Wish me luck - Pflueger Supreme

You got 'em, we know how to clean 'em
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Ron Mc
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Wish me luck - Pflueger Supreme

Post by Ron Mc »

Just pulled apart for cleaning one of the most complicated and delicate mechanisms I've ever fumbled with - first model Pflueger Supreme.
I took a lot of photos to help on reassembly, but it has some tiny long springs and complicated cams.
More later.
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Ron Mc
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Re: Wish me luck - Pflueger Supreme

Post by Ron Mc »

ok, here's the takedown, complicated by a tight press of the cover plate over the face plate - so it will be easier to assemble when I'm going back...
Everything is in the wash right now, but I'll show you the parts.
here's where we started
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with the foot screws out, the face plate and level wind separated from the frame.
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so here's the geared mechanism separated from the frame
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side view of the free spool clutch
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holy crap look at the delicate spring on the spool casting brake
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here's the clutch cam with the bull gear removed - there will be a lot of oil here on reassy.
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spool pinion partially removed from its yoke
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the cap nut on the lw pawl has a bottomed recess for the pawl pin (and oil)
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holy crap again, what a tiny pawl - takes tweezers to manipulate it
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finally can get the lw guide off the worm gear, and pull the worm gear pinion
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going back together, it will be the the spool pinion and clutch, level wind and install face plate in that order.
Last edited by Ron Mc on Sat Jan 28, 2012 5:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Ron Mc
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Re: Wish me luck - Pflueger Supreme

Post by Ron Mc »

hey, it went back together great.
The only backtrack I had to make was not putting the clutch on before the faceplate. When the spool shaft is inside its pinion, it will not let you move the clutch yoke far enough to install the clutch. So I had to back up one step, removing the face plate (and worm gear pinion which I had already installed) to let me put the clutch on.
It spins so freely now, I have to dial in casting brake to keep the spool from out-running the crank in steady wind.
The reel has some brassing and is not cosmetically great, but the mechanism is fun, especially when it's clean and lubed.
I'll get some photos of the finished reel later.
Last edited by Ron Mc on Sat Jan 28, 2012 5:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Robin Sayler
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Re: Wish me luck - Pflueger Supreme

Post by Robin Sayler »

Nice work Ron. I've never been brave enough to take mine apart.
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Brian F.
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Re: Wish me luck - Pflueger Supreme

Post by Brian F. »

Nice play by play. Thanks for sharing it.
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Ron Mc
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Re: Wish me luck - Pflueger Supreme

Post by Ron Mc »

here's the finished product.
It had some bad attack on the finish from the decomposing lubes.
But it's clean and preserved in this condition now, and working great.
Image
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Ron Mc
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Re: Wish me luck - Pflueger Supreme

Post by Ron Mc »

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It works pretty nicely, though there is not enough graduation between adjacent detentes on the casting brake to dial in true anti-backlash.
throwing 3/8 oz lead, it's a little light on one setting, and too much on the next.
But yes, with thumb, I can cast it nicely without backlash.
The level wind design doesn't quite load the line into the flier groove, maybe 50%, but it doesn't take too much attention to finish this out yourself, especially after an 80' cast.
It's a lot easier to cast than a Meek No. 3, and a lot smoother than a Bluegrass 33.
The rod is a Thomas Bangor, 7' with trumpet guides.
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Brian F.
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Re: Wish me luck - Pflueger Supreme

Post by Brian F. »

Nic Job, Ron.

Yikes, "decomposing lubes" - would be good to know what types those are to keep an eye out for them.
Don Champion
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Re: Wish me luck - Pflueger Supreme

Post by Don Champion »

Brian - One was grease with sulphur as an additive. Another contains lead salts. Just add a little moisture with either one.
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Brian F.
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Re: Wish me luck - Pflueger Supreme

Post by Brian F. »

Thanks Don. Another good reason why we should "get on it" when you are the new owner of a dirty reel.
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Ron Mc
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Re: Wish me luck - Pflueger Supreme

Post by Ron Mc »

when old grease decomposes, the organic divides into mild acid and wax.
So when you have sulfur salts or lead which were intended to make it chemically against dirt, the longer they stay - and with moisture around - the worse it gets.
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Re: Wish me luck - Pflueger Supreme

Post by dkalm »

Thanks for the step by step cleaning. You did an awesome job on that old reel.
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Bill Sonnett
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Re: Wish me luck - Pflueger Supreme

Post by Bill Sonnett »

Wow! that was impressive Ron. You are a brave man
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Ron Mc
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Re: Wish me luck - Pflueger Supreme

Post by Ron Mc »

here's a few rigs for your, Bill
Marbled Marholf (GE) on Montage Flash cane
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Supreme on True Temper steel
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South Bend 1131a on Cross Doublebilt cane (ABL works - viewtopic.php?f=1&t=3666)
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I have a great combo of a Skilkast with a Heddon Pal glass rod - but the Skilkast is too shiny to get me a good photo yet.

The Bangor rod I show way above with the 1st model Supreme also occasionally sports my Shakespeare B, which is a nice-casting reel.
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My best distance-caster is a Bluegrass 33 on a Chubb Henshall rod
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But my pride and joy is my Talbot Niangua and Thomas Mahogany grade Special
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Jonathan P. Kring
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Re: Wish me luck - Pflueger Supreme

Post by Jonathan P. Kring »

If you had run into any problems, your daughter probably could have baled you out!
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