I'd written this email to a guy asking to do the upgrade, and got asked how to do it, so here it is...oh, and sorry, this is for a LH reel (works for righty too, the directions just may be flipped in places)...
And I apologize if any of this is patronizing as I'm writing this in case you've never dissambled a reel in your life.
First thing is the cog (and levelwind if wanted anyway). I'd remove the handle side completely by unscrewing the 3 screws that are raise and fitted for a flathead. You should be able to unscrew these by hand, but they may require a screw driver. After these are off, the handle side should come off the reel. Usually the spool axle will get stuck in the tension cap and come with it. That's fine as you can actually take the spool out then pop the axle out of the handle side and place it back in the spool. pictures 1, 2,3.
Next unscrew the 3 screws on the palming sideplate (right side). The sideplate should now pop off giving you access to the cog gear and the levelwind. As I said in the other reply, the cog is either popped in place or held on by a c clip. If it's a c clip (which I'd guess for your reel) I like using my Shimano reel tool (small flatted works too) and putting into the little gap on the clip and SLOWLY moving it out. These are held on with some pressure and will have a tendency to fly across the room on you if not careful. The cog should just slide of the post now. Pictures 4,5.
To make the new cog fit it just pop it in with bearing if it's a pop on. The old one will seem difficult to remove, so this is normal. If it's a c-clip version, you should now be staring at the empty post. This part is sort of tricky. The cog that comes with the kit is made for a pop on. The little raised part on the new gear is what grabs the post. However, on the c clip versions this will keep you from being able to secure it with the c clip. What you have to do to make it work is sand down the gear (I use plain sandpaper) as smoothly as you can. Don't worry if you sand a little off the gear teeth, they're not that vital and you won't feel it when you reel. Then clean up the plastic filings from the gear and add a little grease to the gear teeth (both levels). It should fit in easily and the clip go on now. Spin the gear to make sure it spins freely and without noise. *Dad's now sells the cog made for the c clip/screw held on cog, so get that one if your reel is like that. No sanding or adjustment necessary*
If you want to upgrade the levelwind, it's a snap now too... Remove the levewind retainer that's below the little gear. Next unscrew the pawl cap (under the levelwind) and the pawl sould come out with a little tapping. Be careful as there is 1 small copper washer under the pawl that usually stays in the cap when you disassemble it. You would now be able to slide the line guide off to the left and pull out the worm gear (what guides the pawl) and worm gear cage to the right and out of the frame. Your new part should be the worm gear with bearing on right (gear side) and cage with a bearing on the left. I usually apply a little grease to the worm gear at this point (less is more). To reassemble just place the line guide over the cage with full worm gear assembly before you position the cage on the left side of the frame. Also, make sure the top rests in the guide that's above. Be sure to secure the assembly with the levewind retainer again. The new levelwind should now be securely in place and all that's left to do is reassemble the pawl. Make sure the pawl is in the thread of the worm gear before you rescrew the cap. Also, it's best if you don't overtighten the pawl cap. After reassembly I like adding one or 2 drops of oil to the worm gear as well (again, less is more). Pic 6 for what the pawl looks like after you remove the cap. and what it should look like before you put the cap back on.
Now for the drag upgrade...
You should have a cap on the handle with screw, so remove that. You now have a nut over the handle that needs to be removed. This nut is left handed (leftie tighty, righty loosey), so it loosens backwards of most. You should now see the handle secured by the most dreaded of all reel maintenance parts...the Ambassadeur C clip. I like to dab this little ******* with grease as it likes to grow a cape and go flying when you try to remove it. Much more prone to this than the cog's c clip. Pic 7.
After the c clip is removed the handle comes off (usually the handle spacer comes off stuck to it as well). You should now be lookit at something like my pic 8 after you unscrew the drag star. Now just unscrew the 2 phillips head screws on the frame.
