GLD 20/30 single speed

Started by alantani, March 09, 2009, 09:28:38 PM

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alantani

with the US market flooded with tld's, it's easy to think that the only graphite lever drag reels on the market belong to shimano.  penn has had an excellent line of graphite trolling reels for years.  starting with the KG series, and now the GLD's, the only complaint i've heard has been the overall larger size of this reel versus the tld's.  it's different inside.  here's are links to the schematics.

https://www.mysticparts.com/Assets/images/pennparts/schematics/gld20.pdf
https://www.mysticparts.com/Assets/images/pennparts/schematics/gld30.pdf

and here is our reel.



one of the interesting things about this reel is the material used for the lugs, quadrant, handle arm and some other parts.  according to my machinist friend, these are all stainless steel.  



remove the side plate screws (key #16) and quadrant spacer bushings (key #157a).



removing the quadrant ring (key #2) is the hardest part of this rebuild.  you have to push in on the freespool button (key #161) and the strike button (key #161a) at the same time.  then you have to push the quadrant ring (key #2) up and over to the right.  it's a tight fit.  work it and you'll get it out.





flip the reel over and remove the lower frame screws (key #46a).



remove the long frame screws (key #31) and short frame screws (key #46).



let's set them aside so they don't get lost.



remove the right side plate and spool as a unit.



unscrew the preset knob (key #144).



the spool assembly separates easily from the right side plate assembly.  set both aside.



here's the clicker assembly (key #35, et.al.).  nothing to service here.



back out the left side plate screws (key #46b), add a little grease to the threads and zip them back in.



this reel was shipped without a rod clamp, but we're going to grease the threads anyway.



ok, the frame is done.  let's set it aside and move on.  



to service the spool, let's first remove the drag cover (key #156).  the threads are left handed.



remove the drive plate (key #117).  there is a bearing inside that we will get to later.





remove the spindle spring (key #41).



remove the spindle retaining ring (key #69c).



pull the spool spindle (key #71).  four disc clutch spings (key #18) come out with the spool spindle.  note the "()()" orientation.



remove the left spool bearing (key #26a).  this bearing measures 7x22x7.



remove the four ratchet screws (key #101) and the click ratchet (key #81).





remove the left spool bearing (key #55).  this bearing measures 10x26x8.



i've added the two bearings to the spool spindle.  note that the spindle is turned down 7mm to accomodate the right spool bearing.  it functionally serves as a bearing sleeve.



flip the spool around and remove the drag washer (key #6).  interestingly, there appears to be a coat of grease on both the drag washer and the spool underneath.



since we don't know what is on the drag washer already, let's go ahead and give the spool (key #29) a light coat of cal's grease.



add a light coat of cal's grease to both sides of the drag washer (key #6).  



install the greased drag washer (key #6) into the spool (key #29).



wipe off all of the excess grease from the working surface of the drag washer (key #6).



hmmm.....  doesn't look a bit different.



now for the bearings.  if you haven't seen it before, take a look at the old post on how to crack open and service a bearing at http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=13.0  this bearing is partially greased.  we are going to clean out the left spool bearing (key #55) and lube it with xtreme reel +.



here's the inside of the right spool bearing (key #26a).  i've seen this grease in some of the older international bearings before.  it has the consistency of peanut butter that has been left out for a week.





here we go.  both spool bearings, cleaned with carb cleaner and compressed air, lubed with xtreme reel +, and ready to go.



now what we are going to do is to "blue print" this reel.  if you're not familiar with this procedure or the theory, take a look at this post.  http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=138.0  now, every week or so, i sweep the floor around my work area.  over the years, this is the junk that i've accumulated.  



in this box are several dozen left over 7mm ID flat thrust washers used in the shimano tld 20/30 two speed reels.  the part # for these washers is #TT-0042A and they are available from shimano USA by calling 1-877-577-0600.



we are going to add these 7mm washers to the spool spindle (key #71) to build up a functionanl "bearing sleeve."



install the new "blue printed" spool spindle.  we ended up needing seven of these washers.  remember that a piece of paper is 3 thousanths of an inch thick.  i'm guessing that our "sleeve" is 5-6 thousanths too long, which should work just fine.  



install the right spool bearing (key #26a) and the spindle retaining ring (key #69c).



the bare spool spins for 60 seconds.



install the spindle spring (key #41).



remove the drive plate bearing (key #20) from the drive plate (key #117).  this bearing measures 7x13x4.  



carefully remove the retaining rings and shields.  this bearing was not greased at all inside.  pack it with grease, reinstall the shields and retaining rings, and reinstall the bearing back into the drive plate.  



install the drive plate (key #117).



