Torium/Trinidad 16/20/30 Service Tutorial
Shimano service diagrams are at these URLs
torium 16
http://fish.shimano.com/media/fishin...9830570267.pdf
torium 20
http://fish.shimano.com/media/fishin...9830570268.pdf
torium 30
http://fish.shimano.com/media/fishin...9830570269.pdf
See the Shimano site for other Trinidad series reels, but expect the same details
Start with a series of Phillips-head screwdrivers (small, medium and large), Shimano handle wrench (key 355), Q-tips, quality bearing oil, drag grease, gear grease. I made two tools to hold in the Torium/Trinidad surprise spring and click pin during assembly (1). Position the reel with the handle facing up (2) and select a medium screwdriver and remove the handle nut plate screw (key 128) (3).
Lift off the handle nut plate (key 603) (4). Use the Shimano wrench to remove the handle nut (key 262) (5). Remove the handle (key 604) (6). Wipe both items down well.
Be careful to either put a towel over the entire assembly or place both your hands around the star drag as you turn. There is a spring (key 296) and click spring (key 295) under and inside the star drag. If you do not cover it, it might shoot across the room. Start to carefully unscrew the star drag (7). In this case (but not always) the two little devils are trapped by one of the washers (8). The very tiny click pin (key 295) is shown here on my finger (9).
Remove, clean and re-grease the click spring (key 296) (10). I use the same tool for this as to hold in the spring later. Set both in a secure location near the star drag (11). Remove the washers on the drive shaft as a group (12).
It may take a couple of tries to get them all off (13). Be careful with last of the stack - the somewhat delicate bearing seal (key 270). Here are the washers in order from bottom near the bearing (left) to top near the star drag (right) (14). You might be able to see the water/salt water left after a wash down – wipe them all down. The shaft ball bearing (key 486) is located here (15). It might be easier to get the bearing out after you remove the right side plate.
I use a medium screwdriver for the four smaller screws (keys 305 & 308). The screws are easy to strip so firmly insert the screwdriver (16). Now, switch to a large screwdriver and remove the four larger screws (key 606) (17). The eight screws are arranged 4-key 606, 2-key 305, 2-key 308 (18).
Remove the right side plate by lifting it straight up (19). The shaft bearing will usually come out during removal of the side plate (20). Clean it, if you have a stock one packed with grease with contact cleaner and oil it with quality oil like Speed X. The roller clutch inner tube (key 494) is seen protruding from the roller clutch (key 493) (21).
The roller clutch inner tube (key 494) is shown after removal (22). A surprise you will find somewhere is the line clip (key 280) (23). It is loosely attached in a slot on the one piece frame. Clean the inside of the side plate and pay special attention to the clutch lever assembly shown at the top (24). Paint it with grease for protection and lubrication.
Clean and grease the roller clutch bearing (key 493), removal is not always needed (25). Look on the back of the handle and you will probably see the drive shaft shield (key 264) (26 & 27). If you regularly service your reel and use grease in these areas it will always stay attached loosely stuck to the handle.
Here is the view of the reel under the right side plate (28). Remove the main gear (key 759) and the drag stack as a unit (29). The region shown in 30 is the anti-reverse pawn (key 303) or dog as most non-Shimano people call it.
You should oil this assembly especially at the pivot shaft (31). If it is sluggish when you move it, remove the two screws (key 305) and the anti-reverse pawl cover (key 306). Clean it well, add oil and reassemble. The narrow end of the pawl cover goes down during assembly. The dog (key 303) has two delicate INWARDLY bent ears or fingers that surround the main gear. They should HUG the gear if correctly bent. After reassembly rotate the shaft with the reel held in the horizontal position. It should stop movement in the wrong direction if the dog is working.
Clean the yoke plate (key 302) region and reapply fresh grease (32). Add a small amount of grease to the pinion gear. Remove the drag washer A (key 418) that is found under the main gear (key 759) and above the anti-reverse ratchet (key 294) and wipe down the anti-reverse ratchet (key 294) (33). Be careful not to snag the anti-reverse pawl (key 303) and bend it.
Clean drive gear (key 759) on the bottom and inside. Apply grease to the bottom and a bit on the teeth of the gears (34). Two different drag washers are shown in photo 35. The one on the left is the “dartanium” stock drag from Shimano and the one I like is from Carbontex – you might see a difference in texture with the Carbontex model heavily textured. Various reasons led me to use these drags mostly because they NEVER crack when you service the reel. They are also less of a mess to clean and install. I also think they have a longer service life. Use Shimano drag grease (I now use Cal Sheet's grease on my drags) in both sides of each fiber or “dartaniun” washer (36). Just a tiny amount if spread evenly is plenty. The first washer (key 291) you insert into the drive gear is the one with a LARGE HOLE –
be sure or you will ruin your drag.
The next drag plate has a square hole (key 290) clean it before insertion. Thread on the next washer (key 288) (38). If this is a Carbontex washer it should have heavy texture! The eared washer goes in next (key 289). The ears are visible in photo (39) – the ears go DOWN in the assembly.
