I've never taken apart a conventional reel, well once, and that's why I'm apprehensive about it.

This link looks legit, great pictures, but I'd like some confirmation. If it's good, I'll put it in the how-to's.

http://www.kayaksportfishing.com/tackle_n_tips/submissions/ted/penn_reel_maintenance.htm

Looks pretty accurate to me. It looks more intimidating than it really is. It's all about being a little bit methodical about how you take it apart and reassemble.

Looks good. Penn conventional reels are the simplest to maintain. I own at least 20 and do all the maintenance myself. If you own more that one and are nervous just take one apart at a time. That way you can always look at the one that is complete when you get stuck. Should be a piece of cake. P.M.

Looks right to me. The odds are you won't have to take it all the way down just to do a simple clean and lube.

Great, thanks guys, I'll add this to the how to's.

I would avoid the steel wool. There's a fair chance of getting some metal transfer onto the reel parts or embedding some tiny steel wool particles into them. If this happens you'll get rust bleeding when you expose the reel to salt water. Better alternatives would be brass or stainless steel wire brushes or bronze wool.
Brake washers- I like my reel brakes the same as my truck brakes, no oil or grease not even a trace. This subject needs a whole new thread. I'll wait 'till someone's interested.

Just be advised (truth in advertising and all that) that if the Penn in question is a Squidder, that series of photos does absolutly nothing to prepare you for seating the dog spring---which is about the size of a human eyelash---on the secondary anti-reverse ;) Jigmasters, Senators and Beachmasters don't have that bastage of a part.

Just be advised (truth in advertising and all that) that if the Penn in question is a Squidder, that series of photos does absolutly nothing to prepare you for seating the dog spring---which is about the size of a human eyelash---on the secondary anti-reverse ;) Jigmasters, Senators and Beachmasters don't have that bastage of a part.

Mike,
You sure about that? I thought that I remebered that the jig master had that dog spring. Anyway the trick to getting it in is to seat it in a gob of grease that'll hold it in place while you put the rest of the reel back together.

It has a spring but it's not as tricky to seat. The big problem with the Squidder is that stew-pid secondary anti-reverse that kicks the reel into direct drive for guys who feel the need to back-wind the handle.