40 gls

Started by alantani, December 07, 2008, 04:45:12 PM

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alantani

the most expensive stuff you own is the stuff you don't use.  

by those criteria, the penn 25/40/45 graphite leverdrag series reels are probably the most expensive reels ever made.  they feel like tanks - heavy, sluggish and akward.  it seemed like a good idea at the time, but it lacked the zip! and crispness of a shimano tld 20.  so it was fished a few times, and then it sat, and it sat, and it sat some more.  and then it was pulled off the rod and was lost under that pile of junk in the closet or garage.  and it's still there!  

well, just don't stand there.  go get it!  we've got some work to do.  we're going to practice on this reel.  because the penn internationals are next!  so here goes....

here's the link to the parts list and the schematics.

https://www.mysticparts.com/PennParts/Conventional.aspx#GLS

and here's your old friend.  doesn't look that bad, does it.  



pull the pre-set knob (key #144), the spring (key #41), backing washer (key #60), collar (key #83), cam lever (key #21) and cam follower (key #141).  



remove the quadrant ring (key #2) and screws (keys #32 and 38A).



remove the right side plate assembly (key #1, et al.) and screws (keys #16 and 38).  



this photo shows a rubber gasket found only in the oldest reels.  careful with this one.  they're very brittle, but you can reassemble the reel without the gasket and it will work just fine.  



pull the spool assembly



now, the reason this reel was sent to me was because the clicker didn't work.  you can see why.  it takes a little doing (and a little experience) but the clicker spring needs to be bent back into "position."  too loose and the clicker doesn't make any noise.  too tight and it won't pop in and out of position properly.  at the end, i had to take this reel apart three times to get it just right.  



take a second now and let's grease the screw holes.



remove the spool shaft and pin assembly (keys #71 and 142) with the four clutch springs (key #18, aka belleville's) and thrust washer (key #20).  the stock orientation of the washer stack is "()()|".  the height of this stack of washers is 5.18 mm.



we're going to change the orientation of the bellevilles to "(())|" and now the height is 4.61 mm.



re-install the clutch springs (bellevilles) and the thrust washer in the "(())|" orientation.  in most reels the decreased height of the stack of washers is no problem.  in some, it might be.  it's not an issue here, but keep it in mind.



time to remove the drag cover (key #156).  



it's held in by three small tabs.  carefully pry out the cap at those three points.



mark those three tabs in case you ever have to pull the drag cover again.  note that the old style penn international 16 and other reels have a "T" marking the tabs.  



the drag washer or drive plate assembly (key #117) is actually made up of a penn ht-100 drag washer glued to an aluminum backing plate.  



fortunately there was no water intrusion into this reel.  salt water in the drag chamber would have rusted the bearing into the drive plate, fouled the bearing itself, and penetrated the dry drag washer causing the aluminum underneath to bubble.  that's how these drag washers fail.  i was glad this drag washer was ok, because they are no longer available.  



set aside the bearing spring (key #41A) and the thrust washer (no key #).



let's pull the drag washer bearing.


there's no retaining ring holding in the shield, so it's a pressed in type.  take a small pen knife and pry out the shield.



what you see is a small amount of hardened grease residue and surface rust.  this bearing won't spin worth beans.  



as long as there is now pitting, carb cleaner and compressed air will clean up these bearings nicely.



after a blast with compressed air, a clean bearing should spin for a good 10 to 15 seconds.



for the last year, i have been leaving the bearings open and lubing them with corrosion x.  so far, so good.



clean the dry drag washer with a clean rag.



what i do now is to apply a thick coat of shimano drag grease to the drag washer.  in particular, get the edges to prevent salt water intrusion.



then i rub off all of the excess.  you now have a teflon-impregnated carbon fiber drag washer.  i believe that this drag washer performs as well as dry washer.  i also believe that it will resist salt water intrusion forever.  



let's pull the spool bearings (keys #26 and 55) and clean and lube them up in the same way.



and put the spool back together again.



the side plate and quadrant go back on.



put the lever back on and make sure it is in the "free" position.  this is CRITICAL.



the reel is now back together and this is all you needed.  



congratulations!  you're ready for the old style penn internationals.  


"Edited as per Moderators to correct Scott's Bait & Tackle over to their new store name Mystic Reel Parts / www.mysticparts.com"
send me an email at alantani@yahoo.com for questions!

ateel7

hey alan...i have 4 45gls that i've used forever. i've been breaking down every year ever since this post. seems that one needs 6 clutch springs and a shim now for the drag to be in the correct range. otherwise the drag knob just stops. any ideas why?

don't think it was like this when bought. could spool shafts be different lengths in each one and i mixed them?

alantani

maybe just wear and tear.  i would not have thought that this would have become a problem, though.   :-\
send me an email at alantani@yahoo.com for questions!

