Clutch/pinion Prob??? on TLD star drag

[Nessie Hunter]

As much as I hate to admit Im stuck..  Ive run out of options!!!   LOL

I have a TLD 20/40 S  Star drag on the bench (well - off the Bench)....
It was taken apart and drags upgraded (Carbontex) by owner... 
Didnt go back together right so I now have it....

No problem, all is going fine, then see the entire Pinion & yoke  assembly is upside down.  OK.
Do my thing & Get it back together...

Here is the problem.. 
It Has some weird feel & rubbing when OUT of gear, freespool is very poor.
If I move the handle back & forth I can get what feels like a spot of Good free movement??

Also if I turn the handle while in Free, it seems to be rubbing inside (feels like crooked Pinion or??)
I have taken it apart about a doz times and worked in a process of elimination....

Thought the shaft was bent??  Doesnt seem to be.. (Spun it on drill and looked fine??)

Thought the Pinion was damaged??   Drilled it out and felt a catch that could have been a ping/ding/dent??
Polished Pinion & Shaft..... Issue is much better BUT still there.......
But there is also a little more clearance between shaft & pinion now...
So that wasnt the problem...

Could the Clutch/slide be damaged and the High spots or not even in height ( the bumps that push the yoke up)?? (and to small to see??), therefore pushing the Yoke & pinion up uneven...  This would cock the pinion and cause it to rub shaft (I think, lol) .... Wiggle of handle would then find a free spot & feel fine.....

I got frustrated and threw it back together.   Average guy may never notice this, BUT I do and almost had nightmares last night!!!  I said Almost!! LMAO....

Any of you have any Ideas or experience with an issue like this??
Everything else seems to be working great... 

Owner fishes it on his boat in Cabo when there, so doesnt do much if any casting, I suggested he just fish it till it falls apart, or I could start buying parts and end up finding the problem at his expense!!!! 
Its doesnt seem cost effective to do that.... 
But its driving me nuts.   
If there is a cheap Shade tree fix I would take the time to do it, for my own sanity!!!!!

**HELP**     

What am I missing,  I keep thinking im just not thinking out of the box???
Or Im just not seeing the forest for the trees!!!!!!!!!!!



.

[alantani]

there is a shortcut way to do this and a systematic way.  here is your schematic.

http://fish.shimano.com/media/fishing/techdocs/en/TLD2040S_v1_m56577569830498883.pdf

find the spool shaft bushing (key #82) and remove it and bag it.  it is not essential.  now re-assemble the reel and see if it works.  this would not address all of the problems you described, or it might ........

ok, it worked?  that's one more little trick to keep up your sleeve.  um, it didn't?  then we'll have to be systematic about it. does the spool rub when you spin it out of gear or does the handle rub?  if it's the spool, assemble the bare frame, spool and left side plate together and give the spool a spin.  then add the bare right side plate with no gears, then add the pinion alone, then add the main gear cluster, then the star, then the handle and see at what point the rub comes back.  if it's the handle that rubs in free, remove the pinion gear and try it.  if it rubs with no gears, then it's some contact point at the base of the drive shaft or where ever it comes in contact with the right side plate.  if it rubs only with gears in place, see if it rubs once every rotation of the handle (that's a main gear problem) or 5 times per rotation of the handle (that's a pinion gear problem). 

if this doesn't work, you'll have to start switching out part with another reel to isolate the problem.  alan

[Nessie Hunter]

Thanks Alan....   Think I found it..   

A couple (1 or 2) of the bottom gears of the Pinion are tweaked just enough that when its OUT of gear they mesh wrong with main gear.. 
Probably from being forced when Pinion was upside down???

It is the 5.2:1 gear ratio and I can feel it when I turn the handle OUT of gear, 5 time per revolution of the handle...

'In gear' that portion of Pinion is below the main gear and doesnt rub.... Smooth as silk...

[alantani]

yeah, normally it's just the opposite.  guess that's what happens when the pinion gear goes in upside down!