What does this mean?

jonboy · October 28, 2015, 01:08:20 PM

When I set the hook with this casting reel, I hear what sounds like gears stripping. Setting the hook is the only way I can Make the reel do it and there has to be weight on the other end(fish, log, ext...). I dont want to mention the manufacturer but this is a top quality reel and it has done it since it was new. It seems obvious to me that it has to be the drag failing and the reel is back spinning some. Is this assumption correct? if so, How can I fix it.

LgMouthGambler · October 28, 2015, 01:19:13 PM

Knowing exactly what the reel is may help to figure out the problem.

Lipripper · October 28, 2015, 01:47:42 PM

Quote from: jonboy on October 28, 2015, 01:08:20 PM
When I set the hook with this casting reel, I hear what sounds like gears stripping. Setting the hook is the only way I can Make the reel do it and there has to be weight on the other end(fish, log, ext...). I dont want to mention the manufacturer but this is a top quality reel and it has done it since it was new. It seems obvious to me that it has to be the drag failing and the reel is back spinning some. Is this assumption correct? if so, How can I fix it.

If it was doing since it was new I would of taken it back. If you know how to take it apart and see if you notice something that don't look right around the gears but if you don't know anything about whats inside the cover (like me

) I would send it off to Mike and have him check it out.

OkobojiEagle · October 28, 2015, 03:21:50 PM

Anti-reverse bearing failing?... this isn't one of those Lew's reels without instant anti-reverse?

oe

Mike Cork · October 28, 2015, 05:09:39 PM

If the anti reverse was failing the handle would spin backwards on hook set. There are a couple things that could be causing the grinding noise but if it was doing it since it was new I'd have to think it was the gear set somehow. Maybe the Pinion gear and the spool are not seating properly.

jonboy · October 29, 2015, 07:57:33 PM

I have to say that I am rather surprised that none of you have heard this before. I have heard it several times back when I used cheaper reels. The reel handle is not turning backwards, so that rules out the anti reverse(didn't think about that). It is a Helios, I didnt want to say because I like the reel (Other than this) and I didn't want readers to get a bad impression.
I actually bought the reel new from a guy from this site that was somehow getting really good deals so it wasn't as easy as just taking it back. I think it was on closeout as it is the last model, not the model they are selling now.
I have had this reel for a while and have just now decided to do something about it.

chadyp · October 29, 2015, 08:59:27 PM

Call okuma, they have excellent customer service.

LgMouthGambler · October 30, 2015, 07:37:26 AM

If the handle aint turning back, Im gonna have to say the gears may be shot.

Mike Cork · October 30, 2015, 07:42:14 AM

I'd definitely call Okuma. They have fantastic Customer Service department and will probably fix it for you for free. Or send you the parts you need to fix it if you're willing to open it up.

Fickman · October 30, 2015, 07:48:33 AM

Quote from: jonboy on October 28, 2015, 01:08:20 PM
When I set the hook with this casting reel, I hear what sounds like gears stripping. Setting the hook is the only way I can Make the reel do it and there has to be weight on the other end(fish, log, ext...). I dont want to mention the manufacturer but this is a top quality reel and it has done it since it was new. It seems obvious to me that it has to be the drag failing and the reel is back spinning some. Is this assumption correct? if so, How can I fix it.

I've had it happen to me jonboy, on various reel brands. I fish mostly spinning reels, but am always in search of a decent reel for the best price, because I don't treat my gear very nicely! After years of trial and error I have settled on the Penn Fierce, and Lews. I was a big Okuma guy for a while but suddenly started having a lot of trouble with them breaking at the reel seat on hookups, as well as the grinding gears under any pressure.That's happened with a few different brands, and at 50 bucks or so a reel, I just threw them out when it happened. I've also had a lot of them that would start to seize up while reeling, and would actually get worse if I tried to grease/lube them.

At one point I decided to buy higher grade reels but found that much of the time, I had as much trouble with them as the cheaper ones. It just cost more! I figure I'm too rough on my gear.

My only baitcasters are Quantums and it seems I can't do anything to hurt them! They last forever!

