Merit-Stalder Reel??

[john elder]

I’ve been asked to try and fix a Merit-Stalder reel... the spool turns when you crank it but there apparently is no working drag... youput your finger on the spool and crank and the spool won’t move. The knob in center of spool should be drag but it won’t tighten up. It also won’t come out to allow removal of the spool and i sed no way to get into it. Geezaer wrote a nice little article on it in 2005 but nothing there about the workings. Anyone know anything about these?

[Mike N]

That’s an incredible piece of technology right there, John. You may need an assist from a certified helicopter pilot. Wow.

Mike N

[Steve]

Check out sheet 2.

[john elder]

Thanks, Steve and Mike...the patent drawings confirm how crank and spool connect. The problem seems to be that the gears are now loose on the shaft so any tension on the spool keeps it from winding line. Likewise, it won’t maintain enough tension to allow unscrewing and removal of the spool. Will go read and see what I might be missing.

[john elder]

So, i checked out the patent drawings that Mike and Steve put me on and after confirming the interconnections, i concluded the problem was in the small gear that meshes with the main gear. The gear was loose on the shaft so that any resistance on the spool kept it from turning when reel was cranked:



I tightened up the gear and now everything works as intended. The screw in the spool face will loosen and tighten enough to supply some drag but will not come out, at least on this particular reel. I suspect the exuberant attempts to remove it explains why that gear was loose! thanks, guys!

This reel works just the opposite of how we are used to doing with a spincast reel. You don’t push down on the button in back until you want the line to go out rather than to keep the line from going out. Pushing the button causes the spool to face forward, allowing the line to play out. You then need to keep the button depressed until the cast is over so the line can play off the spool. I think most folks decided it was best left for shelf fish!

[Mike N]

Brilliant! I’m glad you worked thru it, John, and rescued another reel.


Mike M.