I have a gen 3 revo s and wanted to do some basic maintenance on it last night.  for some reason unknown to me i cannot get the side plate off to save my life?  I've never removed it, but it doesn't appear to be that difficult?????   I loosened the screw on the thumb bar and then tried every way under the sun to get the side plate off, with no luck.  any suggestions, perhaps I'm just a moron (I wouldn't argue that point with you)

THANKS!

I may not do a great job of explaining this but here it goes.  Once you loosen the thumb screw (chrome bare at the front of your reel) you have to pull it to depress the spring which will release it from the side plate.  While you are pulling on the thumb screw push up on the side plate and it will come off allowing you to clean it. 

Unscrew the cam lock screw and slide the side plate up if that doesnt work it is stuck on something. Maybe the cam lock screw is not slid over all of the way.

I assume you refer to the thumb screw on top of the crank side plate and not the thumbar that activates the clutch for casting. Also back off the cast control cap a little bit.

I assume you refer to the thumb screw on top of the crank side plate and not the thumbar that activates the clutch for casting. Also back off the cast control cap a little bit.

x2..

Once the thumbscrew is lose, twist the side plate downward.

I'll bet you need to loosen the spool tension.  If it's too tight it pushes the spool out too far and the side plate gets stuck.

Thanks for all the responses fellas!  As soon as I get out of this jailhouse known as work I will be backing off the cast control a bit and giving it another go.

when you unscrew the sideplate thumbscrew you have to pull it towards the reel handle.

thanks fellas.  loosened that cast control knob and a little finesse got the side plate off.  Thanks for all the input!