Daiwa vs Pflueger knob bearings--why Pflueger spins better?

[Yazman]

Hey all. Long time lurker, first time poster.

 

I know that how freely or fast a bearing spins doesn't necessarily equate to a "smooth" feeling retrieve, but that being said, why do my Pfluegers (XT) knobs spin so much faster and more easily than my Daiwa (Tatula LT, Regal LT) knobs?

 

In case you're wondering, I took out the bushings in the Tatula and replaced them with quality ABEC3 bearings (and noticed absolutely no difference).

 

I'm having fun playing with reels and just want to learn more; I know there may be no practical benefit to knowing the answer.

[garroyo130]

Daiwa knobs have shims you have to play with when you replace the bushings with bearings. In my experience if you leave the shims the way they were with bushings you will lose spin.

 

I don't remember 100% but I believe I typically leave the inside shim and remove the one closest to the screw's head.

[bulldog1935]

tuning reel handles becomes an art, and you can use it as a science with your retrieve rate and fishing niche.  

Reels never come with a handle knob I want - and maybe even the handle pitch and balance - swapping for what I do want is pretty much automatic.  

(yes, knob shimming is everything to find that point where they spin like a bicycle wheel without end play)

 

IMO, the bearings that come in the Daiwa handles are the very best bearings for handle knobs offered by anyone (including Livre) - they fit snug on both spindle and in the knob boss, minimizing wind-direction play in the knob.  

 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

I never lube handle knobs with free spin in mind. I want them to have minimal resistance but not spin on their own. More to the OP question, the mass of the knob, friction points in the mounting of the knobs, bearing size and minor differences in lubrication will affect th e free spin. 

[Yazman]

Thanks everyone for your responses. What all of you have said makes sense.

 

Speaking of knob bearings, I have an Exceler 2500 LT that has a riveted knob, so I bought a Procyon handle for it and swapped out the bushings for bearings in the knob. I closed my eyes, swapped my old Exceler and new Procyon handles around in my hands, and spun the knobs and handles a bit with my eyes closed. I couldn't tell the difference between the two to be honest ?. But at least I have that warm, fuzzy feeling in my tummy knowing that there are now bearings in my handle knobs.

 

I remember the days when I had one bearing reels that were heavy, plastic, and cheap. I was happy with them for 2 decades ?

[NOC 1]

21 hours ago, Yazman said:

 

 

I remember the days when I had one bearing reels that were heavy, plastic, and cheap. I was happy with them for 2 decades ?

LOL...and too bad for your wallet that you had to go and try something better. And even worse for your wallet is that a guy who is spending so much time and effort on knob bearings is surely the kind of guy that the bait monkey stalks. You can't un-take the red pill.

[Yazman]

3 hours ago, NOC 1 said:

LOL...and too bad for your wallet that you had to go and try something better. And even worse for your wallet is that a guy who is spending so much time and effort on knob bearings is surely the kind of guy that the bait monkey stalks. You can't un-take the red pill.

LOL ?!!! I got that bait monkey on my back real bad. I fear I'm turning into a "collector" rather than a real angler ?

[NOC 1]

2 hours ago, Yazman said:

LOL ?!!! I got that bait monkey on my back real bad. I fear I'm turning into a "collector" rather than a real angler ?

It's OK to be both I think.