# penn 5500ss disassembly instructions



## Flat's Hunter (Oct 18, 2007)

I just got a couple of used penn 5500ss reels and was looking for some help on how to take one apart. one is a bit rough and I opened it up and it is pretty grimy. I was wondering if anyone had some step by step instructions to take it apart, maybe with pictures. One problem is how do you remove the rotor. I know it has a lock nut on the bottom, but how do you slide the brass gear off the shaft? does it just slide up or what? also any other tips or advice on tearing it down

thanks


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## BullyARed (Jun 19, 2010)

I have Penn reels 5500ss - 9500ss and I often took them apart to clean them. To slide the brass gear off the shaft, there are two little screws at end of it. Remove them and lift off the plate that hold the shaft down to the assembly. Remove the hex nut that hold the rotor to the shaft. Carefully lift off the gear and the bearing and then slide the shaft off. You may want to take pictures of the assembly before taking them apart. After removing all the old grease and dirt, use air gun oil lube (or Penn reel oil) that you can get at Harbor Freight and lube it. This oil has low viscosity and it seems working very good for my reel and it's cheap! If the reel gear and bearings are rusted, you may want to spray them with WD-40 and let it sit overnight. Dry off excessive WD-40 the next day. You may use/apply CorrosionX. If you still have problem, just shoot me a PM.


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

grease gears

oil bearings


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## Flat's Hunter (Oct 18, 2007)

thanks for ya'lls help. just got done tearing down and cleaning one real. much smoother now. not quite as smooth as the other but it has more wear to it. probably would need new bearings to completely smooth out, but it will work for good for now, its just not perfect for a perfectionist. anyway came apart just fine with your help bullyared. of course putting it together is always another story. made a rookie mistake and put a bushing in the wrong place on the spool shaft but i figured it out with common sense and a parts diagram. of course it caused the anti reverse dog clip to loosen up so I had to take it apart for the 4th time to tighten it up for it to work, but I have seen that before on other reels. 

Anyways, back together now and working good. It actually is much simpler that I thought it would be

Thanks


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## Flat's Hunter (Oct 18, 2007)

well F'ing F.

I went to service the bail on one and when I removed the screw that holds on the assembly to the rotor the screw snapped off. The entire thread inset in the rotor is like gone/ corroded into nothing around the screw shaft. and that was on a reel that worked/looked better. I can swap out rotors with the other I guess, and keep it for parts. I was looking at parts prices and heII even with out shipping they are worth just as much parted out as they are being used. what rotten luck. I'll just have to pick up another I guess

any way, anyone have a used rotor for a 5500ss they don't need anymore, or a busted rig with a good rotor, they are no longer going to mess with? PM me if you want to let it go.


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## Roger (Aug 12, 2005)

Here's a link to a rebuild of a 6500SS and a link to a schematic for your 5500SS. There are a few differences but they are minor. Hope they help and good luck. Let us know how it turns out.

http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=930.0

http://www.pennreels.com/exp_views/spin/4500SS_5500SS.pdf


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

http://southwesternparts.com/code/viewschematics.php3


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## Flat's Hunter (Oct 18, 2007)

Roger said:


> Here's a link to a rebuild of a 6500SS and a link to a schematic for your 5500SS. There are a few differences but they are minor. Hope they help and good luck. Let us know how it turns out.
> 
> http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=930.0
> 
> http://www.pennreels.com/exp_views/spin/4500SS_5500SS.pdf


Thanks Roger. That was exactly what is was looking for. Of course now I am a pro at it but it wil be good to share with others ESP my brother when I get him to help me clean reels. Shimano has a buch of these and they are great for first timers

I got to tell you guys 2cool is like the best forum. Quick information sharing at it's best. Been in some other interest forums and it takes for ever and there is less knowledge.

Thanks for everyone help. Thanks coastaloutfitters for the parts source. I was able to get a partial refund on the reel so I am happy about that. It will cover te part and shipping but I wish I could find one to just pick up. Shipping is as much as the part. If you know of a parts place in san antonio or sw Houston or POC let me know. I could probably just pick it up. I am in no hurry. Also might find another parts reel.

Thanks

-CONSERVATION: keep what ya eat, release the rest
-Respect the resource and your fellow outdoorsman
-Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Flat's Hunter (Oct 18, 2007)

Well I had a flash today. Why buy a whole new rotor when I could drill out the old brass insert and stick in a new one. So I found a brass insert at ace hardware and trimed it down with a dremmel. I then glue it in. Still setting up, but I think it is going to work great. If not I can always replace it the rotor, no big loss. But it looks good.


-CONSERVATION: keep what ya eat, release the rest
-Respect the resource and your fellow outdoorsman
-Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## BullyARed (Jun 19, 2010)

Flat's Hunter said:


> Well I had a flash today. Why buy a whole new rotor when I could drill out the old brass insert and stick in a new one. So I found a brass insert at ace hardware and trimed it down with a dremmel. I then glue it in. Still setting up, but I think it is going to work great. If not I can always replace it the rotor, no big loss. But it looks good.
> 
> -CONSERVATION: keep what ya eat, release the rest
> -Respect the resource and your fellow outdoorsman
> -Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


=====

Genious! Now you can offer Penn spinning reel service


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