Andros 5N Pinion Bearing

[Rivverrat]

I've spoke with Brian about this a bit. While I've used Lever drags in the past this is the first one I've owned & used & become some what familiar with.

Question what is the best description of what it feels like or how to tell the pinion bearing has gone bad.   I have just serviced this reel packing grease in both handle & pinion bearings. After assembly the handle turns noticeably harder. This was happening intermittently prior. Now it is constant with out any variation. I didnt think a bad bearing would be consistent like this.

Reel easily has over a minute of free spool. Drag feeds line very smoothly it shifts fine back & forth between gears.

I should have pinion bearings on hand for this reel anyway. Any place cheaper than others to purchase this. I hear it's not cheap.....Jeff  

[johndtuttle]

I've spoke with Brian about this a bit. While I've used Lever drags in the past this is the first one I've owned & used & become some what familiar with.

Question what is the best description of what it feels like or how to tell the pinion bearing has gone bad.   I have just serviced this reel packing grease in both handle & pinion bearings. After assembly the handle turns noticeably harder. This was happening intermittently prior. Now it is constant with out any variation. I didnt think a bad bearing would be consistent like this.

Reel easily has over a minute of free spool. Drag feeds line very smoothly it shifts fine back & forth between gears.

I should have pinion bearings on hand for this real anyway. Any place cheaper than others to purchase this. I hear it's not cheap.....Jeff  

Your pinion bearing may be fine, you just may have dialed up the drag preset enough to cause it to bind. Typically in this class of reel without a thrust bearing they only tolerate a drag preset of under 15lbs before they experience handle binding. Eventually the pinion bearing gets damaged whenever there is handle binding.

[Bryan Young]

When you pack your pinion bearings with grease, the cranking will be noticeable harder to crank.  But it will be that way with the drag on and off.  I'm sure your bearings are just fine unless the cranking is noticeable harder when in gear than out of gear.

[Rivverrat]

John you are as usually so correct. However I am pretty familiar where this reel likes to be used & its function.
This heavy handle is there with preset dialed all the way back. It does not fluctuate at all.

Reel performs flawlessly other wise.....Jeff

[Rivverrat]

Brian if what your saying is the case I will oil the bearing or at the least grease it less. Can't imagine cranking  on this all day like it is. When compared to other reels.  But I am still learning some things about the lever drag reel.....Jeff

[Bryan Young]

It will loosen up as you fish it because the excess grease will push out but your bearings will be protected.

[SoCalAngler]

With the pinion and handle bearings fully packed with grease the handle should be just slightly harder to turn than if you used oil only. With the reel out of gear you should only feel slight resistance when turning the handle and not much more. You should be able to turn the handle easily using your thumb and fore finger to grip the handle knob without drag pressure applied. If it is harder to turn the handle than that maybe the pinion bearing did get smashed if someone added to much drag using the drag preset knob and forced the drag lever forward at one time. Or, during the reassembly everything did not line up/fall into place correctly when everything was tightened up.

[Rivverrat]

SoCal,Thanks for the reply! Every body else thanks a lot. Well I just got it put back together after mixing a little oil into the pinion bearing. The resistance I felt has lessened a little. It does get a little bit lighter when out of gear. But I have to say this resistance felt is the same as is felt when setting the strike setting to high. Handle will not fall on it's own weight. I will us it as is & see if it diminishes. Just so hard to troubleshoot this sort of thing with out it being in an experienced hand.

 Brian may be right in stating it's packing the bearing with grease that's doing it.  I just never would have imagined grease would have added that much resistance.

SoCal, Early on after first purchasing this reel I did fish it higher than I should have not knowing any better at the time. I believe it was you or John that brought up the point that most out west using this reel had settled on it being a great reel for 30 lb. line. It was after this that I dropped my strike setting back to 10 lbs. I fish it at this setting knowing where the lever must go for 15 lbs.. Going to the higher stting only when needed. Fished this way I believe it will meet my needs for this class reel & give good service. I like this real a lot. I just dont believe I need a 2 speed in this class of reel. I'll just use the the low speed for working night crawlers slowly on the bottom.

I've been back & forth regarding my feelings about lever drags. But the ease of drag setting & my feeling the over all quality of drag produced by the lever drag is better, has really swayed me. I will always have good star drags available. But I am hoping soon to have 3 good quality lever drag reels being what I will predominantly use....Jeff  

[SoCalAngler]

I don't have one of there reels but I would not think the pinion bearing would be that much. If you have access to a pair of calipers measure the I.D, O.D. and width and do a internet search for stainless steel bearings of that size. If not maybe call Okuma and ask for the size. I think you are outside of the USA so for them to ship you one may cost more than the bearing it's self. Local bearing dealers close to you most likely will have the size or can get you one without the shipping cost. In the states many use Boca Bearing but I use a local bearing dealer close to me for my needs. Even if it turns out something other than the pinion bearing having a extra one or two could never hurt.

P.S. A new bearing should be around $5-$6 and all my reels that I have packed the handle and pinion bearings the handle will not fall under it's own weight unless it has a big heavy handle knob.

[Rivverrat]

Thanks SoCal, your comments are appreciated.  I'm in the US. However I'm in Kansas. Not much knowledge about the heavier reels I use for Catfish here. Been playing with the reel winding a bit now & then it is loosening up. You & Brian were correct it appears.
Like I said I really like this reel I just wish I had got the single speed. I like it enough that I will buy another at some point unless the little Fathom lever proves out as capable a caster. I know with out a doubt its drag is as good or better. 

[Tiddlerbasher]

Hi, As you're in the US I would use Boca Bearings - The orange seals in stainless are a good option. In fact any stainless bearing (pref. Abec3 or better) will do. The bearing size is 6mm I.D x 15mm O.D x 5mm Thick - its a common size and not expensive. I have tried to reduce the "binding" by using angular contact bearings. It works but it's not cost effective. When the bearings expire I will go back to standard bearings (and just replace them more often )

As has been said the Andros makes a brilliant 30lb class reel - I load mine with 50-60lb braid and fish it at 10lb strike 20lb full - hardly any binding. It's also a great little caster

[Rivverrat]

Tiddlerbasher, Yup I love mine. As you stated they are fantastic casting reels. I plan on getting a Fathom 15 lever drag to compare it to. Which ever one comes out on top I will buy 2 more wanting 3 reels in this class.

I read about you getting the angular load bearings for your Andros & what they cost. Are they holding up well? I have heard from 2 sources that the new Andros A series has a bit of improvement regarding drag output.
But I doubt it surpasses the little Fathom on this point.  I'm curious to see if the Fathom cast as well.

Regarding a thread I started & my post in it replying to you.....after a little secondary thought I would be happy to give up a bit of drag performance for a reel that cast really well. Especially in this class of reels. So as you stated "drag isn't everything" in every given case....Jeff

[Rivverrat]

Brian you were the first I spoke to about this issue.
Just got back from being out on the river. Wanted you to know you were right about what I was feeling being the bearings freshly packed with grease. Though I do believe the bearing is on its way out.

Being in fresh water I've not used greased but used oil. But this being a lever drag & the known issues with the pinion bearing I decided to grease all non spool bearings as done here. Never would have thought it would add that much resistance....I've learned something. Thanks again Brian & the rest of you that replied....Jeff

[Bryan Young]

No problem.  I'm glad I could help.  It's all a learning process.