install the drag cover (key #156) and remember that it has left hand threads.  the spool is now done.  set it aside and let's take a look at the right side plate.  



for the right side plate, there is only one thing that we need to do.  we need to remove the right spool bearing, pack it with grease, and put everything back together.  this will be the trickiest part of the rebuild, but it is absolutely necessary.  the right main side plate bearing is always the first one to fail.  



remove the three retaining clips (key #69b).  



remove the dog bridge (key #3).



note carefully the position of the dogs (key #15) and the dog springs (key #14).



remove the dogs (key #15).



remove the dog springs (key #14).



remove the handle lock screw (key #110).



remove the handle locking plate (key #110a).



remove the handle screw (key #23).



remove the handle (key #24).



remove the gear stud shield (key #50).



remove the gear stud retaining ring (no key #).





remove the gear stud (key #134) and the main gear (key #5) as a unit.



ok.  now, FINALLY, we can remove the right main side plate bearing (key #55).  



this bearing measures 10x26x8.  it is only partially greased.





let's pack it with grease and reinstall the shields.



install the bearing (key #55) back into the right side plate (key #1).



install the gear stud (key #134) and main gear (key #5) as a unit.



install the gear stud retaining ring (no key #).



install the gear stud cover (key #50).



install the handle (key #24).



install the handle screw (key #23).



install the handle locking plate (key #110a).



install the handle lock screw (key #110).



install the dog springs (key #14).





install the dogs (key #15).



install the spacer bushing (key #157).  this was not shown during disassembly.





install the dog bridge (key #3).



install the retaining rings (key #69b).



install the preset knob bushing (key #26).



install the preset knob (key #144).



install the spool and right side plate into the frame.



install the right side plate screws (key #'s 31, 46, and 46a).



install the quadrant ring (key #2), the spacer bushings (key #157a) and side plate screws (key #16).



done!  this reel was spooled up with 300 yards of 60# berkeley big game.  the stack of bellevilles was then changed from "()()" to "))))))" to bring the drag range up to 20 pounds of drag at strike before losing freespool.  at this drag setting, the reel only had 30 seconds of freespool.  there was a rub somewhere that i could not find.    



now for a few comments.  i think it would be fair to compare the penn gld 30 to the shimano tld 25.  they both have the same spool capacity as the 4/0-sized penn 113hlw and will hold the same 300 yards of straight 60# berkeley big game.  they both have a graphite frame, which i believe limits both reels to 20#'s of drag at strike to avoid the risk of catastrophic frame failure.  both reels are rated for a maximum of 17 pounds of drag at strike while still maintaining freespool.  i have personally found that the tld 25 delivers drag settings as low as 12 pounds before losing freespool.  still, the manufacturers both rate their reels to 17 pounds.  

i think the shimano tld has several advantages over the penn gld.  i find that it's is easier to increase the drag range and it has better freespool.  i had some difficulty getting the spool of the gld to spin well when it was inside the frame.  it is also much easier to reach the bearings, and it's not just because i've worked on so many of them.  there are fewer steps required to service the bearings in the shimano tld.  

i think the penn gld has several advantages over the shimano tld.  the penn gld comes with a carbon fiber drag washer and it may already be greased.  the shimano tld 25 drag washer is canvas and really HAS to be replaced.  the quadrant, preset knob and many other parts of the gld are stainless steel and will not corrode easily.  the chromed brass pieces of the shimano tld are well known to corrode over time.  the handle arm on the penn gld is plenty long and the grip is very beefy.  the handle on the shimano tld 25 is so short and stubby that it borders on ridiculous.  the gears and bearings are much larger in the gld, but i but this does not necessarily mean increased performance.  the penn gld has two anti-reverse dogs that lock up against the spool shaft.  this compares to the single anti-reverse dog for the shimano tld that locks up against the main gear shaft. using the main gear as part of the anti-reverse mechanism is what damages the main and pinion gears in the shimano tld.  the gld frame is bulkier, but i am not certain that it necessarily translates into more strength.  

a quick check at tackledirect.com gave me a price of $220 for the gld 30 and $180 for the tld 25.  i highly recommend servicing the bearings prior to fishing with both of these reels.  the total cost for this service will range from $40 to 60.  after that, you should be able to fish with penn gld with confidence for years to come.  the shimano tld is another matter.  in additional $40 minumum service, i would also recommend a $19 carbontex drag washer upgrade and a $40-60 handle upgrade to bring the shimano tld 25 up to par with the penn gld.  when i service a shimano tld 25, the minimum charge is nearly $100 to service the bearings, install a bearing sleeve, upgrade the drag and upgrade the handle.  in the final analysis, the gld will cost more at the tackle shop, but comes in as less expensive when you consider the total cost of available upgrades.  after these upgrades are completed, the performance of these two reels should be the same.  straight out of the box, you can anticipate bearing and drag issues with both reels somewhere down the line, but i believe that the penn gld will initially far out perform the shimano tld.


