# Reel repair question



## onthewater102 (Jun 18, 2018)

I've got a Shimano Symetre 4000 RJ (Rear drag model) with some sentimental value that I need to repair, but I cannot figure out how to disassemble the rear drag to move the discs to the new reel body. Any reel mechanics out there have any experience with these things that might be able to offer some advice besides chucking it in the garbage?

I have all the manufacturer's schematics, but the rear drag does not unthread off the back of the reel and I can't figure out how to remove it. Nothing comes up in online searches or Youtube that i can find - though I know at some point I watched a video on the topic that I cannot find my way back to. I'm at my wits end with this.


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## overboard (Jun 18, 2018)

You "MAY" need to remove the center nut that holds the bail housing on, remove the bail housing, then disassemble some of the internal parts of the reel to then get the main shaft out to be able to get at the drag washers. I would totally back off on the drag knob first.
My Cardinal 4's have the rear drag, the drag washers are on that shaft and a part that looks like a U pushes against them with pressure that is adjusted by the drag knob. I'm sure you have had the side plate off and can see what's in there, hope this helps.


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## KMixson (Jun 19, 2018)

It looks to be some retaining rings holding the drag programmer on the assembly. 

https://schematics.mikesreelrepair.com/albums/shimano/Shimano_Symetre_SY4000RJ_Schematic.pdf


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## onthewater102 (Jun 19, 2018)

There is no obvious way of accessing those retaining rings is the problem. I have the spool shaft and all the gears removed, so all that is left are the drag washers on the backend of the frame. Very frustrating.


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## KMixson (Jun 19, 2018)

Spring type retaining rings can be a bear to remove. I have seen situations where you really have to pull hard to remove the part. So hard that I think it would break the item and then all of a sudden it pulls off like it should. I have also seen them break an item too. Over time the plastic may get brittle and not hold up to the force needed to remove it, especially in instances of where the item was exposed to the elements as a reel would be. You may try a little lubricating oil in it if you can get it in there.


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## onthewater102 (Jun 28, 2018)

Wasn't the spring retainer...the rear drag knob is reverse threaded onto the gold ring (part 9280 in the diagram) which in turn is held in place by the retainer spring which is easy to get to with the drag knob removed. Looped a piece of insulated wire around the gold ring in a groove that runs around it and twisted the wire on itself tight enough to cinch down on the ring and allow me to turn the drag knob off, no special tools required.

Lesson learned - do NOT use this reel in the surf as salt & sand do TERRIBLE things to it. I love the reel though, sad that it's no longer available. 

There was sand throughout the inner workings of the reel. Glad I went through the exercise of moving the drag over, or I never would have found how truly crudded up the internals had gotten - all from one trip!


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## DaleH (Jun 28, 2018)

You know you can send it back in to Shimano for free repair service, right?


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## onthewater102 (Jun 28, 2018)

No - they were going to charge me a minimum of $25. I ordered what parts I needed to fix the dmg from the sand binding up the gears & busted the casting inside the frame that aligns everything & asked them what the repair charge would be.


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## DaleH (Jun 28, 2018)

onthewater102 said:


> No - they were going to charge me $25.


Used to be free ... but $25 for a reel you like, that isn’t made anymore, sounds like a deal to me.


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