I am also going to use the SIMPLE 1-2-3 explanation method here and later give more detail as we assemble the reel:
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- Remove lock nut with 9/16ths drive
- Loosen right side plate screws, then bridge plate screws
- Inspect right sideplate
This reel had a noticeable crack around the drag spacer area....even though this reel is fishable in this condition, replace it.
- Inspect both sides of the spool
- Clean and then wipe down with a light oil film of Corrosion X or any other lubricant
- Do not use grease here!
- For those who feel like there is binding in this area, light use of dremel tool in this area helps
- A thin file or a medium grit sandpaper will also help
- Just take down enough material to allow the drag spacer to easily slide up and down on the sleeve
- Lay out all the parts on the Bridge Assembly
- Remove the gear set
- Clean with a lubricant like WD-40
- Replace washers at this time
- Remove bridge sleeve screw (or c-clip which was used on the older reels for the last 30 years)
ECs secret tip: If the dog spring is worn which is commonly seen on older P reels, just bend the spring steel wire down towards the dog. You will notice that the 'lockup' on the reel where the dog hits the bridge sleeve, will have a more distinctive sound since their slightly more pressure being exerted by the spring onto the dog.
- A shot of the area in question
- These are the NEWELL original washers
- Remove them and replace with HT-100, PRECISION or CARBONTEX/SMOOTHIE washers
ECs note: The CARBONTEX washers though looking similar to the HT-100s, display one smooth surface and one ruffled fiber surface similar to the HTs. Both are made by BALLARD ENGINEERING - Carbon Friction Products. OVERVIEW OF DRAG WASHER PROPERTIES from BALLARD MATERIAL PRODUCTS
- Place washers in this setup
- Carbontex washers should be laid out with in the same way
- You can add the smaller squidder here, right under the drag stack belleville washer
- Here is the Carbontex/SMOOTH washer products along with Cals Grease and bridge sleeve spring washer
ECs note: I prefer not using a grease like product on washers used on these size reels. Yes using any good grease product will give greater life to your washers. Carl Newell years back used the milky white HUSKY MOTOR OILS lube (yes that little plastic tube that was in all the older Newell reel boxes) on their original black hard surface washers, and those washers noticeably held up longer (years sometimes). But remember, using grease/lube is a trade off between washers having longer life and a smoother drag pull, but will reduce the drag pressure you will be able to exert via cranking down on your drag star.
ECs note: Here is what even lightly used original Newell 'smooth' surface washers look like. This is the reason why they will stick to the metal drag washers and then give you a sticky or jerky drag just after ONE USE. The one metal washer here had the washer pasted on the backside (facing down in this pic). You have never seen this explained before and is the reason that I point it out. I have seen this on numerous reels made by Pro Gear and other companies that use a drag washer with this type of surface.
Discard them immediately, or if you want to use them, COAT THESE with the CALs, SHIMANO or your favorite drag grease, to lessen/prevent this from happening. The grease like lubricants DEFINITELY MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE when using washers with that type of surface. This is why reason why I like fiber-surface washers such as the ones from Penn and Carbontex or for that matter PRECISION.
- This is how your drag stack should look
- Place belleville drag stack washer on top
- Now you can reinsert your bridge screws
- ***Back off left side plate bearing and put reel in free spool before assembling right side plate
ECs tip: Notice I placed a smaller squidder size fiber washer on top, and will sit under the drag belleville. It allows you one added drag washer, which will give you slightly more drag surface to apply pressure. You will see in another picture the reason why as we use a pull scale to see the amount of pounds of drag this reel will now have.
EC's note: Before you put the reel together, you should lubricate BOTH reel bearings with a LIGHT OIL product. There are a number of EXCELLENT products, but the old standard 3-1 oil is one that is time proven. Such specially made reel lubricants as shown here with the correct applicator attached, should be used. Remember though, the lighter in viscosity of the lubricant, whether in liquid or even spray form, the faster it has a tendency to spin out when the reel is used. This means constantly adding a light dab of lubricant to get optimum bearing performance and lessening of wear on the bearings. I should also point out that many will use Corrosion-X here which is a spray...pick up the Reel-X which comes in liquid form and is made for this reason by the same company. You can use WD-40 when needed here too....it definitely is another time proven product in this area, especially for reels kept on board a party or charter boat.
- Setup proper drag spacer assembly
- Place bronze or older brass collar (or even older Blackie ss hat style) washer on sleeve and allow to slide down to this height
- Add thick or thin, or both TENSION washers
- Wind down, and check for binding and drag pressure
Ecs note: Here is where I see some of the most creative drag washer setups which Carl Newell probably never imagined. The point here to remember is this, WATCH FOR BINDING when the drag star is tightened down. It is one reason why I originally slightly opened up the space in this area with the dremel!
