re JVH B Ocean reel

Post by **john elder** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 5:41 pm

Does anyone have a blow-up diagram for the the Julius Vom hofe B Ocean? Not the earliest one...the guts may be like EVHs, but i just haven't been into them. I recently bought this 4/0 B Ocean reel, which looked great cosmetically, but turns out, it has lots of things that need to be put right. First off, I don't think the set-up for the drag is correct and it's also missing 3 or 10 cylindrical bearings that reside under the drag knob (see pics). When I opened it up, I found that the anti-reverse spring mechanism was also missing...have no clue as to what this should look like, but is apparently held in place by two small screws, judging from the two holes. Can anyone shed light on the inner workings of this fellow?

(apologies to those with dial-up...is this less painful via urls?)

Reel Geezer · Post by **Reel Geezer** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 9:02 pm

(apologies to those with dial-up...is this less painful via urls?)

No problem John, I just go look at something else.

Actually, the photos would be fine if they were a bit smaller. That second one is over 700 pixels wide, and the third one 660+. If they were around 400-500 we could see them clearly, they would load easily, and I wouldn't have to scroll on my 15" laptop screen.

Post by **john elder** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 1:07 am

Sorry Geez et al...my shoot-from-the-hip photoshop usually works better...I've cut the size down a bit. Still need some words of wisdom here!

Post by **Brian F.** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 1:09 am

I can't help you with anything else but a "that's a spiffy lookin' reel, John"

Post by **john elder** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 9:03 am

Well, Brian..it tis..that's why i own it...if I had bothered to carefully read the description, I would have found a couple of the more obvious problems detailed there and likely would have never bid...remains to be seen how the story turns out! if I can't find the missing parts, it's an expensive paperweight! I suppose there's a lesson to be learned here...
"read the label"?..."all that glitters isn't gold"?.."look before you leap"?..." a fool and his money are soon parted"?...probably the most relevant..."Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me..."? i have to come up with a version of the latter that covers 40 or 50 times

Steve · Post by **Steve** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 3:02 pm

John,
Here's a shot of the B/Ocean clutch. The white arrow indicates the anti-reverse spring, which is attached by a flat-headed screw which extends through a loop in the wire. The spring is basically V-shaped, with the point against the rim of the rubber sideplate. All it does is hold the pawl against the ratchet, and there's a U-shaped bend resting against the pawl. Shouldn't be difficult to reproduce.

Please note that the pictured ratchet turns clockwise because it's in a left-handed reel. Your ratchet turns counterclockwise so the pawl extends from the other direction.

Ron Mc · Post by **Ron Mc** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 3:18 pm

that reel looks too pretty to be made by little brother J

Steve · Post by **Steve** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 4:18 pm

It was made by employees of the son of big brother J. Practice makes better.

Post by **john elder** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 5:23 pm

Steve: thanks a ton...that should be no problem to remedy. I still have two unoccupied holes in my reel. One of them would hold that screw, but another equivalent hole is appr. 1/2 in away, toward the slutch housing. Don't know if mine has a different holddown or what.

Steve · Post by **Steve** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 7:04 pm

John, are you referring to this hole?

If so, is either/both threaded? That hole shown by the red arrow could be a mistake. It looks awfully close to the screw that secures the yoke. Maybe it was made by an apprentice to an employee of the son of the big brother.

Have to admit that accidentally drilling a hole doesn't seem highly likely. They used jigs--made for each plate size--for drilling.

Post by **john elder** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 9:24 pm

yes, that's the one...on closer inspection, it is a smaller diameter hole...I think I figure it out...the wire "spring" likely has a 90 degree bend on that end and it sticks in that hole to provide leverage...I think that's a big DUHH for me...and good news! thanks again.

Now, do you have a view under that drag knob? what did julius put between the bearings and the drag knob? that washer that's in mine looks like an inside race for BB-type bearings from a larger reel, to me...just doesn't seat properly overly the roller bearings!

Steve · Post by **Steve** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 10:19 am

I was afraid you'd ask. I'm not sure I've ever seen two of those drag assemblies alike. This pic shows one with no washers at all above or below the crank. The crank nut is one piece. Maybe a cap that fits over the rollers is missing. Could your "inside race" be such a cap?

Another has a crank nut with a knurled-edge washer below it, then the crank, then the rollers. No washers below the crank. But I've seen others with a washer below the crank. If you omit the washers, you have to be sure that the star wheel doesn't loosen far enough so that the rollers can fall out. The space between the rollers and the crank seems to vary a bit from reel to reel.

Over time, these assemblies were probably taken apart a zillion times for cleaning, so it's not surprising that they may have been reassembled with lost rollers, extra washers, or whatever. And the B/Oceans were made for years, so there's no guarantee they were all made in exactly the manner. Whatever works, I guess. And unless you're planning on fishing with the reel, there's probably no reason to go crazy looking for a complete roller bearing set.

Post by **john elder** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 3:22 pm

Okay, as you can see in my pics, I have a brass ring similar to that one you show in your pic, just on top of the rollers, with the channel around the outside...i assume that I'm okay, then...but yours looks to have differential rims, such that the "inside" rim rides inside the rollers, will the outside (drag nut side) rim rides on top of the rollers...sorta like a train wheel. With mine, both rims are the same, so that the inside one will not fit inside the bearings..the whole thing just rides on top, with no race for the bearing to ride in. Maybe this will work okay, but doesn't seem like a good strategy to me! I'll have to play around and see how it goes when i get it back together. Like you say, it's silly to dance too much with this one, since it will likely be at my estate sale and unlikely to go fishing again. Thanks again!