The frame now pops off revealing the guts of the reel. These reels have FAR fewer parts than any you'll ever see. Very simple designs. To get to the drag the whole gear and drivetrain assemble can removed from the post (in the meantime basically leave the rest of the assembly alone). There's a copper washer underneath the drive shaft that may or may not come off with the drive shaft. The anti reverse bushing needs to come off then you can pull the main gear and drag stack off. Sometimes the underneath drag washer comes with it as well. Remove the drag stack. You should have a new drag set with 4 washers with 3 the same size and 1 smaller. The 3 go in the stack and the smaller one underneath. Place the smaller washer on the post all the way in. The order for the main gear stack is main gear-fiber washer-flat metal washer-fiber washer-eared metal washer-fiber washer-top washer. Put this stack back on the post (on top of the smaller washer) making sure the eared washer fits into the slot. Put the entire driveshaft back on it's post making sure the main and smaller gear for the reel are aligned. Replace the antireverse bushing and put the sideplate back over the assembly. Pics 9,10.
There are 2 washers that are shaped like a ( that need to be replace on the drive shaft under the drag star. Make sure they are in a () configuration not a )) or (( as these put the pressure on the drag stack that gives you drag pressure. Now just rescrew the drag star, then put the handle spacer then handle back over the driveshaft. Reinstall the C clip, put the nut back on the shaft (I like just a little bit of pressure over what I can tighten with my hand, as you can wear the threads on the shaft if you over tighten). Put the nut cover back on and you've reassembled the stack. Pic 11 for the ( washers.
You should have the rest of the reel ready to go. Hold the thumbar up and put the handle side assembly back on the reel. Two important things to note here...The brake weights on the spool (left side of spool) sometimes come out and don't allow the assembly to fit. Make sure they're all the way down the post before you reassemble. Also the spool axle doesn't fit on the keeper (under the tension cap) sometimes. You'll notice that the reel doesn't retrieve easily if this happens. All you have to do is tighten the tension cap until you hear a small pop or until very tight, then you can loosen it back to where you'd fish with it and you should be set.
You should have now upgraded your reel and feel confident to do almost any of the maintenance on this simple reel yourself.
John
Pic 1
pic 2
pic 3
pic 4
pic 5
pic 6
pic 7
pic 8
pic 9
pic 10
pic 11
[This message has been edited by aggiegolfer03 (edited 4/18/2011 10:10p).]
[This message has been edited by aggiegolfer03 (edited 4/19/2011 9:30a).]
[This message has been edited by aggiegolfer03 (edited 6/23/2011 12:11p).]
And I apologize if any of this is patronizing as I'm writing this in case you've never dissambled a reel in your life.
First thing is the cog (and levelwind if wanted anyway). I'd remove the handle side completely by unscrewing the 3 screws that are raise and fitted for a flathead. You should be able to unscrew these by hand, but they may require a screw driver. After these are off, the handle side should come off the reel. Usually the spool axle will get stuck in the tension cap and come with it. That's fine as you can actually take the spool out then pop the axle out of the handle side and place it back in the spool. pictures 1, 2,3.
Next unscrew the 3 screws on the palming sideplate (right side). The sideplate should now pop off giving you access to the cog gear and the levelwind. As I said in the other reply, the cog is either popped in place or held on by a c clip. If it's a c clip (which I'd guess for your reel) I like using my Shimano reel tool (small flatted works too) and putting into the little gap on the clip and SLOWLY moving it out. These are held on with some pressure and will have a tendency to fly across the room on you if not careful. The cog should just slide of the post now. Pictures 4,5.
To make the new cog fit it just pop it in with bearing if it's a pop on. The old one will seem difficult to remove, so this is normal. If it's a c-clip version, you should now be staring at the empty post. This part is sort of tricky. The cog that comes with the kit is made for a pop on. The little raised part on the new gear is what grabs the post. However, on the c clip versions this will keep you from being able to secure it with the c clip. What you have to do to make it work is sand down the gear (I use plain sandpaper) as smoothly as you can. Don't worry if you sand a little off the gear teeth, they're not that vital and you won't feel it when you reel. Then clean up the plastic filings from the gear and add a little grease to the gear teeth (both levels). It should fit in easily and the clip go on now. Spin the gear to make sure it spins freely and without noise. *Dad's now sells the cog made for the c clip/screw held on cog, so get that one if your reel is like that. No sanding or adjustment necessary*
If you want to upgrade the levelwind, it's a snap now too... Remove the levewind retainer that's below the little gear. Next unscrew the pawl cap (under the levelwind) and the pawl sould come out with a little tapping. Be careful as there is 1 small copper washer under the pawl that usually stays in the cap when you disassemble it. You would now be able to slide the line guide off to the left and pull out the worm gear (what guides the pawl) and worm gear cage to the right and out of the frame. Your new part should be the worm gear with bearing on right (gear side) and cage with a bearing on the left. I usually apply a little grease to the worm gear at this point (less is more). To reassemble just place the line guide over the cage with full worm gear assembly before you position the cage on the left side of the frame. Also, make sure the top rests in the guide that's above. Be sure to secure the assembly with the levewind retainer again. The new levelwind should now be securely in place and all that's left to do is reassemble the pawl. Make sure the pawl is in the thread of the worm gear before you rescrew the cap. Also, it's best if you don't overtighten the pawl cap. After reassembly I like adding one or 2 drops of oil to the worm gear as well (again, less is more). Pic 6 for what the pawl looks like after you remove the cap. and what it should look like before you put the cap back on.
