Results 1 to 12 of 12
  1. #1
    Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Illinois
    Posts
    255

    What causes a rough feeling reel?

    I have a Pro Qualifier 7.1 ratio reel that feels rough and a little bit of a grind sound/feel when reeling. Is it a bearing or gear gone bad? What do I need to do to smooth it out? I have 10 other Qualifiers and this is the only one that just started getting rough. The reels are cleaned and lubed every season.

  2. Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Iowa
    Posts
    4,796
    #2
    It can be a number of things. More often than not, it's either the Pinion/Main gear that went bad or the pinion bearing itself. Other times it can be something small like spool bearings, burr on the spool bearing pin, or outside edge of spool is damaged.

  3. Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Illinois
    Posts
    255
    #3
    I would say your on the right path. It feels like it is in the main gear shaft coming up into the handle.

  4. Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Insomnia, near Seaford Delaware
    Posts
    35,513
    #4
    It's free to pack some light grease into the level wind worm gear. Not saying that's the trouble but level wind issues have been my big failure point in PQ's.
    Other than that I really like my 5.

  5. BBC SPONSOR reelex's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Hidden Valley Lake, CA
    Posts
    2,876
    #5
    Needs a gear set. Dan
    " Serious Service for the Serious Angler"

  6. Banned
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    S FL
    Posts
    3,319
    #6
    Change out the frame bearings first to eliminate them as a possibility. Otherwise, you will need a new gear set. Does this reel see more heavy duty use compared to the others? (frogging, flipping, punching, etc)

  7. Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Illinois
    Posts
    255
    #7
    Use the reel mostly for spinnerbaits and buzz baits. I took it apart last night didn't see anything out of the ordinary. Gears were still pretty clean. Put a little bit of super lube grease on the gear set an cleaned out and relubed the pinion bearing, no change in the feeling or sound.
    Last edited by Steve O.; 09-24-2018 at 07:45 AM.

  8. Banned
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    S FL
    Posts
    3,319
    #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Steve O. View Post
    Use the reel mostly for spinnerbaits and buzz baits. I took it apart last night didn't see anything out of the ordinary. Gears were still pretty clean. Put a little bit of super lube grease on the gear set an cleaned out and relubed the pinion bearing, no change in the feeling or sound.
    Sometimes when a bearing is bad, lubing wont help. Before changing gears, the bearings need to be either properly inspected or replaced. Ive seen plenty of instances where it was just a bearing that went bad, and not a bad gear set.

  9. ARW Fishing fluke1987's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Huntley, IL
    Posts
    4,749
    #9
    Gears most likely...if it were bearings you would definitely hear it on the cast as well.

  10. Banned
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    S FL
    Posts
    3,319
    #10
    Quote Originally Posted by fluke1987 View Post
    Gears most likely...if it were bearings you would definitely hear it on the cast as well.
    Not if its a frame bearing.

  11. ARW Fishing fluke1987's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Huntley, IL
    Posts
    4,749
    #11
    Quote Originally Posted by LgMouthGambler View Post
    Not if its a frame bearing.
    Could be that too...but not every reel has a bearing to support the pinion gear. Those will see water and grit if it gets behind the spool. Always good to check that too.

  12. Banned
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    S FL
    Posts
    3,319
    #12
    Quote Originally Posted by fluke1987 View Post
    Could be that too...but not every reel has a bearing to support the pinion gear. Those will see water and grit if it gets behind the spool. Always good to check that too.
    Dont forget the crankshaft may have a bearing at the base, as well as the levelwind system. Hell, Ive even seen knobs bearings cause headaches.