Noise Reduction: Bearings, Gears, and Other Stuff

[CincyDavid]

I'm intrigued by the subject of noise reduction, along with its cousin, vibration reduction. A pared-down variation on the automotive NVH (noise vibration harshness) concept. Noise doesn't bug me as long as it isn't "unhealthy" noises like something clearly grinding or clanging. Vibration on the other hand, irritates me to no end.  Gears meshing feels OK up to a point, and up to a certain level of grittiness that I can't describe but I know it when I feel it.

[CincyDavid]

For instance these two Japanese-made Herters followed me home recently.  The bigger one feels really slick, the smaller one labeled 940 has a slight "rumble" felt through the handle when the spool bottoms out in the rotating head.  All the teeth look good on the gears but I feel what I perceive to be gears meshing more than I like at that point in the rotation.  Maddening.

[DougK]

been replacing bearings in my old Ambassadeurs with ceramics for easier casting of ultralight lures, 4g and under.
The ceramics typically are a lot noisier than the stock Abu bearings. I find the newer 1980s-90s Abus have excellent bearings. After a wash and re-lube with TSI 321 they spin very nearly as well as ceramics, and quieter..

never needed to replace a bearing in a spin reel (yet). There is an Orvis 50A that would benefit but I haven't been able to undo those tiny little screws on the retaining plate of the rotor bearing..

I had 3 old growlers, A&F 150 Three, a Mitchell 304 and oddly an Ambassadeur 7000. A full gear transplant fixed the A&F. Shimming helped the Mitchell a bit, though a full gear replacement is probably the only way to fix it.
The Abu is the only one I managed to wear out myself through a great deal of surfcasting. It's a shelf queen now sadly, not because of the gears, just that I don't get much surf time these days. 

[Gfish]

It costs relatively more to be poor, than to be rich. Simply put; cheap stuff don't last, doesn't work that well, and has to be trashed, repaired, or replaced pretty quickly.
Maybe think of a poor person that can only afford a $2,000 car. Dependable, prolly not. Get you to work when it's vital to keep your job, not always. Good chance of being towed and impounded after a break-down at your expense, yes. Costly for maintenance and constant repairs, possibly beyond what it's worth, yeah. Stuck with it when you can't afford another one, yup. Can you get a loan for better/new one, maybe, but it will prolly be a predatory loan. My favorite; "your job is your credit!". Public transportation? Maybe, but not available in many locations. If I started taking the Bus, it's 2 miles(1/2 way to work already) to the stop.

[handi2]

Shimano spinners are notoriously loud. It's never the gears. It's usually the pinion bearing because it spins much faster than the other ones.

I like to hold it in one hand and push and turn in the center and feel anything it's trashed