Pferox · October 30, 2015, 09:44:32 AM

Quote from: Fickman on October 30, 2015, 07:48:33 AM
After years of trial and error I have settled on the Penn Fierce, and Lews.
My only baitcasters are Quantums and it seems I can't do anything to hurt them! They last forever!

Fierce is a good reel, battles have better drags though. I have a slew of older Penns and they never let me down, I have been upgraded some of my reels that will get saltwater or sand in them to Spinfisher Vs, but if I was freshwater fishing only, wouldn't get anything above a battle.

Tavery5 · October 30, 2015, 11:03:41 AM

Without seeing the reel my guess would be that the pinion gear is coming disengaged from the spool pin when you apply a lot of pressure to the spool. The noise you hear that sounds like gears stripping is the top of the pinion gear bouncing across the spool pin. Remove the spool and inspect the spool pin for damage, even a little bend can cause problems. The other culprit could be clutch spings, they are responsible to keep the pinion gear engaged to the spool pin, if they are weak or incorrect they may be the cause. You can try stretching the springs slightly and see if it helps, I would order replacements. If it were truly gears going bad you would definitely notice during retrieval.

I think Mike was thinking something similar in his post.

jonboy · October 30, 2015, 07:27:08 PM

Thanks for the tips guys. I may call Okuma and see what happens. I dont think it is gears stripping because it is too smooth afterwards and the problem doesent seem to be getting any worse.

Bud Kennedy · October 30, 2015, 07:33:44 PM

Still sounds like a drag issue to me.

Oldfart9999 · November 18, 2015, 09:06:56 AM

Have you found out what the problem is?
Rodney

Pro Reel · November 19, 2015, 07:05:45 AM

Tavery5 had the most likely correct answer to this a while back. There is only one component of a casting reel that can make the described noise without the reel being ruined. Because this is an isolated condition and we have been told that the reel is smooth while cranking, we know there is nothing wrong with the gear teeth. A blemish on the gear teeth so small that it can only be seen with a magnifying glass will make a reel feel like it has rocks inside of it. The drag system of a reel is just a way of letting the gears turn backwards without letting the handle turn backwards. When drag is slipping as it is designed to, it lets the main gear turn backwards on the crankshaft which turns the pinion gear backwards and the spool backwards. If it was a gear problem it would not turn smoothly forward but make grinding noise while turning backwards. The parts of the drag system that slip are smooth plates and carbon disks, they don't make noise.
As Tavery5 said, the spool shaft has a pin through it. That pin engages notch's in the bottom of the pinion gear. When the reel is in cranking mode the pin is in the notch and the gear system turns the pinion gear which turns the spool pin. When the reel is in casting mode the pinion gear is lifted away from the spool pin and the spool is free to spin. That's the only components in a reel that can engage and disengage from each other without destroying something. You can take a brand new reel and hold it just the right angle and spin the handle fast while jerking the reel forward and the reel will make a horrible grinding noise that would make you think the gears just stripped. However, after it happens the reel will still be smooth as silk. I had a guy show me that years ago on new reels in a tackle shop and it freaked me out. It's the spool pin skipping across the ends of the pinion gear notch instead of staying inside the notch.
Now as for the cause of it on your reel, it could be bad parts. It could be missing parts. It could just be user adjustments. Having the spool tension way to tight can cause it by drilling a deep dimple in the spool tension disks which lets the spool move to far to the side, thus increasing the gap between the spool pin and pinion gear which makes it easier to slip out. It could be that the factory should have added a shim under the disk and there was to much space from the start.

goose · December 19, 2015, 04:19:08 PM

I know this is an old thread..
All my Okuma's Helios, Helios air, Komodo and Komodo 364, do what yours is doing.
It's some sort of fail safe ratchet. Mine don't do it on hookset's tho.
To test it, spin the reel fast and stop the handle and you will hear what
sounds like a plastic ratchet.
I dont know what causes it. or where the noise comes from, but i never hear it during
fishing, only when i spin them fast and stop the handle.