drag cover but in addition to that little retainer you're talking about I see they have the same type of cover as the Shimano TLD with the backwards "unscrew" instruction.  The TLD's came with a tool that fits in the notched slot on the cover that provides grip and leverage to get that cover off, is that needed on 50VSW or will I be able to get it with just my hands.  I just don't want to go through the bother of getting that pin / retainer off if that's as far as I'm going to get.  

Is there a tutorial for the 50VSW?

CandR

Cast-Away,

Its no big deal. Once you lift the little retainer up, its easy to unscrew the drag cover plate. You dont really need the Penn tool. I was able to do it with my hands.  While you've got the cover off, you may want to make sure the drag's are greased.

I havent seen a tutorial for a 50vsw, but there is one for a 50vsx, and much is the same, at least I thought so.  Its not so intimidating after you've done it once.

Good luck!
Ted

Dominick

Castaway:  Ted is correct.  If you follow Alan's tutorial on the 50vsx, with the exception of removing the handle everything inside is the same.  The handle on the VSW is easier than the VSX.  I've got to take my 50vsw apart again to put in the heavier bellevilles.  That is the only sticky part to getting the reel together.  The bellevilles slip around trying to get the spool in place.  Dominick
Leave the gun.  Take the cannolis.

There are two things I don't like about fishing.  Getting up early in the morning and boats.  The rest of it is fun.

Cast-Away

Well, I went back into it following the VSX tutorial which was very helpful.  As others said it's basically the same inside but I'm stuck on the drag plate cover.  I was able to get that retainer pin up and hold it up using a gizmo I made by cutting a notch in a spinner bait blade but without that punn tool I can't get enough leverage on the cover to get the cover off.  I assume this is something I can order from penn but does anyone have any ideas how to make a key?  I tried bending a coat hanger which fit into those holes adjacent to the notches nicely but it didn't give me enough.   

Dominick

Castaway:  Im surprised that the drag cover wont come off without the special wrench.  I wont need mine for a while so you can borrow it.  Send me a PM with your address and I will mail it to you and when you are finished with it you can send it back.  Before you do this though, try this.  Wipe the edges of the drag cover with a degreaser so that you can get a good grip on it.  Have someone hold the reel and with two hands try to twist the cover off.  Dominick
Leave the gun.  Take the cannolis.

There are two things I don't like about fishing.  Getting up early in the morning and boats.  The rest of it is fun.

Cast-Away

#11
Thank you for the offer but I found the original box this morning and sure enough that tool was in there.  I have two of these reels to service so before I go back into it I just ordered a couple of those little (POS) drag plate retainer clip / ring things on the anticipation that I'll need them at some point.  

I also ordered 2 each of the key number 18 and 18a's, these are the disc clutch springs that in the VSX tutorial he suggests changing the standard configuration of ()() to (())) , if that tutorial is for the VSX can I assume that it will also work in the VSW?  If so which spring / washer should I use, the 18 or 18a or does it matter?  The person in the parts dept said there's a couple millimeter difference in thickness between the two of them so that's why I ordered both.  The actual part numbers are 018 050TW and 018 050W.  I assume this will give me a little more drag pressure, is there any down side?  Maybe I can use the two extra ones in my older 50TW's?    

Am I more likely to get a response by posting this in the 50 VSX thread?        

alantani

when you change the belleville configuration and stiffen it up, you increase the drag range but it comes with a cost.  the cost is that the drag  becomes more difficult to adjust.  every small turn in the prest knob can now give you big jumps in drag pressure.  that is the down side.  in terms of the best final configuration, the thing to do is just try it an see.  i'm betting you'll be good on the first try.  alan
send me an email at alantani@yahoo.com for questions!