Now for the drag upgrade...
You should have a cap on the handle with screw, so remove that. You now have a nut over the handle that needs to be removed. This nut is left handed (leftie tighty, righty loosey), so it loosens backwards of most. You should now see the handle secured by the most dreaded of all reel maintenance parts...the Ambassadeur C clip. I like to dab this little ******* with grease as it likes to grow a cape and go flying when you try to remove it. Much more prone to this than the cog's c clip. Pic 7.
After the c clip is removed the handle comes off (usually the handle spacer comes off stuck to it as well). You should now be lookit at something like my pic 8 after you unscrew the drag star. Now just unscrew the 2 phillips head screws on the frame.
The frame now pops off revealing the guts of the reel. These reels have FAR fewer parts than any you'll ever see. Very simple designs. To get to the drag the whole gear and drivetrain assemble can removed from the post (in the meantime basically leave the rest of the assembly alone). There's a copper washer underneath the drive shaft that may or may not come off with the drive shaft. The anti reverse bushing needs to come off then you can pull the main gear and drag stack off. Sometimes the underneath drag washer comes with it as well. Remove the drag stack. You should have a new drag set with 4 washers with 3 the same size and 1 smaller. The 3 go in the stack and the smaller one underneath. Place the smaller washer on the post all the way in. The order for the main gear stack is main gear-fiber washer-flat metal washer-fiber washer-eared metal washer-fiber washer-top washer. Put this stack back on the post (on top of the smaller washer) making sure the eared washer fits into the slot. Put the entire driveshaft back on it's post making sure the main and smaller gear for the reel are aligned. Replace the antireverse bushing and put the sideplate back over the assembly. Pics 9,10.
There are 2 washers that are shaped like a ( that need to be replace on the drive shaft under the drag star. Make sure they are in a () configuration not a )) or (( as these put the pressure on the drag stack that gives you drag pressure. Now just rescrew the drag star, then put the handle spacer then handle back over the driveshaft. Reinstall the C clip, put the nut back on the shaft (I like just a little bit of pressure over what I can tighten with my hand, as you can wear the threads on the shaft if you over tighten). Put the nut cover back on and you've reassembled the stack. Pic 11 for the ( washers.
You should have the rest of the reel ready to go. Hold the thumbar up and put the handle side assembly back on the reel. Two important things to note here...The brake weights on the spool (left side of spool) sometimes come out and don't allow the assembly to fit. Make sure they're all the way down the post before you reassemble. Also the spool axle doesn't fit on the keeper (under the tension cap) sometimes. You'll notice that the reel doesn't retrieve easily if this happens. All you have to do is tighten the tension cap until you hear a small pop or until very tight, then you can loosen it back to where you'd fish with it and you should be set.
You should have now upgraded your reel and feel confident to do almost any of the maintenance on this simple reel yourself.
John
Pic 1
pic 2
pic 3
pic 4
pic 5
pic 6
pic 7
pic 8
pic 9
pic 10
pic 11
[This message has been edited by aggiegolfer03 (edited 4/18/2011 10:10p).]
[This message has been edited by aggiegolfer03 (edited 4/19/2011 9:30a).]
[This message has been edited by aggiegolfer03 (edited 6/23/2011 12:11p).]