Rescuing a zebco cardinal 6 and 7

[Fishgolfman]

Got in a pile of reels zebco 6 with broken bail and zebco 7 cross wind broken at the plastic c clip. Replaced and fixed. Except the spool wont come off the shafts if both reels. I can depress top button but stuck on hard. Any tricks or suggestions to free the spool.

[Midway Tommy]

Remove the main shafts from the reels. Put a few drops of penetrating oil on the shafts where they enter the spools and let then sit for a little while. Hold the main shaft in a vise or something similar, press the button on the spool and hold it in and lightly tap the bottom of the spool with a light hammer.  The spool should pop off.

This is a Cardinal 4 with a broken plastic spool but the 6 & 7 have the same spring inside the aluminum spool and the spring locks in a groove at the end of the main shaft the same way on the 6 & 7. Your shafts are either corroded at the notch in base of the spool or they're corroded & stuck at the spring.

[Fishgolfman]

Thanks Tommy. Understand spool principle of attachment from photograph. Will attempt

[Fishgolfman]

Happy to report that i was able to remove the shafts to discover old grease that gummed up. Saltwater anglers think grease solves everything vs just a rinse! You should have seen the inside tons if grease. One more pesky zebco 7 spool to go. Shaft moves sideways but being difficult to come out. Just soaking more.

[Fishgolfman]

Patience and heat got the last zebec 7 shaft from the spool. Grease the culprit again. Cleaned and silicone spray. These metal spools will handle braid??. Want to fish the zebco 6 and 7 up to 50 lb. The zebco cardinals are simply designed.. can't wait to completely rebuild a garage sale find. Also can't wait to get my hands on a zebco 3.

[Midway Tommy]

The alloy spools will handle braid but keep an eye  on the line guides, they're not tungsten carbide so they can get a groove from the braid.