Penn 12/0 - Issues - I'm stumped - Bushings

Marlinmate · August 03, 2019, 07:10:12 PM

Got a customers reel in for the second time. Here's the issue. Penn 12/0 with bushings....not bearings. When I first got it in, customer stated it was hard to reel in. Hmm....opened it up and noticed that spool was rubbing on the bridge ( i think the spool is warped?). Filed down the bridge some and thought I had it licked.

Customer took it out fishing again and worked fine for a while...now it's back to being very hard to wind in. When reeling, reel gets hard to reel, then easy again.....hard to reel, then easy again etc... When I adjust the LS bushing (unscrew), the reel becomes easier to reel, but there is little to no lateral play in the spool. Also....when pulling line out in free spool, it gets easy, then hard....just like when reeling in.

Any ideas? Pretty sure the 40-116 spool bushing is not available. Not sure I need it. Could the RS bushing be worn out and allowing the spool to travel too far to the right? Could the spool be that warped that it is binding on something?

Marlinmate · August 03, 2019, 07:46:12 PM

Upon further inspection...there are rub marks on both the RS and LS inner side plates. Probably means one of 2 things.

- spool is spreading

- side plates are warped

update.....put some calipers on the OD of the spool. Not good. There is some variance on the width of the spool.

Now what?

RowdyW · August 03, 2019, 08:18:23 PM

Check ebay for a used spool or doner reel. Maybe a member here has one to spare. Try listing for one in the wanted to buy section of this forum. Warping of the spool happens from running straight mono on those old weak spools. They need to be backed up with dacron line. Rudy

Marlinmate · August 03, 2019, 08:24:54 PM

Whats the spool part number for a bushing 12/0?

RowdyW · August 03, 2019, 08:29:49 PM

I believe that they are no longer available. You will have to locate a used one & hope it isn't warped too. The newer style spool is different & won't fit a bushing model.

Marlinmate · August 03, 2019, 09:13:51 PM

Whats the spool part number for a bushing 12/0?

RowdyW · August 03, 2019, 10:00:35 PM

Probably 29-116 but it is no longer listed. The numbers are useless because most people don't know the difference between the 29-116 & the 29-m116. Both are metal but the m116 is for the bearing model.

Alto Mare · August 03, 2019, 10:29:25 PM

Right side 26-116, left side 40-116.
Those are going to be very hard to find. I grabbed 2 off ebay a couple of years back and kept them for this situation.
I looked in my bins and can't find them anywhere.

Sal

I just realized you are talking spool, Rudy is right those will be very hard to find as well.
Good luck!

alantani · August 04, 2019, 05:02:40 PM

It's almost always a bad bushing before it's a bad spool. Try shimming the bushing first.

Marlinmate · August 04, 2019, 10:56:11 PM

How/where do you shim the bushing? and which one? Wouldn't I have to shim the posts to make the side plates further apart? Both the RS and LS plates show grooving on the inside (meaning the spool is wider than the reel post spacing)

RowdyW · August 05, 2019, 12:15:46 AM

If the spool is wider then the posts shimming the spool is not going to do anything. You are going to have to get another spool. Maybe you can get someone with a lathe to machine off an equal amount of the spool on both sides. You can't run a full spool of mono on those older spools. They were designed to run with dacron. When you wind on the mono under tension it streches and then while it is sitting it shrinks up and squeezes the spool causeing the distorsion. The only way to run mono on those spools is to fill them 1/3 to 1/2 of the way with dacron and the rest mono. Like I've said you are going to have to be patient in locating another spool or donor reel. That spool you have has been spread twice and I think it will be only useful as a paperweight. I'm not trying to be sarcastic, just facing reality.

Marlinmate · August 05, 2019, 01:09:37 AM

Thanks for the feedback. I thought about milling off equal parts on the sides of the spool. I think I'm going to recommend shelving this reel and getting a new winch.

oc1 · August 05, 2019, 07:01:47 AM

Its a busted reel now and will still be a busted reel sitting on the shelf. I'd try filing down the edges of the spool. It won't be noticeable on the shelf and there is always a chance that it actually works out. There is nothing to loose at this point.
-steve

RowdyW · August 05, 2019, 08:54:35 AM

Jess, if you want to convert that reel to the later style with ball bearings you will need a later right plate, rt. bearing with cover, later pinion gear, & spool. I think I have a nice used chrome over bronze spool. Maybe you can pick up the other parts on ebay or other sources used. Or you can buy them new at Mystic Parts. Parts are around for the later style 116's.