"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!

Bob5855

Hi Alan, what tool do you use to remove the drag cover on Penn GLD20? I think the key number is 156. I thought that Penn may have a tool to remove the drag cover. Found out they don't after talking to Mo at Scott's.
Many Thanks,
Bob Harman

akfish

Penn does not offer a tool to remove the drag cover. I use a rubber strap wrench and can sometimes get stuck ones off that way; however, just as often I have to destroy the cover. That's not really a problem: The reel will fish just fine without the cover (Avets come this way) or you can get a new one cheap. While I'm here: I see quite a few of these reels in the shop. People fish them with straight 80# spectra for halibut. A fairly common problem is a broken dog post. When this happens you have to replace the right side plate -- to the tune of $36. I doubt this would happen if they were fished with say 50# line and reasonable drag, but perhaps 10% of the reels that come in have that problem. Double dogs are great. Unless they break.
Taku Reel Repair
Juneau, Alaska
907.789.2448

alantani

in the absolute worst case, you can drill two small holes into the cover, then use a large pair of needle nose pliers as a spanner wrench to remove the cover.  if you want to be a little more precise, you can even make a spanner wrench using a flat piece of steel and running two small bolts through it. 
send me an email at alantani@yahoo.com for questions!

Bryan Young

By the way, I had one in service about a month ago, and I opened, cleaned, and lubed the bearing with TSI301. Then added a spool sleeve and got amazing free spool, at higher drag ranges.  I think I was able to get average 23# with full free spool, but would not use it at this range.
: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

Grog

I just did 3 GLD/GK,.'s the only difference was I used 10mm ID spacers on the same side as the belleville springs.  This way the spool is in the same location as stock where if you use the 8mm washers you're off roughly .040".  The springs went in as (()), if you use )))) or (((( where does the large end of the spring ride against? 

Bryan Young

On the smaller GLDs, I would not run )))) or ((((.  If you run )))), the washers will not have any spring effect.  If you run ((((, the washer will ride on the bearing, which is not good.  The GLD50s, if you want to run them )))), it should be okay, but the drag setting may be too much for the reel.
: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

Lurcher

I am about to go inside a GLD50 for the first time (the button/pin on the side of the reel that activates the clicker fell out of the reel). Are the GLD50's identical internally to the 30/20? are there any traps for the inexperienced with these reels?

erikpowell

Bula Alan et All

Besides a new Lt spool bearing and 4 new bellevilles ( which were thoroughly rusted) AND a new clicker button same as Lurcher's reel  ???
(previous reply)
I thought I was going to be able to save this GLD30
...until I started to put it back together when I saw something I hadn't noticed earlier:

Here's what your reel looked like from the tutorial:



Here's what mine looks like



Even considering the 2 main gears pictured have different gear stud screws ( different design?)
even removing the screw below and I can't seem to separate
MY main gear & stud AND the brass sleeve...

Seems to me that the brass collar for the gear sleeve has separated from the frame and is seized to the sleeve..
Even though it all still functions.... It appears to me that this side plate is TOAST !  :(

Right??

Thanks for having a look.

Oh,
And this reel doesn't have this cir clip either

alantani

break out the channel locks and the torch!   :-\
send me an email at alantani@yahoo.com for questions!

erikpowell

thanks Alan, so save the guts, toss the side plate?
or is there a fix for this?

alantani

i think you can get the sleeve off.
send me an email at alantani@yahoo.com for questions!

erikpowell

then what Alan?  epoxy the sleeve back into the side plate and try to save it? you think?

handi2

Here is a `Penn Formula almost new.

Keith
OCD Reel Service & Repair
Gulf Breeze, FL

Navidad Nutcase

Here is proof of what these little reels can accomplish. May, 2019. 200# yellow fin on 50# mono and a penn formula 20/30# class rod. I was at the weigh in, Saw the fish, got a copy of these pics from a friend. I don't know the guy so , to protect privacy, I inked out his face.  I am told it took hours to land. 50# mono would stretch like a rubber band on a 200 # tuna. That this reel didn't explode says something about the quality. Perhaps one of our members knows him and can get him to send in a picture of the weigh in. Just to many people to in the picture to post without permission.
Greg
Don't criticize our kids. We too were once "young n' dumb".... Fortunately - and sadly - neither condition is permanent.