Cleaning your gear

[bikerfish]

the post on the spool makes the clicking when the line is being wound, when line is going out, the post engages the drag plate and the 2nd post, located under the plate, cause the click, usually quieter than the winding click. the plate is reversible on most(I've seen some early ones that weren't). make sure the plate is in the proper position for LH or RH winding

 

[DGC]

pcray123 wrote:

I don't have a "good" metal post to compare against, but it looks to me as if mine is badly chipped and mishapen. It also spins freely. If you push it in, it tends to stick inside because the chipped part is catching on the lip. Pretty sure this is my problem. I can take a picture this evening if that would help

Spool showing spool bushing. This is worn a little, but still plenty functional. It has in/out spring action but does not really spin. You can buy just the replacement spool bushing from Shakespeare, though it may be just as well to just buy a new spool.



Shown is the spool bushing in the upper left, the spool cover and mounting hardware beside. I have never taken apart a spool bushing, and I don't think you can buy it's component parts separately. The cover, spring, screws and cam are available separately. If the spool cover was ever taken off, or if the screws loosened, it is possible that the spool bushing is not seated properly.

If you take off that cover, don't lose that spring that slides on the cam.

I don't mean to take the thread too far astray, but there seem to be quite a few Medalist owners out there.

 

[pcray1231]

Thats it. I thought so.

Mine is kinda pyramid shaped, and I wasn't completely positive if it was supposed to be a cylinder shape as your picture clearly shows, but I thought that it could be. So mine isn't mishapen, its just mostly gone. The diameter at the bottom was about the same as that, but at the tip it is maybe 1/10 at best.

Thank you very much for the info. I'll price the parts, or maybe just go with a new spool.

 

[pcray1231]

lol. Mine was worse than I thought. That big L shaped chunk out of it can't be good.

 

[jaybo41]

I clean gear when it goes back to storage. As mentioned, I follow the recommendatiosn of Sage and use a furnature polish on my rods. I also put orange oil on the cork to keep it from drying out. I've been doing this for years and can't report any negative impact. Great analogy with the wine corks being dried out. Mild soapy water for the reel and I'm golden.

 

[bikerfish]

pcray, might be better off getting a spare spool instead of trying to order that part, the spool might be cheaper.

 

[gfen]

DGC wrote:
If you mean the brass, smaller donut shown that holds down the ratchet, that is the ratchet bearing. If you mean the pawl from underneath, you may need a new pawl spring. The pawl may also be worn. Or maybe it's out of alignment if you reversed the ratchet for RHW or LHW

No sir, to refer to your original photo, I mean the brown brake that the spring presses into the delrin washer.

I just assumed that it was so old that it'd dried out, and wasn't sure if there was a way to sort of refresh it with something.

Everything else seems to work, although a I had a hell of a time turning the reverse because it seemed so backwards to have less clicks on the outbound pull, but whatever. I also managed to lose the stupid spring under my desk at work.

 

[DGC]

gfen,

I've never seen one of those brown drag pads deteriorate. Give it a shot of WD-40 and it will look like the one in the picture immediately--or at least it should.

For anyone with a Medalist that has been used extensively, at some point you should remove the ratchet bearing and ratchet, remove the pawl, remove the pawl spring, and clean the spring in WD-40 and clean out the inside of the pawl. You would be surprised how gunky that spring gets inside that little pawl. Quite a few problems with binding or chafing on the one hand, or loose turning on the other, can be resolved by doing this.

It is a bit tricky to put the ratchet back on and keep the pawl in it's proper place, but just being careful about it does the trick. Keep in mind that the bevel in the pawl has to be in the proper position in relation to which side of the ratchet it contacts (which side depends on whether you set up for LH or RH wind).

Those springs do have a way of jumping around at just the wrong time. I usually slide it on a bodkin as soon as I take it out, and roll it in a little pool of WD-40 in a plastic coffee can lid, along with the little screws and the pawl.

pcray,

yes, that is a gnarly looking spool bushing ;-)

 

[bam]

I'll wipe down my line when it stops floating or my reel if it gets gritty. Storage is normally on the floor of my bedroom or the back seat of my car

 

[gfen]

Thanks, I'll give that a shot.