Disassembly Guide for Downriggers (2010 and earlier)

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• Disassembly Guide for Pre-2011 High-Speed Electric Downriggers
• Disassembly Guide for Pre-2011 Low-Speed Electric Downriggers
• Disassembly Guide for Manual Downriggers
• Resources:
  • Breakdown Procedure for High Speed Electric Downriggers.pdf
  • Breakdown Procedure for Low Speed Electric Downriggers.pdf
  • Breakdown Procedure for Manual Downriggers.pdf

Disassembly Guide for Pre-2011 High-Speed Electric Downriggers

• For units prior to the redesigned 2011 downriggers.
• The later models do not require special steps for applying sealant, just ensure the gaskets are not damaged and tighten screws down evenly.

1. Remove the screws around the motor cover and remove the motor cover from the motor housing.
2. At this point, switches, circuit breakers, control boards, and input and output ports can all be replaced. These items are usually held in place by a lock nut on the outside of the housing, or a boot that has a nut attached to it. All parts that protrude from the outside of the motor housing are sealed using Dow Corning® 795 sealant to keep the water out.
3. Remove the gear case cover from the inside of the downrigger case.
4. Unplug and remove the motor.
5. Remove the downrigger cable from the reel, spooling it onto  something that will prevent backlash so that you can put spool it back on when finished.
6. Remove the brake knob from the frame on the right hand side of the downrigger, and also remove the bearing and bearing races from underneath the brake knob from the drive shaft.
7. Slide the 3-digit counter away from the spool, if applicable, so that it is no longer in contact with the reel counter gear.
8. Loosen the set screw in the center inside the reel. There are two holes: one is used to line up the set screw; the other is tapped to take the set screw. The set screw does not have to be removed, just loosened enough so that the reel shaft and drive shaft are free. When re-assembling the downrigger, make sure that you line up the hole in the reel shaft with the hole for the set screw. The set screw must pass into the hole correctly so that the downrigger does not slip.
9. Push on the drive shaft from the right hand side of the downrigger so that it comes out of the gear case on the left hand side. Once clear of the gear case, pull the drive shaft, worm gear, clutch pad, and clutch plate out of the downrigger.
10. There are three screws along the bottom of the motor housing that attach the housing to the frame. Remove those screws, and pry the housing from the frame. It is sealed as well to keep water out, so there will be resistance.
11. To remove the reel, push out the reel shaft. If not free, you will need to loosen the set screw more so that it clears the reel shaft. Once the set screw is clear, lift the reel out of the frame.

NOTE: We recommend the use of Dow Corning® 795 sealant to keep the water out. (795 comes in black and white.) Also, the gear will have to have grease packed in to prevent friction. We recommend that you run the motor forwards and backwards to allow the grease to set.

Disassembly Guide for Pre-2011 Low-Speed Electric Downriggers

• For units prior to the redesigned 2011 downriggers.

1. Remove the screws around the motor cover, and pry the motor cover off the motor housing.
2. Along the bottom of the motor cover, there are 3 bolts that hold the motor housing onto the frame of the downrigger. Remove those screws, and pry the motor housing cover off the frame.
3. To remove the motor from the motor housing, there are three screws on the outside of the motor housing that anchor it in place. Remove those screws, and unplug the motor wires from the either the switch or the circuit board, whichever applies.
4. To remove the switch or the circuit breaker, loosen the switch boot or the circuit breaker boot nuts on the outside of the housing cover. These are also sealed, so will have some resistance.
5. The circuit board, if one is inside the downrigger, is sometimes held in place with two-sided tape. Others just float inside unsecured.
6. To remove the reel from the downrigger frame, remove the brake knob, bearing race washers, and bearing race from the right side of the downrigger.
7. Remove the downrigger cable from the reel, spooling it onto something that will prevent backlash so that you can put it back on when finished.
8. Slide the 3-digit counter away from the spool, so that it is no longer in contact with the reel counter gear.
9. Loosen the set screw in the center inside the reel. There are two holes. One is used to line up the set screw, the other is tapped to accept the set screw. The set screw does not have to be removed, just loosened enough so that the reel shaft and drive shaft are free. When re-assembling the  downrigger, make sure that you line up the hole in the reel shaft with the hole for the set screw. The set screw must pass into the hole correctly so that the downrigger does not slip.
10. Pull out the drive shaft, plates, and clutch pad from the frame of the downrigger.
11. Push out the reel shaft from the frame.
12. Remove the reel from the inside of the frame of the downrigger.

NOTE: Upon re-assembly, we recommend the use of Dow Corning® 795 sealant to
preserve the watertight seal of the downrigger. (795 comes in black and white.)

Disassembly Guide for Manual Downriggers

This is the procedure for breaking down the various hand-cranked downriggers produced by Cannon. There will be some variations to the procedure, as Cannon has been produced for many years, with minor changes being made in the design. This procedure will hold true for most. Some of the more obvious steps such as boom removal and rod holder removal have been left off the procedure as self-explanatory.

1. Remove the handle by turning it counter-clockwise. The anti-reverse dog will not let the handle turn backwards. It will just turn off the ratchet shaft. (NOTE: some of the earlier models used an acorn nut to hold the handle in place. This would have to be removed to take the handle off.)
2. Remove the handle crank spring, bearing races and bearing from the ratchet shaft.
3. Remove the clutch cover from the other side of the downrigger. The anti-reverse dog and anti reverse dog spring will come off with the cover. This will also expose the brake plate, clutch pad, and ratchet brake plate.
4. Remove the downrigger cable from the reel. You will need to spool it onto something (another reel) so that you can put it back on when finished. You will want to make sure that there is some tension on the wire as you are putting it onto the other spool, so that it does not backlash.
5. Loosen the set screw in the reel. It will be located at the center of the reel. There are two holes in the center of the reel itself. One hole is used for the set screw and so it threaded inside, and the other is used to line up the set screw with the reel shaft. The set screw does not need to be removed, just loosened enough so that it clears the reel shaft. (NOTE: on earlier versions of the Unitroll HP & Easi-Troll HP models there were two plastic sleeves that enlarged the reel diameter to give it the quicker retrieval rate. They are held together by two screws that will need to be removed so that you can get to the set screw in the reel).
6. Pull the reel shaft, brake plate, clutch pad, and ratchet brake plate out of the downrigger.
7. Push the reel shaft out of the frame from either side.
8. Push the counter, if one is in place, away from the spool. It will just slide clear, as the gear fits into the notch. Remove the reel from the frame.