Why does my Shimano baitcasting reel get smoother in cooler weather

[Andy Rusin]

I currently own a Shimano Antares Baitcasting reel I've used for the past two years.  Over time, it has started to feel a little geary especially during slow retrieves. I have previously owned a Bantam MGL that has suffered the same fate. I was going to take the Antares apart to do some oil maintenance until I noticed during cooler weather like we're having now  (50s and 40s) that the geariness goes completely away. 

 

With the Shimano reels having the micromodule gears with the much smaller teeth, I think is causing the buzziness you feel when you retrieve, but this doesn't explain why cold weather would make any difference in making the gears feel smoother.

 

Can anybody shed some light on this or does anybody else who owns a Shamano baitcasting reel notice this?  

 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

That's odd because I just finally had to break down an OG Steez because during the warm months it was fine, but it was having problems when it got cold.

 

Mine was a combo of old grease, and then cold weather if I had to guess. 

 

Cold weather shrinks materials not just your junk 😆, perhaps it's making the fitment of gears tighter and thus less noisy.

 

 

[dodgeguy]

The grease gets thicker and clearances change.

[garroyo130]

Your hands lose feeling

[corey90]

3 hours ago, garroyo130 said:

Your hands lose feeling

everyone in the north knows that your hands get stiffer and more sensitive when it gets cold

[papajoe222]

I don't believe that cooler weather will change/shrink brass gears (if that's what that reel has). I do know that some forms of grease will thicken before others under cold conditions.  Some reel manufactures will use thick grease on their less expensive models to give them a smoother feel. I'm in that group that says it's the grease.  If you'd like that feel all the time, you could switch to a higher viscosity grease, but I'd do just the opposite and just go with a light coat of something like Ardent or Lucas that are made for reels.

[Andy Rusin]

On 10/15/2023 at 9:43 PM, papajoe222 said:

I don't believe that cooler weather will change/shrink brass gears (if that's what that reel has). I do know that some forms of grease will thicken before others under cold conditions.  Some reel manufactures will use thick grease on their less expensive models to give them a smoother feel. I'm in that group that says it's the grease.  If you'd like that feel all the time, you could switch to a higher viscosity grease, but I'd do just the opposite and just go with a light coat of something like Ardent or Lucas that are made for reels.

That's a good idea.  Right now, I use the Reel Butter brand for all of my reels.  At the beginning of the year used it on the Antares to coat the pinion and main gear and it seems to work well.  The viscosity is somewhat waxy so unsure if cold temps thicken it up even more.  

[FishTank]

Like others have stated, cold weather can effect the grease but it has been my experience that it is generally not gears or grease that causes this. This may not be the case with your reels but usually it's the pinion support bearing that rests in the frame. 

 

I have two 2012 Antares and one of the 70As, I also have the Bantam MGL. Only one of these has ever developed this issue.  I have also seen this on multiple reels I have worked on over the years.  What I find is either the bearing has never been oiled or the bearing is bad possibly from having the cast control smashed all the down for an extended period of time.

 

 

 

[WRB]

Regarding coefficient of thermal extension aluminum gears expand/compress in size at greater % then brass. The issue both gears react the same and colder temps increase the clearances. It’s a minute change from ambient 70 degrees to 40 degrees. The reel should use Shimano or equal gear grease viscosity.

The bearing point out above by FishTank seems the more likely suspect.

Tom

[T2DM]

Based on my experience, I agree with @FishTank a 100%. I've replaced BNT3927 a few times on few of my Shimano reels, I never had any issues with MM gears, I think most of the time, one of the pinion bearings (BNT3927) is what causing that "Geary/grindy noise" especially when water gets in those bearing. I usually don't put any oil in them for a while since they are packed with grease from the factory, but when the reel starts to make that "Geary" noise, I will then either put some bantam oil in that bearing to see if the noise would go away, if not then I just replace it with a new one and everything is back to normal.

The other thing that works for me is to swap the pinion bearing with other (BNT3927) located above the AR clutch. 

[Andy Rusin]

On 10/17/2023 at 12:04 PM, WRB said:

Regarding coefficient of thermal extension aluminum gears expand/compress in size at greater % then brass. The issue both gears react the same and colder temps increase the clearances. It’s a minute change from ambient 70 degrees to 40 degrees. The reel should use Shimano or equal gear grease viscosity.

The bearing point out above by FishTank seems the more likely suspect.

Tom

Thanks for the Tip.  Ill investigate this further.  

On 10/17/2023 at 10:14 AM, FishTank said:

Like others have stated, cold weather can effect the grease but it has been my experience that it is generally not gears or grease that causes this. This may not be the case with your reels but usually it's the pinion support bearing that rests in the frame. 

 

I have two 2012 Antares and one of the 70As, I also have the Bantam MGL. Only one of these has ever developed this issue.  I have also seen this on multiple reels I have worked on over the years.  What I find is either the bearing has never been oiled or the bearing is bad possibly from having the cast control smashed all the down for an extended period of time.

 

 

 

Planning on disassembling the reel during winter to check this bearing out.  

 

Thanks for the diagram.