Knocking sound from baitcasters

[bwjay]

Hey all,

I've searched for this online many times but can't seem to find much about it compared to other sounds people mention (like screeching or clicking).

I've noticed that on cheaper baitcasters, or ones that have seen a lot of use, they make a knocking noise when reeling fast (usually to retrieve line quickly to cast to a different spot where you saw a fish or whatever). I usually don't see high end reels making this noise, and my Bantams are almost completely free of this issue.

I just spooled up my new 2021 Zillion and found that it knocks back and forth regardless of the zero adjust knob, brake, or drag setting. Increasing spool tension and increasing braking improves the issue but it is still there even when completely locked down. If I put my thumb gently on the spool and reel, there is absolutely no knocking, and if I remove the spool, there is no knocking. This makes me think the spool is knocking inside the reel, but if I can't move the spool back and forth with my thumb, if the spool tension is completely locked down, how could it be knocking? I just don't get it.

Surely some of you know what I'm talking about. What causes this? Is there a way to fix it? I expect a little bit of it on ~$100 reels but it's a bit of a sting to hear on a brand new $350 reel. I have a hard time thinking I caused it, as all I did was take the spool out to tie my line on, then put it back in to spool the line on. I've re-seated the spool several times as well.

Any advice is appreciated!

[CGrinder]

Uneven spool pin? Pinion bearing? Gremlins? Angry machine spirit?

[ss30378]

Do you feel it once per handle rotation or multiple times? You can start isolating based on that.

I've found a spec of dirt on my pinion gear before causing it to have a slight thump, thump, thump when reeling especially when reeling faster. Once I cleared that it was smooth again.

[bwjay]

Uneven spool pin? Pinion bearing? Gremlins? Angry machine spirit?

It is a brand new reel and also I am not a reel mechanic so I have no idea how to even verify those things.

Do you feel it once per handle rotation or multiple times? You can start isolating based on that.

I've found a spec of dirt on my pinion gear before causing it to have a slight thump, thump, thump when reeling especially when reeling faster. Once I cleared that it was smooth again.

It happens at the top and bottom of the turn, basically in the point of the handle turn where you'd be causing the force on the reel, if that makes sense. There are always two points in the turn where you bottom out/top out and that's when it happens.

[LowRange]

Spool pin banging around in the pinion yoke. Also some reels knock like that and its not pinion related. Both my Alphas SVs do it.

[joekaz]

It could be the play in the handle shaft hitting where it connects to the frame. Every reel has some amount of play. My OG Fuego bangs quite a bit when I reel in fast to make another cast. To check just grab the handle and drag and pull in and out a few times to see how bad it is.

[hoohoorjoo]

Spool pin banging around in the pinion yoke.......Both my Alphas SVs do it.

This is exactly it. I bet you wont have the knock when the reel is under constant tension, such as when using a crankbait, spinnerbait or buzzbait. Lock the handle in place and put your finger on the spool. The spool pin will allow it to tick backwards and forwards slightly inside the grooves of the pinion gear.

[filthyPhil]

Uneven spool pin? Pinion bearing? Gremlins? Angry machine spirit?

LOL at the last two.

[bwjay]

So it seems that the knocking basically does not happen when under load. As soon as the line gets through my fingers and I lose tension, I start getting knocking. As hoohoorjoo said, if I hold the handle in place, I can rock the spool back and forth and hear what sounds like the same noise but a lower amplitude (since I'm not rattling the reel around like you do when retrieving line quickly to make another cast).

Is this common with Daiwa baitcasters? Magnetic brake baitcasters? Totally dependent on the design the manufacturer chose? Is there any way to address this in aftermarket? I'm pretty against having to modify a brand new stock product to make it perform how it should right out of the box (given a price point) and I don't think I should have to modify a darn thing on a $350 reel to stop it from knocking/rattling like a cheap KastKing or what have you.

[filthyPhil]

Both of my Steez reels make the same sound, not what I expected from their flagship models. My steez A does it intermediately but the SV does it on steady retrieve. More of an annoying ticking sound than a knock.

[hoohoorjoo]

It has to do with the thinner diameter spool shaft on the
spool pin side of SV spools. Put a TD-Z spool in your reel and the sound will go away. As Phil said above, even the current Steez does it. I noticed it the first time I put the Ize Factory PE special spool in my Fuego. This spool isnt an SV Spool, but it was the first spool I owned that had that thin spool shaft on the spool pin side, and also the first spool I owned that required a cage around the bearing there(which, due to bearing size availability, is why the cage is required). After using several other spools with that size shaft, I concluded what you are just now finding out. This is one of the things that annoys me about recent Daiwa reels, and why I own only 2 Daiwa reels made within the last 4 years.

[filthyPhil]

If Daiwa would re release the TD-Z 105 with or without the flipping switch or the USDM Zillion 100HA without t wings they would be all I bought. Those two reels are their best in my opinion, and both of them could outperform any of their current reels.

[tincanary]

This is normal in SV spool Daiwas because of the loose spool tension. The tension is set until the spool has a little lateral play. When reeling, the spool will knock back and forth. Nothing to worry about. Wiggle your spool side to side and the knock you hear will be the same one heard when reeling.

[hoohoorjoo]

This is normal in SV spool Daiwas because of the loose spool tension. The tension is set until the spool has a little lateral play. When reeling, the spool will knock back and forth. Nothing to worry about. Wiggle your spool side to side and the knock you hear will be the same one heard when reeling.

He specified that the sound continued even when tightening the cc cap all the way down. The sound continued, regardless of spool tension.

[filthyPhil]

I keep two spinner baits ready at all times, a 3/8-1/2 willow and a 1/2 rocket shad. I have the rocket shad on my Steez SV and constant tick noise. I have swapped bearings, pulled the spool to realign it, everything short of dunking it in the water like the old timers suggest to no avail. The other spinner bait is on a Lews custom lite slp that is silent, chatterbait, and rattle trap are on a Met 20 and Bantam that are both silent. It's not a deal breaker yet but for the price of the Steez's compared to my cranking reels lews MB and MP both in 5.6:1 at $120 its frustrating to say the least