Why can't I get my gears smooth?

[diver_sniper]

Hey guys,

I've been going through some of my older reels this off season and trying to clean them up the best that I can.

Everything has gone well except for that now when I reel line in there seems to be something rough going on inside. It's a constant vibration that I think is the pinion gear and the drive gear not working together properly. It's like the teeth are lining up just slightly off.

Is there some kind of trick to this? It seems like most of the reels I've torn down end up with this problem to some degree or another. Am I over greasing? I'm pretty certain I've got all the parts back in the right places. I keep all the schematics when I buy a new reel. Anyone have any ideas?

[Raul]

The problem could be not in the ammount of grease but with the viscosity of the grease, more viscous more roughness. I perform the maintenance of my and many of my friends ' gear, the grease I use is Penn Blue Grease and it 's like a cream ( low viscosity ), no roughness.

[cwen]

Could be worn gears. If the gears are worn even slightly they can and will grind.

[J Francho]

So, the reels are doing something new?  I mean they didn't feel like this before you took them apart?

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

If you're experiencing similar results with multiple reels the problem is probably in the lubing.

[diver_sniper]

So, the reels are doing something new? I mean they didn't feel like this before you took them apart?

Yes, it's an entirely new problem.  And it's silly because sometimes I can put them back together and they're like butter.  I get the feeling that there's a variable involved that I don't know about.  Like the teeth need to be lined up in a certain way when I put it all back together or something.  I don't know... It's frustrating.  If the gears were worn would I be able to visually detect it?

[J Francho]

The variable is you. Take it apart, and see what you did wrong. It really is going to be that simple.  Whether its lube, or assembly, or what ever, you've got to figure that out yourself. 

Or send it to a pro.

[cwen]

Not sure if you could see the gears being worn or not. I just know that when my reel makes a grinding noise or feel, more often then not it is the gears. That is of course if you have assembled the reel back together correctly.

[Grey Wolf]

As stated before , you did something wrong , take them apart and try again.

[BobP]

I've never had the problem with used reels lubed with Superlube with PTFE grease.  When I've had problems with new gear sets making noise and feeling rough, I've solved it by applying a THICKER grease than normal (the opposite of Raul).  Applying a thick drag grease like Shimano Ace-2, Penn Muscle Grease, etc, will quiet them down until they have a chance to 'wear in'.  Don't over-grease gears (or anything else!).  And use a small brush to get the grease down into the gear teeth where it's needed, not just on the gear tips.

[von]

It could just be that the gears aren't clean enough. When ever I put my reels back together and feel every teeth meshing together, I take it apart, and clean the pinion gear and main gear again. I've found that when they're not clean, the new grease won't adhere as well. I use Superlube also. You shouldn't have to use a glob of grease.  Just a light coat.

[BassThumb]

I've been in that position before when I was learning to disassemble and deep clean my reels.  It's because the reel was assembled incorrectly after cleaning.  It's probably something simple that's not allowing the parts to fit.  That's why I take usually take a few pictures of the disassembly process.

[.ghoti.]

It could be a simple as how you apply the grease. If you're squirting it on the main gear and then cranking the reel to distribute the grease, that's your problem.

Apply the grease with a brush. An old, worn out toothbrush works nicely. Work the lube into all the teeth. Keep it mind that more is not better.