Anti-reverse cursed?

[GF.]

I have two relatively inexpensive spinning reels; both are fairly new (based on usage) Shimanos. Both have an anti-reverse lever on the back end of the gear housing, and both seem to be busted so that I can't keep them from turning backwards, though one seems kinda intermittent.

Am I doing something wrong that I've never heard of? (Most things that can be done wrong, I've already had some experience with ;) )

Or is this just a QA problem that you run into when you buy cheap stuff?

[Bill Gunn]

They may just need a cleaning. It sounds like the old lubricant is gummed up. If these are salt water reels, they should be washed with fresh water after EVERY use.

Sometimes when you open up the area with the anti-reverse in it, it can be
"Some-what Of A Problem" getting it back together without using the appropraite "How the heck does this go back in ??? " swear words.

[GF.]

Yeah, I pulled one reel apart after it was well and truly defunct, just to see what things looked like in there...

May have to go back in on one of the ones that still basically works. They're not near as much use w/out the AR, though.. I do an awful lot of draggin' those things behind the kayak and the rowboat....