The bail will close while casting. Not every time...definitely if there is a a bit of a snap to my cast. Also sometimes when trying to bomb something. Was using it on both a St Croix 6'9" MLXF and a St Croix Premier 7' M.

 

Assuming it's the bail spring and it needs replacing. Anyone else have a different idea? Thanks

An educated guess, it's more likely the contact points on either end of the bail trip lever that are worn - that is, the graphite rotor.  

A new stiffer spring without age-creep will likely make the problem worse.  

^ That was my first thought as well - if the spring wasn't working, the bail wouldn't close or at least not all the way.

On 2/5/2023 at 5:55 PM, MN Fisher said:

^ That was my first thought as well - if the spring wasn't working, the bail wouldn't close or at least not all the way.

 

On 2/5/2023 at 5:30 PM, bulldog1935 said:

An educated guess, it's more likely the contact points on either end of the bail trip lever that are worn - that is, the graphite rotor.  

A new stiffer spring without age-creep will likely make the problem worse.  

Thanks. So what does that mean? Is it repairable? Would that mean new rotor? Is it even worth it? I mean I liked the reel until that started happening.

Sounds like the friction ring may be the culprit. I would check that part first as they often go bad on Shimanos (11607).

 

14 minutes ago, garroyo130 said:

Sounds like the friction ring may be the culprit. I would check that part first as they often go bad on Shimanos (11607).

Another culprit could be the Bail Trip Lever (12577)

Is it fairly obvious if these parts are bad? 

This sounds like the problem one of my spinning reels began giving me several years ago.  My fix, which is still working to this day, is as follows:

 

Locate the pan head screws that the bail assembly is held to the rotor with, one on each end of the bail assembly.

 

Cut a felt disc at least as large as the head of these screws from a scrap piece of felt (available at a craft store if you don't have a small sheet of felt at home).  Poke a small hole through the center of this felt disc.  Now you have a felt washer to fit under the previously located pan head screw.

 

Back out the screw opposite the roller side of the bail assembly and fit the felt washer over that screw.  Replace the screw (and felt washer) snugly.  I only needed to put this felt washer under one of the screws.

 

You now will need to hand open and close the bail assembly, but you should have been doing this already.

 

oe

Avoiding that symptom is the purpose of the friction ring. The “toothy” ones don’t typically go bad, just make sure it’s there. Make sure hinges are clean and screws are snug.