reelynuts

Ill tell you what, I have one of the old GLS25's, and I love it and am on the lookout for more. They are fairly comparable to a Jigmaster in size, weight, castability, etc. (not great), But I believe it has a stainless steel main gear and pinion (which makes it not so smooth to reel in), and DUAL STAINLESS STEEL DOGS, HT-100 carbon fiber drag washer, and Penn Bearings! I for one have never had a Penn ball bearing fail, but I love a lot of grease in a reel. I believe that the GLS25 (or 25GLS-whatever) was Penns response to Shimanos TLD series, or vice-versa, but if you compare a GLS25 to a TLD15 (also comparable in size), the Penn reel blows it away. The TLD has a canvas type drag washer ???, and If you ask me, Shimanos ball bearings are junk.They are always corroded and always look a little small for the job. I love both brands of reels, but between these two, I'll take the Penn any day. So if any of you do have an extra GLS 25 or 40 (which I do not have) collecting dust, let me know.

alantani

there have been dozens of penn reels that went toe-to-toe with their shimano counterparts and lost.  these are all reels that were superior in nearly every way.  well, maybe except for looks and marketing.   :-\
send me an email at alantani@yahoo.com for questions!

reelynuts

 Yeah Alan, I hear you. I just think it's a shame. Granted, if anyone was to spin the handle of say a Torium, Trinidad, whatever, then spin the handle of my 25 GLS, they would look at me like I had two heads if I said that I liked my GLS better. This GLS is about as smooth as a rock. It makes a racket that feels like the parts are just tumbling around in there among a few tablespoons of gravel. To the uneducated the shimano would blow it away. But now throw a TLD in the mix. Its not THAT much quieter than the GLS. It just has one less dog clacking around. Other than that the reels should perform similarly.I like the heft, the roughness of the gears and the commotion that the GLS makes because I know that all of those noises in the GLS are what makes the spool keep going in one direction when I try to gain line. I recall your write up on the Diawa lever drag where you mentioned your big trucks/suvs and how you associate the size and weight with durability and dependability. I agree 100%. So I just think its a shame that we have become so spoiled that we have traded integrity for smoothness, light weight and silence. We compare reels by fractions of an ounce, then go after the heaviest fish we can find ???. I know that shimano and other brands make many great products, and I know that Penn and other brands have made a lot of junk. What were they thinking when they made those silver spinning reels. I guess I just have a soft spot in my heart for the products of yesteryear (aren't I poetic), and I worry that the future generations will be blindly brainwashed into associating quality with high price tags, smooth and quiet operation and a lot of bling. Little do they know that a $10.00 Jigmaster on Ebay will catch the same fish that a $400.00 whatever will. And we all talk about "pounds of drag" like its a matter of life and death. Until ten years ago I didn't know what a pound of drag meant. People see 40 lbs. of drag advertised and have to have it. I think about Al Reynolds who held the world record striped bass since (and don't quote me on all of this info, but I'm close enough to make a point) the early 70's, using a Penn Spinfisher 710 0r 712 (Z) spinning reel off a jetty in Jersey. This is a man who couldn't read or write, yet landed the WORLD RECORD fish on a reel that probably puts out around 7 pounds of drag. I associate high drag capabilities with hooks being ripped out of fish's mouths, broken rods, snapped line, bent or broken hooks, and failed knots resulting in lost fish. Possibly a record breaker. The drag mechanism was invented as a cushion to let the fish fight while protecting our equipment and trying to have a little fun while playing tug of war. I dont know. I've gotten myself all worked up again. I just think that we have turned into a bunch of brats, and I worry that manufacturing quality products that will perform for a lifetime is gone for good. I often think about Penn or Abu reels (etc.) that people are buying on Ebay now that may already be 60-70 or more years old, and I wonder and assume that some may go hundreds of years without failure with a little care. These reels are too young to know how long they may live. I just dont see products being made today lasting like they used to. I hope I'm wrong. GLS's RULE! ;D Thanks for listening., Nuts

