Hi Alan,
My buddy has an Avet MXL 4.5:1 which has started making a grinding sound. I think I remember reading something about a design flaw in the Avets in which a bearing is exposed, causing it to fail. Do you think this might be the issue?
Thanks,
Bob
There are lots of possible sources of the grinding noise. If it is hard to push the lever forward and/or hard to turn the handle, you probably need a new pinion bearing That's the most common failure on all lever drags. I don't think Avet has a design flaw that leave a bearing exposed...
yeah, first guess is the right main side plate bearing. the handle will be more difficult to turn in gear as opposed to in free. alan
Thanks for your replies. However, the reel is not harder to turn in gear and it is not hard to push the lever forward. It's really just the noise. Maybe "grinding noise" was not accurate. It seems to be more of a shushing sound that wasn't there before. Any other ideas? ???
if the noise occurs when the handle is cranked, then it's one or both of the drive shaft bearings or the right main side plate bearing. if it becomes more difficult to crank when the lever is engaged, then it's right main. if the noise occurs when you spin the spool, then it's one or both of the spool bearings. unfortunately, the best way to check is to actually tear down the reel and check each bearing individually. alan
Thanks. I'll open her up when I get a chance and report back. ;)
I finally got the reel from my friend. It seems like the handle is very jerky at STRIKE and FULL. That is, when I turn it slowly it's not smooth. I can feel little hitches as it turns. When I turn it fast it's not as noticeable, but it does make that grinding/swooshing sound.
So, I broke it down and cleaned it up following Alan's tutorial for the SX http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=238.0 (http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=238.0).
Here's what I did:
I noticed some rust on the brake disc which I cleaned up.
I cleaned up the drag washer and greased it with Cal's (wiping off the excess before reinstalling).
There was slight rust on the bearings. But, I oiled them and they all seemed to spin freely.
I added grease to the main and pinion gear.
After putting it back together the handle problem remains.
What else could it be? ???
I'll bet anything it's the right side plate pinion bearing. It may seem smooth unless there is pressure on it. If there is any rust at all on the bearings they need to be opened up and cleaned -- or, preferably, replaced.
Thank you akfish. I'll order one and see if that helps.
Any tips on how to get that pinion bearing out of the side plate? That little dude is stuck in there pretty good.
Thanks,
Bob
That's a tough one. Very. Your best bet is to soak the bearing and side plate for a few hours then get an allen wrench that just fits the inside diameter of the bearing and see if you can remove it. And once your do remove it, be very sure you grease the plate and the bearing before you install the new one.
Soaked it in Break Free CLP (wouldn't budge) and then WD40 (still not coming out). >:( What's left to do? Anything?
You'll need to send it to Avet. If you grind it out you'll lose the anodizing and never get out the replacement... This is a common problem and why it is vital that the pinion bearing be removed and greased at least annually.
Ugh! That's not what I wanted to hear. :P I hope they don't charge an arm and a leg to get that out.
Thank you for all your help AK.
Outside of the inconvience, it will probably cost more to ship and insure it than Avet will charge to remove the bearing. They have always been more than fair. Good luck.
naw, you should be able to dig it out. make a bearing puller like the one here. http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=13.0
I GOT IT!!! :D
Thank you akfish and Alan. That bearing puller did the trick! 8) Surprisingly, neither the bearing or the frame look all that bad.
Anyway, now I'm just waiting for Avet to send the new bearings.
very nice! ;D
I finally got this reel back together with the new pinion bearing. That was definitely the problem. Thanks again to Alan and AKFish.
I was going to also replace the drive shaft bearings (since they look a little rusty) but Avet sent me the wrong ones. In any case the reel feels 100 times better than it was with the old pinion bearing. Maybe I really don't need to change out the other bearings.
What do you think? ???
it will go out eventually. make sure you have back up bearings. you don't have to change them now, though. alan
They sent the other bearings. I should have asked this earlier, but I'll ask it now. The bearings have a blue seal on them. Can I assume they are lubricated since they are sealed?
I would open it up, clean it out and lube it so you know for sure that it is properly lubed.
Sounds like good advice. However, since they are sealed, wouldn't they be lubricated first?
Which bearings are we talking about? I cannot recall.
In any event, if the bearings are spool bearing where you want as much free spool as possible, you want to clean out the grease and lube with a low viscosity lubricant, such as Xtreme Reel, ReelX, TSI 301,...
Other bearings, like the drive shaft or gear bearing, they do not always have sufficient grease in them to protect the bearing for this type of load application, and as I recall, 80% fill is recommended.
Bearings are greased to be used for a variety of applications, and cleaning and lubing based on your specific application would be preferred.
See http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=37.0 regarding bearing used in the Avet Pro EX 4/0-2.
They are the pinion and drive shaft bearings. So, it looks like I can't take the easy way out. I'll have to open them up and pack them.
Thanks Bryan
For got, if you have one of Alan's bearing packers http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=50.0, you don't need to remove the shields. Greased is forced through the bearing opening, fills the bearings and exits the other end of the bearing. If it pops the cap off on the other end, just snap it back in.
Alan just got a new shipment of bearing packers. Great addition to any reel repair kit.