New baitcaster problem

[QuirkyCarp2000]

I got a new shimano baitcaster and opened it up to check out the insides. After putting it all back together, it is no longer as smooth as it was before when first taking it out of the box. There is a geary feel and is clicking when cranking.

 

What did I do that may cause this and how to fix?

[A kid from Canada]

How far did you go when taking it apart? I've heard of this happening when guys don't line up the pinion and main gear tooth the same way it was. They would have to keep taking it apart and moving it tooth by tooth and checking the smoothness after each time. 

[MassYak85]

Did you actually remove the entire sideplate on the handle side of the reel? If you did, my first thoughts would be one of the two small springs that allow the pinion support to actuate in and out could have come loose. If not, it's possible you lifted the entire gear stack a bit. Sometimes reels have a keyed gear below the drive gear that acts as a backup to the anti-reverse bearing i combination with a small pawl. If that lifts up and becomes "unkeyed" it won't sit as low as it should, and will prop up the entire gear and drag stack, which can cause the gear to misalign with the pinion gear, or cause the main gear to rub on something else. Third option could be the keyed sleeve that rides in the anti reverse bearing did the same thing, and popped up a bit. 

 

Also make sure you installed the pinion gear in eth right orientation....ask me how I know haha. 

[dodgeguy]

Exchange it and leave the new one alone.get a pro to clean your reels

[MickD]

Why the heck would anyone take apart a new reel?  Don't get it. Maybe one might consider just using a new reel, then reacting to any problems, rather than creating problems.

[QuirkyCarp2000]

I am sure I reassembled it correctly. But then I seem to have the same problems when opening up a few of my abu garcias reels for maintenance. Could it be that when handling the parts some of the grease or oil got removed due to handling them, and now there is not sufficient lubrication? 

[new2BC4bass]

25 minutes ago, MickD said:

Why the heck would anyone take apart a new reel?  Don't get it. Maybe one might consider just using a new reel, then reacting to any problems, rather than creating problems.

You read about reels coming from the factory either over lubed or bone dry.  Seems there are quite a few people that like to clean and re-lube their reels before use.  I'd bet most of those people already have some experience messing with reels by the time they reach this point.

 

I don't like to tinker.  I follow your suggestion.  I use my reels until there is a problem.  Only a couple times have I sent a new reel out before using.  I would love to send every reel out for cleaning (and an occasional upgrade) before using, but who can afford that?  Not me!  Wish I could because I like the idea that each reel is at its peak potential and I am the limiting factor.

 

I cringe whenever I read about a newbie tearing into a new reel.  Seems the OP isn't a newbie, but.....

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Could be something not seated quite right. Impossible to diagnose sight unseen. I don’t buy the gear tooth alignment theory at all. Touching parts won’t disturb grease to cause symptoms. I can’t say definitively what it is but assure you it isn’t any of these 

[WRB]

1 hour ago, QuirkyCarp2000 said:

I am sure I reassembled it correctly. But then I seem to have the same problems when opening up a few of my abu garcias reels for maintenance. Could it be that when handling the parts some of the grease or oil got removed due to handling them, and now there is not sufficient lubrication? 

Take it down again and this time assemble it following schematic exactly.

Tom

[RipzLipz]

Not trying to be a jerk, but if it’s been assembled correctly I’d assume you’d never notice a difference in how it feels when reeling once you put it back together. It should be feeling practically the same as the first time you turned the handle.

 

I’d be taking pictures of stuff before pulling out components to examine them, but my honest opinion is there’s usually zero need to open up a brand new reel that’s not giving you any issues. Not my reel, money or time so do it how you wish. Good luck.

[garroyo130]

1 hour ago, QuirkyCarp2000 said:

Could it be that when handling the parts some of the grease or oil got removed due to handling them, and now there is not sufficient lubrication? 

 

Did you just open it, feel it up, and close it back up??

[MiceNReets]

9 minutes ago, garroyo130 said:

 

Did you just open it, feel it up, and close it back up??

[RipzLipz]

7 hours ago, QuirkyCarp2000 said:

Could it be that when handling the parts some of the grease or oil got removed due to handling them, and now there is not sufficient lubrication? 

That’s what she said.

[Dan N]

I fail to see a reason to take a new reel apart. It’s pretty easy to add a drop or 2 of oil with no disassembly. I guess I would not do it, because I’m not that confident to put it all together right. I’d rather pay a professional, if it’s a pricey reel.

[FrnkNsteen]

I'm one of those that likes to tinker. I like reels and have bought quite a few older used reels that catch my eye, on top of all the new reels I pick up.

 

Part of it is that I am a process development engineer who designs tooling and equipment for new manufacturing lines, so I like to see how they are put together. But I'm also not one who waits for an issue to arise before doing maintenance. I may not do a thing to new reels other than open them up and inspect to make sure everything is clean and lubed.

 

I have gotten a few new reels that were extremely dry at first, so I have just gotten the habit of looking at all of them.

 

How do you think people like Tackle Advisors got started doing reel reviews if he didn't tear them down. I'm guessing he is interested in the different ways reel companies changed their designs like I am. 

[FishTank]

On 12/7/2023 at 2:28 PM, QuirkyCarp2000 said:

I got a new shimano baitcaster and opened it up to check out the insides. After putting it all back together, it is no longer as smooth as it was before when first taking it out of the box. There is a geary feel and is clicking when cranking.

 

What did I do that may cause this and how to fix?

 

What reel is it? Did you follow a schematic?

 

I would take it apart to see if there something small that fell out like a spring. Does it have a clicking drag? If so, look for the pin. Also, check that the anti-reverse ratchet is placed in the correct position.  Another thought would the AR bearing.  Grasping for straws but that's were I would start.

[thediscochef]

I mean how geary are we talking here? What level of clicking? Is it like the sound of something stopping type of click, or like a gear grinding sort of click? There's more information needed to even be able to make a proper guess. I'm no expert but I'd think if it's super mild and not an obvious mechanical problem with the reel, it probably means the reel liked the tolerances where it was at, and opening the reel changed the placement of everything by just enough to annoy you and make you post about it here.

If it sounds like gears misaligning or a hard mechanical click then we've misassembled the thing and that is a different matter. gears get geary because they're gears and they are in gear in your gear

imo you've disturbed its slumber. 10,000 years in the cave of wonders ought to chill things out

[MassYak85]

Another thing to check...

 

Reel it very slowly, is the clicking rhythmic? If so, how often is it clicking? Is it every handle turn, or more frequently? If it's synced up with the handle rotation then it's probably something with the main gear stack, if it's more frequent I'd look around your pinion gear first. 

 

Another random thing to check, I don't know what kind your reel uses, but sometimes the retaining clip that holds the spool bearing on the handle side can come loose and cause problems. Not likely but I have seen it happen.