wallacewt

hey nutsy did you get my email and pm

broschro

Quote from: reelynuts on February 16, 2012, 09:03:10 AM
Yeah Alan, I hear you. I just think it's a shame. Granted, if anyone was to spin the handle of say a Torium, Trinidad, whatever, then spin the handle of my 25 GLS, they would look at me like I had two heads if I said that I liked my GLS better. This GLS is about as smooth as a rock. It makes a racket that feels like the parts are just tumbling around in there among a few tablespoons of gravel. To the uneducated the shimano would blow it away. But now throw a TLD in the mix. Its not THAT much quieter than the GLS. It just has one less dog clacking around. Other than that the reels should perform similarly.I like the heft, the roughness of the gears and the commotion that the GLS makes because I know that all of those noises in the GLS are what makes the spool keep going in one direction when I try to gain line. I recall your write up on the Diawa lever drag where you mentioned your big trucks/suvs and how you associate the size and weight with durability and dependability. I agree 100%. So I just think its a shame that we have become so spoiled that we have traded integrity for smoothness, light weight and silence. We compare reels by fractions of an ounce, then go after the heaviest fish we can find ???. I know that shimano and other brands make many great products, and I know that Penn and other brands have made a lot of junk. What were they thinking when they made those silver spinning reels. I guess I just have a soft spot in my heart for the products of yesteryear (aren't I poetic), and I worry that the future generations will be blindly brainwashed into associating quality with high price tags, smooth and quiet operation and a lot of bling. Little do they know that a $10.00 Jigmaster on Ebay will catch the same fish that a $400.00 whatever will. And we all talk about "pounds of drag" like its a matter of life and death. Until ten years ago I didn't know what a pound of drag meant. People see 40 lbs. of drag advertised and have to have it. I think about Al Reynolds who held the world record striped bass since (and don't quote me on all of this info, but I'm close enough to make a point) the early 70's, using a Penn Spinfisher 710 0r 712 (Z) spinning reel off a jetty in Jersey. This is a man who couldn't read or write, yet landed the WORLD RECORD fish on a reel that probably puts out around 7 pounds of drag. I associate high drag capabilities with hooks being ripped out of fish's mouths, broken rods, snapped line, bent or broken hooks, and failed knots resulting in lost fish. Possibly a record breaker. The drag mechanism was invented as a cushion to let the fish fight while protecting our equipment and trying to have a little fun while playing tug of war. I dont know. I've gotten myself all worked up again. I just think that we have turned into a bunch of brats, and I worry that manufacturing quality products that will perform for a lifetime is gone for good. I often think about Penn or Abu reels (etc.) that people are buying on Ebay now that may already be 60-70 or more years old, and I wonder and assume that some may go hundreds of years without failure with a little care. These reels are too young to know how long they may live. I just dont see products being made today lasting like they used to. I hope I'm wrong. GLS's RULE! ;D Thanks for listening., Nuts
love my gls 45 fish killer

floating doc

I followed the instructions and serviced my 40 gls last month, then fished the opening of red snapper season in the gulf. It worked great. Unfortunately, I'll have to go back into it again soon, I couldn't get the bearing shields off.

I changed the orientation of the washers as instructed, and had 19.5 lbs of drag at strike. I didn't catch any fish big enough to take line against that much drag. Will this reel handle that setting? How much drag can this graphite frame withstand?
Central Florida

Bryan Young

That should be fine.  What is the drag at full?  I would not go more than 25# of drag though.  Just not enough info on the the strengths of these reels unlike other reels...maybe because there were less failures.
:D I talk with every part I send out and each reel I repair so that they perform at the top of their game. :D

floating doc

I didn't test it against the scale at full. I couldn't readily pull line off the spool, so it had to be pretty high. I don't know that I would push the drag much past strike.

I'm using it for bottom fishing, so if something takes line against nearly 20 pounds of drag, I don't know that I have much chance....
Central Florida

alantani

gotta get a scale!   ;D
send me an email at alantani@yahoo.com for questions!

floating doc

Oh, I have a scale. It's a Chatillion that I bought about 26 years ago.

I would have tested full drag, but we were about to load the truck. I spooled the reel, set the drag at strike, and moved on. I'm much more used to star drag reels, so it just never occurred to me that I hadn't finished the job.
Central Florida

floating doc

#13
Quote from: Bryan Young on June 10, 2012, 05:44:27 AM
That should be fine.  What is the drag at full?  I would not go more than 25# of drag though.  Just not enough info on the the strengths of these reels unlike other reels...maybe because there were less failures.

OK, following up. I got the scale out and attached the line. Pulling straight off (rod pointed at the scale) I pulled 15 1/2 pounds at strike. I haven't changed the setting since I checked it prior to fishing a couple of weeks ago. Maybe the drag has settled in with some use?

Anyhow, I adjusted it higher and played around a bit. Here's what I got.

At 21.5 pounds at strike, I still had free spool. I then pushed it to full. At full drag, I was able to pull some line off the reel, but the scale bottomed out. my scale reads to 25 lbs, and has room on the slide for maybe another 8-10 pounds, so at full with that setting it was pushing 35 pounds (at least, maybe a lot more). Way too much for a reel with a plastic frame!

It makes me wonder, though: I wouldn't fish this reel above 25 lbs as advised here, but what about if I get rocked up by a big fish and I'm trying to break the line?  In such circumstances, I would normally hammer the drag (whether lever or star), wind up as tight as possible, and then take a couple of wraps around the reel frame. Finally, I would point the rod straight down the line and start pulling.

I guess that would be one way to break a graphite frame (depending on the line test, knot strength, etc.).

I have the reel spooled with 50. It's not IGFA line, so I assume that it would test in the 60's or higher.

I never like to give up too much line capacity, so if I went to anything more (60-80) I would break out the Daiwa 600H. The aluminum frame and side plates on that reel would be up to the bottom fishing drag settings with the heavier line, but with the smoothies that I have in it, I don't know that I could get to 25 lbs of drag...

I'm waiting anxiously for my "Alan Tani drag set" for the 600H (and my 450H) to be available. Then it's problem solved.
Central Florida

floating doc

So here I am a year later, and there's going to be a Gulf of Mexico red snapper season in October. I'll be heading out for that if I get my PTO approved.

I'm going to order a 5/0 grip from Alan when he returns tomorrow.

I would like to have a longer crank arm (for my 40 GLS); any suggestions?
Central Florida