Mitchell 408

I have a Mitchell 408 (made in France) that I inherited from my Grandpa. He received it as a gift from his coworkers when he retired from the concrete plant in 1968.

I had it socked away for many years as I traveled the world in my military career. After I retired, I decided to rehab the reel and return it to service. It did not worked well; it felt like there was an internal part broken.

I found a PDF of the schematic for the reel. Then, using videos from the Mitchell Reel Museum as reference, I took the reel apart. I found the oscillation slide block was in two pieces. I found one on eBay, new in the packaging, for about $8 shipped. I cleaned all the old (likely original) grease, and using Penn oil and reel grease, I reassembled the reel.

The Mitchell Reel Museum video presenter recommended NOT pulling the bale mechanism apart as it's very challenging to reassemble. So, I didn't do that.

It now works. However, it is not near as smooth or easy to operate as I would like. The reel is stiff, like the lube is very cold. It doesn't ever get easier to reel in, and it doesn't matter what the temperature is. The bale works OK, just OK. I have caught fish with the reel since I "fixed" it, but after about 30 minutes of use, I find myself reaching for my modern reels with their smooth, easy action.

Does anybody have any hints about how to get this reel to "loosen up"? I'm to the point that I'm ready to retire the reel and hold on to it for its sentimental value as "Grandpa's Reel."

Perhaps I'm just spoiled by how much smoother and better the newer modern reels work.

About an hour ago I was watching a video cautioning that over greasing the internals can cause what you describe. I recently did a tune-up on an old Mitchell 300. It operates smoothly and I wouldn't call it stiff. But in reality, it probably isn't fair to compare it to a modern reel with multiple ball bearings.

Here is a video from 2nd Chance Tackle about a service and repair on a Mitchell 408. I didn't watch much of it, but at the very beginning it looks like the one he is working on also has a problem with the bail. Might not provide any additional info over what you already have, but who knows:

Thanks for that pointer on the YouTube channel. I've seen Second Chance Tackle before, but that video is only four months old, so I hadn't seen it.

The reel the presenter cleaned and lubed seems to work much easier at the end of the video than mine does.

I can't remember how I lubed that pinion gear. Maybe I need to take it back apart and make sure I pull that out for cleaning and new lube.

After I cleaned out all the old, congealed grease, I used the recommended Penn Precision Grease and oil. I also don't think I over-greased it. I used about the same amount in the video.

The example of over greasing I saw had the grease packed in there. It doesn't sound like that is your issue. Maybe something is worn or bent. If you remove the axle does it run smoother? With everything else removed,does the drive gear turn easily? Maybe eliminate each part until you find what might binding. This is really seat-of-the-pants, but maybe worth a shot.

Those are very basic reels, If it were mine I'd start with a complete cleaning, tear it apart and clean out every last bit of old grease and oil, make sure no parts show any corrosion.
Pay attention to the front bearing. Nearly all of those I've had apart were binding or dragging due to old grease i that pinion bearings. The original grease turns to a waxy solid and has to be removed.

I do take the the pinion bearing apart but be sure to do it over a pan and be ready to fiddle around with some tiny ball bearings. I've had a few where I had to resort to cleaning all the small parts with carb cleaner or brake clean to get out all the petrified grease.
Pay attention to where all the shims go, there's a shim under the rotor cup that's a select fit and it sets the end play of that rotor.

Be careful of which grease you use, small reels need very light grease and very little of it.
I always liked the OEM grease from Shimano but have also used quantum Hot Sauce and Reel Butter grease in the past as well. Apply grease with a small brush, as if your painting each part and rub some into the gear teeth of the main gear, All else gets lubed with oil. Do not grease the pinion bearing, it only needs to be oiled. Any grease here will hinder its action.

When properly lubed that reel will spin as free as any modern reel.

oilsmoke said:

I do take the the pinion bearing apart but be sure to do it over a pan and be ready to fiddle around with some tiny ball bearings. I've had a few where I had to resort to cleaning all the small parts with carb cleaner or brake clean to get out all the petrified grease.
Pay attention to where all the shims go, there's a shim under the rotor cup that's a select fit and it sets the end play of that rotor.

Click to expand...

I ran into that same problem with a gunked up main shaft bearing on a Quantum reel I had picked up at a garage sale. It cranked pretty hard and made a scraping noise. It took some work to clean that little bearing and get the old dried grease off of the moving parts. It turned out pretty well after it was done. That reel is with one of my sons now.

oilsmoke said:

Those are very basic reels, ... Nearly all of those I've had apart were binding or dragging due to old grease i that pinion bearings....

I do take the the pinion bearing apart but be sure to do it over a pan and be ready to fiddle around with some tiny ball bearings. ....

...

When properly lubed that reel will spin as free as any modern reel.

Click to expand...

I don't think I'll ever disassemble the pinion gear/bearing. I'm not real good with tiny parts and I think the reel is at high risk if I do take it apart. The small springs in the reel were enough of a challenge for me, but they were single items. The vids I've seen recommend against it, and even the Mitchell schematic says not to:



I will, however, take it out and do my best to clean it, just in case there's more gunk inside.