Thumbbar/Spool Disengage Button Hard To Engage

[TylerT123]

Just serviced my Curado 200K, now the thumbbar is hard to push down. Any ideas/solutions? I didn’t even take apart that section of the reel, when the button is pressed down, the handle also takes a little longer to turn to engage the spool but not a whole lot. There’s also an occasional knocking sound when the spool is disengaged and is rotating. (This is my first time servicing a reel.)

[Ariffy]

I had the same problem with my old abu garcia pro max unfortunately I'm not much help since I just replaced my reel but it sounds like you might have nudged it and it isn't seated properly which caused it to not engage properly 

[grub_man]

A couple of things.

 

I don't have Curado 200k, but most casting reels and all of my Shimanos have a small coil spring attached to the clutch bar mechanism.  Misbehavior in reengaging the reel often comes as a sign a few hours before the spring fails.  The clutch spring is the most common part I have had to replace in my Shimano reels, but they're usually good for a few years worth of regular use before they fail.  I try to keep a couple on hand just in case.

 

There is a place where the clutch bar mechanism slides on the spool frame.  Make sure there is a little grease in there as dry surfaces will stick from time to time causing issues with reengaging reel.

 

Make sure that the clutch bar mechanism is clear of debris.  My Cardiff 100a managed to get some muck on and around the clutch bar when I wasn't paying attention and the next time I used it, it gave me fits reengaging the reel.  After a little cleaning, all was good.

[TylerT123]

24 minutes ago, grub_man said:

A couple of things.

 

I don't have Curado 200k, but most casting reels and all of my Shimanos have a small coil spring attached to the clutch bar mechanism.  Misbehavior in reengaging the reel often comes as a sign a few hours before the spring fails.  The clutch spring is the most common part I have had to replace in my Shimano reels, but they're usually good for a few years worth of regular use before they fail.  I try to keep a couple on hand just in case.

 

There is a place where the clutch bar mechanism slides on the spool frame.  Make sure there is a little grease in there as dry surfaces will stick from time to time causing issues with reengaging reel.

 

Make sure that the clutch bar mechanism is clear of debris.  My Cardiff 100a managed to get some muck on and around the clutch bar when I wasn't paying attention and the next time I used it, it gave me fits reengaging the reel.  After a little cleaning, all was good.

The more I tighten my drag, the hard it is to push down. When I have my drag loose, the thumbbar is easy to push, is there any correlation? 

[grub_man]

There shouldn't be a correlation there.

 

Did you pull all of the gears/washers off the handle shaft?

 

Generally there is a toothed gear with a ratchet (AssistStopper as Shimano calls it) toward the bottom of the assembly. They usually put a fiber or carbon washer underneath the cogged gear.  If you put them on in the wrong order, as you tighten the drag, you may be getting some pressure onto the clutch mechanism with that gear.  That is about the only thing I can think of off of the top of my head without tearing apart a reel to think visually.

[TylerT123]

25 minutes ago, grub_man said:

There shouldn't be a correlation there.

 

Did you pull all of the gears/washers off the handle shaft?

 

Generally there is a toothed gear with a ratchet (AssistStopper as Shimano calls it) toward the bottom of the assembly. They usually put a fiber or carbon washer underneath the cogged gear.  If you put them on in the wrong order, as you tighten the drag, you may be getting some pressure onto the clutch mechanism with that gear.  That is about the only thing I can think of off of the top of my head without tearing apart a reel to think visually.

That might be it, I’ll tear it apart soon and find out. Thank you.

[TylerT123]

4 hours ago, grub_man said:

There shouldn't be a correlation there.

 

Did you pull all of the gears/washers off the handle shaft?

 

Generally there is a toothed gear with a ratchet (AssistStopper as Shimano calls it) toward the bottom of the assembly. They usually put a fiber or carbon washer underneath the cogged gear.  If you put them on in the wrong order, as you tighten the drag, you may be getting some pressure onto the clutch mechanism with that gear.  That is about the only thing I can think of off of the top of my head without tearing apart a reel to think visually.

From top to bottom it goes fiber washer, cogged gear, main gear, fiber washer, washer?

[grub_man]

After looking at a schematic, it goes cogged gear, fiber gear, main gear, drag washer, washer.

 

Something else must be going on, but tough to diagnose without tearing it down myself.

[TylerT123]

1 hour ago, grub_man said:

After looking at a schematic, it goes cogged gear, fiber gear, main gear, drag washer, washer.

 

Something else must be going on, but tough to diagnose without tearing it down myself.

Yeah, I had it in the correct order. I really don’t know what’s going on, the thumbbar is fine without the side plate on.

[OkobojiEagle]

(be sure to have the thumb bar in it's "up" position when you close the side plate.)

 

oe

[TylerT123]

7 hours ago, OkobojiEagle said:

(be sure to have the thumb bar in it's "up" position when you close the side plate.)

 

oe

I know I have everything in order right but once I put the side plate on, the thumbbar is screwed up when I tighten the drag.

[Tr3nt0]

On 6/8/2018 at 9:31 PM, TylerT123 said:

I know I have everything in order right but once I put the side plate on, the thumbbar is screwed up when I tighten the drag.

Did you ever get it fixed? i’m having the same exact problem right now with mine! thanks in advance

[MickD]

Another argument for "If it isn't broken, don't fix it."  

 

Don't go further than the first layer, just a few drops of lube, put it back together.  Enjoy.

 

If submerged, send to an expert.

 

These new reels are so complicated that if you go very far into them, and you are not an expert, you probably will screw it up.