Zebco XBL45

Started by mo65, June 11, 2019, 06:39:58 PM

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mo65

   This is one sweet little Zebco. It's design is simple, serviceable, and effective...what else do you need from a reel? This model appears to be exactly like Chester's XRL40 with the exception of a ball bearing on the pinion instead of an Oilite bushing. Popping off the side plate reveals the anti-reverse mechanism. I love how it has so many teeth...almost no back play...really nice feel. Pull that little spool shaft pin and the whole thing comes apart enough to perform a simple servicing.



   Looks like this ease of access has paid off. Not to nasty in there, the greases are still soft. The pinion and main both look sharp.



   I guess at least one part has to be different. Zebco has Fort Knox holding down the pinion bearing. :P



   In a time when so many other companies started using plastic parts, these reels remain entirely metal. That spool sleeve, oscillation block, and drag clicker are parts that we've all seen become trouble when made from plastic.



   This drag stack provides all the power the reel could handle. The detented washer is a nice addition. The big coil spring brings on the power nice and smooth. I greased the phenolic washer and it feel much like a carbon fiber drag.



   It's not a flashy reel, but I kinda like the basic hot rod grey primer look. It's well balanced and has a nice handle knob too. I'd have killed for one of these when I was fishing with my little Zebco 77. 8)



~YOU CAN TUNA GEETAR...BUT YOU CAN'T TUNA FEESH~


happyhooker

Great look at this reel; thanks, mo.

Frank

festus

#2
You're right, Michael, your reel looks like the next level above my XRL40.  I bet several parts would interchange.  Drag stack is practically the same also. The old Zebco  catalog lists it as an ultralight.

mo65

Quote from: festus on June 11, 2019, 09:28:04 PM
You're right, Michael, your reel looks like the next level above my XRL40.  I bet several parts would interchange.

   I looked at the schematics and it looked like all the parts would interchange. The XLR40 and XBL45 are fantastic little reels...with no plastic parts to rot away...they should last forever if regularly serviced. 8)
~YOU CAN TUNA GEETAR...BUT YOU CAN'T TUNA FEESH~


Donnyboat

Very nice Mike, you do great work, thanks for showing us, cheers Don.
Don, or donnyboat

Crow

Thanks for the walk-thru, Mo !!
There's nothing wrong with a few "F's" on your record....Food, Fun, Flowers, Fishing, Friends, and Fun....to name just a few !

mo65

#6
  This reel is so much like the XBL45 I decided just to cover it here. I skipped all the teardown/cleanup, but mentioned a few points of interest. For a full breakdown Chester's XRL40 post will help if you've never opened these Zebcos.

    https://alantani.com/index.php?topic=28678.0

  The parts list is the same on this model as the XBL45. Ball bearing on the pinion, bronze bushing on the main, and a simple oscillation design. As the second photo demonstrates, the drag washers are identical in both reels. Plenty of power for this model, and beastly in the little guy! The bail comes scarily close to the handle on the XBL77, so much that I shimmed the handle out. And no...the bail wasn't tweaked...tweaking only makes it worse. I see this a lot on spinning reels. Usually its a missing rubber bumper or a bent bail wire. This time it is just poor attention to detail. There is a model XBL39 between these two...don't seem like there's a need for it to me. If you need a great light spinning reel for way less $ than the usual suspects, this is your reel. 8)
~YOU CAN TUNA GEETAR...BUT YOU CAN'T TUNA FEESH~


Crow

Thanks for the look, Mo !
There's nothing wrong with a few "F's" on your record....Food, Fun, Flowers, Fishing, Friends, and Fun....to name just a few !

festus

VERY similar to my XRL40.  Michael, does your reel have a plastic or aluminum spool? Mine is plastic.

mo65

Quote from: festus on October 29, 2019, 11:31:42 PM
VERY similar to my XRL40.  Michael, does your reel have a plastic or aluminum spool? Mine is plastic.

   The XBL spools are aluminum. I think that and the ball bearing are the only differences from the XRL models.
~YOU CAN TUNA GEETAR...BUT YOU CAN'T TUNA FEESH~