Mitchell 302 customer repair. Take apart, cleaning and parial reassembly 

I will add it to my list. I get to change the bearings frequently.

Glad to help - Dennis

Thanks for the contact information. I will be sure to pass it along - Dennis

There were several versions, but the engineering is great through out the line. Saltwater anglers are as passionate about the 302 as their freshwater counterparts are about the 308/408. Well deserved reputations. Happy 4th! Stay well - Dennis

You are welcome. Thank you for watching. Please subscribe to see more to come - Dennis

And I just found one in my back room without the red button as well! Hmmm. Guess more work is needed to understand when they were made! Dennis

I don't know the history of this reel. IT is possible that there was a bearing that got replaced. Yes that little key is easily to lose and hard to find! And you are right about the design. Those planetary gears are quite something. - Dennis

Made me smile! Your did did well in caring for the reel - thanks for sharing

Yes you can - I knew the reel was a mess. I wanted to show how to clean the drag stack so I started up top.

Yes - you can try to substitute more modern washers for the original stack - Make sure you have a keyed washer to lock the spool in there s that the stack does not spin - Dennis

Yes. A few pointers and tests. First. You should remove the bail wire from both side arms. The one side has the threaded tip on the line roller side and the other is a flat wire that is removed by turning the wire approximately 90 degrees from the set position. Once you have the wire off, you can install both springs and bail arms independently. I would install the one with the trip lever first and then test to make sure that is firing when the rotor is turned. Once that is installed properly, I would do the other arm and make sure there is tension on the spring when it rotates. If there is, then reinstall the bail ware, flat side first and then the threaded part into the other side. Once the assembly is back together, test to make sure it trips. If it is still sticking, then the bail wire is probably bent and would need to be reformed to make it rounder, or the bail wire would need to be replaced - Best wishes - Dennis

Yes - you are correct, you can remove the assembly by backing out the set screws

I'm going to add to my comments on this. I just rebuilt a "beater" 302 that looked like it had never been serviced. The screws looked untouched and the spool was full of salted, stiff monofilament line. 1. If the spool is at all seized to the spindle, you do need to take the drag screw off as you did in this video in order to remove the spool. However, when it's clean, the spool should just spin off. 2. The oscillating shaft is bronze, not stainless. The spindle is machined stainless. 3. The inside of the reel had gobs of brown, dried-out grease the consistency of candle wax. However, none of the parts were completely dry and none of the parts were obviously worn. There was no corrosion at all on the inside. 4. These things are built like tanks. Even though they look like the more delicate Mitchell 300, they're completely different. I think even a $5 Mitchell 302 is worth rebuilding, as long as all the parts are still there. There's almost no plastic in this reel. This beater I just rebuilt feels like a new reel even though there was some corrosion on the spool and the reel foot. The bail closes like a guillotine.

Sounds great Garth!. I bought out a regional service groups stock of old Mitchell reels including many partial reels. One day, I will get to them. You are correct - they are built to take a beating and will continue long after anything sold today will last. Good job - Dennis

It sound like you may have a worn click ring. If your click button is moving gin and out easily or too easy, then pinch down the top ends of the copper click ring to restore function - Dennis

I haven't seen anything that says you can't use these reels. Purple power is non-toxic but it does contain lye, so be careful when using this

I haven't can you send a picture to my email? 2ndchancetackle@gmail.com Thank you - Dennis

I like them for the design and durability. The downside is they are very heavy compared to today's "modern" reels. These were first introduced in the 1940's and have certainly stood the test of time - Dennis

Thanks for the note. You can use the dish detergent, just make sure the reel is completely rid of it as it will dissolve the new greases and oils if you leave it wet. I use Penn Precision reel grease and oil. I am not particular on brand, just make sure it is a grease and oil made for fishing reels. I have not works on a 330 and do not have that video. Thanks for asking - Dennis

@@2ndChanceTackle I see in the video you are using Penn reel grease. I will be getting me some of this. Also a bottle of the oil. I noticed you only use a small amount of grease on the parts. Did not realize you would put so small amount in them.

Parts are no longer generally available for the old Mitchell reels. Try searching on Ebay. I believe you can use the drags from a 302 on your 402, so look for both - Dennis

Never mind Dennis. I found your video on how to do this. Thank you and sorry that I didn’t look harder before I posted the original question.

Glad to hear it helped. Thanks - Dennis

I'm sure it didn't hit the wall, but I suspect the reel was used for parts. I don't recall how this ended!!!

That red thing is an oil access port. As far as I am aware, they all came with that port. Hmmm. I checked schematics throughout the years, from the first ones, which were made in 1954, and they all show the side plate with the button - Dennis

Yes - it is hitting the handle because the bail has been bent downward. Just gently resend it upward and that will correct the problem - Dennis

@@2ndChanceTackle i just found out its the rubber bumper but thankyou im going to go through both reals thanks to your video

Most do not roll on the older ones. There are a few that have the line roller bearing, but most do not.

I was just cleaning my 302 to get ready for spring. I did some surf fishing with it last fall and I didn’t clean it as well as I should have. I was running a PUM on it last fall but I’m switching back to the bail this year. I just completely disassembled the bail and it looks like the line roller was designed to spin since it is a separate part between the beginning of the bail wire and the arm that acts as an end plate in the part that trips. I assume that if the part of the wire that runs under the line roller is free of tarnish and is oiled prior to reassembly and the nut isn’t way over tightened, it might spin, but perhaps it’s only designed to spin if there is significant pressure on the line when under drag…the line roller on mine appears to be the same nickle plated bronze as the rest of the bail, not hardened steel.

I have not considered it. Thanks for the suggestion. I will look into it. do you have a recommended brand or source for these?

I dont have any information on a brand all the ones I have used were in industrial applications in heavy industry and so on. We used them to clean contaminated gas detectors and aluminum screen air filters.

If these are industrial, it probably does not make economic sense for me, however, I will continue to check into it. - Thank you - Dennis

No just the ones I used, they make them for home owners/small shops all sizes but I have not used them therefore I cant recommend any of them. Thanks for the time to make the videos Dennis. Worth

I haven't. We don't see them here.

yes - I work on Newell reels. I haven't seen one in a while and they are getting rarer to find. Repairs are subject to parts availability. - Dennis

I may have one if you interested, it would be cheap. I have a lot of older reel parts - Dennis

Thank you for responding. After a close inspection I noticed it is a Garcia Mitchell 302 salt water. Would the parts still fit?

The 302 is a larger reel. I will check and see. I believe that the 303 bail has a smaller dimeter. I may have the 302 pieces - Dennis

@@2ndChanceTackle The 303 would be the same, but with the drive handle on the right side. The handle won't work, and I believe the bail, also, because the direction is reversed.