Newell reel manufacturing over the years published a number of schematics where the shown setup does not necessary look like what you have on your reel. Again remember, NEWELLS are semi-custom built reels and that just a simple thing like going from the original smooth factory installed washer to a thicker fiber like washer like the HTs, PRECISION or CARBRONTEX WILL CHANGE THE DRAG STACK HEIGHT and effect how many washers you may be able to use!
Also take note if you can add in a thin belleville spring cup washer between the drag star and the slotted metal reel handle washer. Sometimes there is no room here, and you can remove it. The reason for this washer is to apply tension in the other direction so that when you back off the drag star, there is tension being applied on the drag star so that it does not easily move back and forth. Years back Newell used the ss 'waffle-style' washer here, two in fact. They later replaced it with these, which I am not a fan of...but they are sometimes needed, again depending if there is room to slip it in without now creating a shot-gun drag.
ECs tip: Here is where you can place (if you have the room), that special tension washer made by PENN in this area. This tension washer (shown in the reel grease, Carbontex washer pic above) is slightly thicker and gives a little more 'play' as far as when you tighten your drag star down. You will notice that you can feel the drag tension slightly change by using this washer. I use them on all my Newell reels, and it makes a noticeable difference if you stick with the original Newell washers instead of the thicker fiber like washers. Again I point out, I always use them on my reels.
ECs note: This is another image of the area in question. It takes a few minutes to adjust this area correctly to prevent the old 'SHOT GUN DRAG' aka ' all or nothing drag which I see all the time by guys who work on their Newell reels. Take your time here...as important as it is in putting new drag washers in, make sure this is setup right! Even if you have to remove a metal washer or two above the drag collar, don't worry. As I noted before, any fiber washer you use is thicker then the original and will increase the drag stack height. This is the area where you will compensate for that.
ECs tip: Take a look at the right side plastic bearing cup spacer (orange in this case). I can write a thread talking about the different types installed by Newell, the most important being centering the spool and lessening the chance of the pinion crown rubbing against the right side spool hug spindel. One thing I do at times with spools that I have a problem centering, is to use the similar left side bearing RUBBER o-ring washer on the right side bearing cup. This is what Carl Newell used on his original 300-C plastic reel plates to address the spool centering issue. This allows one to center the spool both using the right and left side bearing cups. Remember though, this is a fix, and not necessarily the way you should set up the centering of your spool. The rubber o-ring I am talking about can be purchased at any hardware store that sells these parts.
ECs note: This is something I like to point out that is a problem area. Once you get the slotted handle washers in place (metal one under and metal one over the handle - except for the graphite handles as shown here), you have to insert this plastic handle nut washer. The original and the ones I PREFER were RED in color and were thinner on its side, unlike the newer white ones which you see with all the engraved plated Newell reels.
When using the plastic white handle nut washer, remember to try and clamp this down right with your socket level on it. I don't know why Carl used this thicker white washer because it makes it much tougher to crank down in this area. You can always order the original plastic red color ones from Newell, and even the newbie reel repair man will notice how using this washer makes life so much simpler when tightening down on the handle. Keep in mind YOU DON'T WANT ANY SLACK or PLAY IN THIS AREA. It should be tightened down to that point, but not to the point where it puts so much pressure on that bridge sleeve hold down screw that the reel begins to bind. Play around in finding the right tension here...it makes a big difference.
- Reel screws should ALL be tightened down
- Check reel for grinding, easy of putting reel in freespool, any clicking sounds
- Check with pull scale if you want to see the before and after lbs of drag you now have with the reel
ECs note: Here is where I check to see if the drag washer setup has made a difference. Originally this reel had 12/13 lbs of drag pressure. Now it consistently tests out to 16 lbs of drag pressure with the drag star clamped down. For reels of these line class, 13 - 15 lbs of drag pressure is more then enough. Do not get fixated in getting even higher pounds of drag results here. The 200 - 300 series Newells are made for fishing with lines under 50 lb test.
Here we see the original drag scale pull.
ECs note: After this is done, the only area that you should now adjust on the reel is by taking any regular screw driver or slotted instrument to the left side bearing cup. The main thing here is to be sure your spool is centered so that there is no clicking when the reel is tipped to either the left or right side. You have to make very slight compensation adjustments here.
Keep in mind that you do not want to have a large space between where the flange on the top of the spool leaves enough of an opening/space to the inner right side ss plate ring. Newells are designed to be built with high tolerances, and you should very rarely if ever have even braided line sneak in between the flange and inner ring.
Once finally adjusted - LEAVE IT ALONE.
YOU ARE NOW READY TO GO FISHING WITH THIS REEL.