The eared washer (key 289) is shown correctly inserted with the ears DOWN (40). The drag stack should now be roughly flush with the main gear. The final fiber washer (key 288) from Carbontex is very lightly textured; it looks different from all other HT100-type washers (41). Two key washers (key 929) are shown in photo 42. The one on the right is a stock Shimano and the other is from Cal Sheets. I can say that I DO NOT see a great deal of difference from the use of this $18 washer upgrade. I did notice a greater improvement when I installed the Carbontex washers. Still, I have the Cal Sheets washer on my reel! The highly polished side goes DOWN toward the fiber washer. The top of the stock washer is domed or raised in appearance.
The opposite side of the key washer is visible here (43) – note it is NOT shiny, but dull on the outer rim. Again, the top of the stock washer is domed. Install the roller clutch inner tube (key 494) with the ears inward toward the slots in the key washer (44 & 45). Be sure the ears seat correctly into the key washer.
This photo does not do justice to the line clip (key 280) due to its blurry nature, but
grease the slot where it goes and slip it in place (46). The grease will hopefully keep it there during the assembly of the rest of side plate. It only goes in from one direction. Insert the side plate onto the reel. Be easy and jiggle it until it seats well. You may also have to move the clutch lever to get the assembly to fully seat. Hold it in place with your thumb (47). Grease all screw holes and the area where the screws will seat – be generous as you will wipe off the excess (48).
The right bearing (key 486) is shown just before it seated around the shaft with a gentle touch (49). Next, install the bearing seal (key 270). It is a very thin plastic item so be careful. I keep a couple of these on hand as you will find them distorted after a BIG fight and buttoned drags (50) or when you have damaged it. The bearing thrust washer (key 269) is now installed. It is a small silver washer (51).
Pair of drag spring washers (key 267 & 268) is installed in this orientation () (52). Most people call these bellville washers. One is usually thin and the other thick, but some suggest using two thick ones for better drag pressure. You might try this if you need additional drag pounds (like on a Trinidad). A gray colored washer called the star drag washer is next (key 266) (53). Insert the cleaned and greased click spring first and then click pin into this hole (54). It should protrude out past the threads.
I have made a couple of tools to hold the click pin and spring in the compressed state while I thread on the star drag (57). Push the click spring in with the flat side of a small slotted screwdriver and then insert something thin, round and stiff to hold the spring in the compressed state (55). Be careful to get in front of the spring or have it aimed at you when you do this. Until you get some facility with this you may shoot it across the room when your concentration on the spring fades and you let it go. Good bye click pin and hello Shimano! The small yellow tool is my favorite because I can get the star drag over the yellow end and let it drop down to where I can start it threading on the shaft (56). Be sure to get the threads aligned or you will strip the fine threads. You need to rotate it quite a number of times until you hear the click spring start to click. If you hear that you can let go of the tool depressing the click pin.
The star drag is correctly threaded on the shaft here and clicks nicely (58). A drive shaft shield (key 264) goes on the shaft before the handle (59). I put a thin rub of grease on all parts around the handle since this area gets wet constantly. Put on the handle (key 604). Note that I have the handle in the left hole; this is for faster retrieve. The one on the right or closest to the end of the handle is for additional power. If speed is not an issue USE THE power setting if you catch big fish, that ½ inch makes a lot of difference in your ability to turn the handle.
Grease the area around the shaft generously before you install the handle nut (key 262) (61). Make the nut firm, but not fully tight at this point using the Shimano wrench (key 355). Install the handle nut plate (key 603) and align it so that the hole is close the hole in the handle. Use the wrench to tighten or loosen the handle nut for an exact match. Insert and tighten the handle nut plate screw (key 128). A small slotted or medium Phillips will tighten this nicely. DO not over tighten it or the head will strip (63).
Pay some attention now to the area where the hand grip spins (64). Clean and oil this area. Spin the handle quite a bit to insure that it spins freely. You may see corrosion or even a fish scale come out from under the handle. Clean and re-oil until this stops and the handle spins freely. Turn the reel over and start on the left side plate. Oil the click button (clicker) (key 616). Move it back and forth to work in the oil (65). Loosen the four screws (key 546) with a large phillips screwdriver. Pull up on the left side plate and it will come free (66).
Remove the spool by grabbing the shaft (67). Oil the left side bearing (key 484) shown in the center of the left side plate. Use contact spray if yours is filled with grease; then oil it. The difference in freespool and casting distant will surprise you when you remove the grease (68). Clean and oil the bearing on the spool (key 621) (69). Be careful not to get any spray cleaner on your line.
Oil the tips of both stainless portions of your spool shaft (70). Reinsert the spool with the long shaft first and the short shaft facing up. Install the left side plate. Grease all four depressions where the screws will go well. Insert the screws and tighten well. Wipe off excess grease from all areas of the reel, but excess grease will usually be helpful. Adjust the cast control cap (key 276) so that the spool shifts left and right just a small amount. Too much play is not better than just a little side to side movement.
I like to test the drags at this point. You can see that this reel gave 14 pounds of drag. I fish a Torium 20 with 30, 40 or 50# test so this is more than enough. The usual ideal is to set your drag to 25% of the line test so I need (7.5, 10 and 12.5 pounds respectively). One time I did not test the drags on a Trinidad; the result was my friend had to hand line in a 45 pound bluefin! Always check them and back them off to rest them for the fish before you put your reel away. Check free spool using blue tape to hold down the line. The reel is now ready to fish!
I hope this helps you with this kind of reel. For cranking iron on the cheap or for showing your cash in the form of a shiny gold Trini - they are great reels. Send me comment on how to improve this or which other tutorials you might like/need.