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How Do You Change the Bail (Wire) Spring on a Mitchell 302/402?

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This  is another of those pesky problems that probably more than one person has cussed over:



 



How do you change  the Bail (wire) Spring on the Mitchell 302 / 402? There has to be some easy way but I can't find it. The  spring has to be under tension or it won't close the bail.  I can always get one leg in a hole but  not the  other in the other hole.


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I take the bail wire itself off and just tighten the screw that holds the bail mount down. One end of the spring fits into the rotor and the other fits into the hole in the bail mount. You just have to turn the bail mount a little and hold it down while tightening.

Then I put the bail wire back on.

The Bucks stop here...

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Quote:

Originally Posted by biggstriper View Post

I take the bail wire itself off and just tighten the screw that holds the bail mount down. One end of the spring fits into the rotor and the other fits into the hole in the bail mount. You just have to turn the bail mount a little and hold it down while tightening.

Then I put the bail wire back on.



Maybe I need to be more specific: I can get one of the legs of the spring into the rotor, but then I can't get the other leg into the bail mount. Like you the bail itself is off so I'm dealing only with the bail mount. Indeed I'm trying to change  the mount itself which prompted this foray into the  bail system.  I'm trying to figure how to get the "legs"  of the wire in the rotor *and*  into the bail mount at the same  time so I  can insert the screw, tighten it down, pull it back etc. In the current configuration I can get the legs  in *but* the mount  is forward of the bumper stop. If I try to  bring it back behind the bumper stop and thereby create the tension for  the spring so  it snaps close, one of the  legs  comes out  of it hole  before I can tighten  down the screw. And therein lies the problem



 


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Hi. Cabbaged from folks elsewhere:

('m pretty sure that the 300 is the same as the 302...."coily", with bends on the ends.)

 

Hi (insert name here) I presume you mean the bail arm spring.Even though I haven't replaced a spring for many years,the process is straight forward for the 300 & 301 .

For the 300. Points to remember

 

1 With the spring on top,spool facing foward ,to cock the reel,the bail arm is moved right to left & vice versa for the 301.

 

2 Check if you have the correct spring,by holding the spring between the thumb & forefingers of the right & left hand & gently moving your right hand to the left.

The correct hand spring closes up to operate.

 

3 Place the upfacing leg of the spring in the fine hole in the bail mechanism,over the stake,

then jiggle the out facing leg into the small slot, until the bail lever clips in,replace large screw,smallscrew,bingo,finished,

You'll get good after practice. (insert author's name here)

 

 

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Spats Maghee View Post

 

Hey Desert i think Ken has it it takes practice but thats how its done or go bailess and avoid these problems i have 3 i have converted to bailes and love it its simple and once you learn how to cast with it you 'll love it !!

 

spats

 

 Yea I was -- am?? -- thinking cwm40.gif  of going  to a PUM, but I'm hearing learning to cast with one can be a headache, especially as I live in a desert city, with no place to practice casting -- its not like the West Indies, where you walk out your door and your at the beach --  Sigh... the good ol' days. That plus I'd have to figure out how to install it.  But your right, everyone who uses a PUM has said the same thing: Once you learn how to cast with it, you never go back. Right now the Jury is still out on this mod.

 

 

 

Right now I have "radicalized" two out of three reels and converted them over to crosswind cams, and converted two out of five spools over to Penn HT100 drag systems.  

 

 

 

Probably my next project  is to pick up some sand paper on Sat. when my SSDI comes in and start finishing the sanding on my Mitchell 302 "parts reel" , then in April pick up some duracoat paint and test  paint a bunch of parts and see how they turn out. Color?!? Burgundy with Black accents.  That might be the one that would get the PUM if it turns out half way decently.

 

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Desert i learned to cast mine in the football field in the playground with a hunk of broomstick and a eye hook as far as the instalation is concerned you have half the work done noe of he existing bail mechinisms go back on the reel and the kits comes with the required hardware and counterweight and on SOL or utube do a search for a great vid on how to cast a VS its the same routine and hey im an old guy jut learning this stuff

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  • 11 months later...

Quote:

Originally Posted by biggstriper View Post

I take the bail wire itself off and just tighten the screw that holds the bail mount down. One end of the spring fits into the rotor and the other fits into the hole in the bail mount. You just have to turn the bail mount a little and hold it down while tightening.

Then I put the bail wire back on.



I have a different problem with my 402.  The bail only opens half way.  I just purchased the reel.  Is this correct?  I just do not see how it could open any further for casting.  Any thoughts?


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MB Surf, sounds like the bail trip pin is not recessing into the bottom hole in the rotor cup. Would suggest removing the spool assembly and checking to see if the pin is actually moving in and out when the wire is being activated. May just need to be cleaned and adjusted. Whatever it is, it is an easy fix.

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Desertcatfish, Here is the way I install a spring. Widen the spring a little left to right like opening an acordian. Now, put the one end of the spring in the rotor cup. Next, turn the mount forward to get the spring end to go into the mount hole regardless of what position the mount is in. Just make sure the coil of the spring is in the mount. Now with a little down pressure on the mount holding it to the cup, turn the mount to go back past the bail stop on the rotor. Holding the mount in place still, start the screw and snug it down. You should b GTG! I do agree, go to a PUM. All the reels I fix and build are PUMs and it is simple to install. I am not the worlds most coordinated person but still learned how to cast a PUM in 6 casts with regularity. All I had to rememer is to have the PUM down and the handle out. Other than a it casts just like a wired reel. Take care and hope his helps.

 

Rick C.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick C. View Post

MB Surf, sounds like the bail trip pin is not recessing into the bottom hole in the rotor cup. Would suggest removing the spool assembly and checking to see if the pin is actually moving in and out when the wire is being activated. May just need to be cleaned and adjusted. Whatever it is, it is an easy fix.



Will try.  Thanks


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i put alot of mitchells together the best way is to do it with the roter cup off.but that being said take the spool/handle off so its easy to handle put a small little block holding the bail trip out which keeps the pin in and put the spring in the place on the roter cup line the arm hole to the spring holding it with your thumb rotate it and lift the arm up just enough to clear the stop then put the screw in it and take the little block out.

 


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