Ryobi Spectra Problem

[Nautilus]

Hi guys,

The bearings in my brand new Spectra are screeching every time I cast it hard......which is most of the time. I have oiled them generously and it helped some but far from solved the problem. Can you tell me what size bearings and the best type to buy......if that's even what I should do? Could it be anything but the bearings? I know ABUs like the back of my hand but have never tinkered with a Ryobi before. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance for any tips!

[sandman]

Are you sure it's not the brakes? If you have oiled the bearings, it could be the brakes.

[Nautilus]

No I'm not sure at all......I've never had a reel do this to me 'cause I'm so diligent about the maintenance. If its the brake, what do I do? It sounds horrible and brand new......I don't understand.

[sandman]

I'm not sure which brake system the Spectra has on it. If it's centrifugal brakes with the star pattern where the brakes move outward against a ring, clean the ring and the tips of the brakes with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol. If it has the Ryobi flying arm brakes, you may need to clean the surface that the brakes ride on and possibly the arbor that the brakes roll on.

Disassemble the sideplate and post a pic or two of the braking system.

[Vladimir_Kazan]

Imo Spectra must have flying arm...

[Nautilus]

OK...what's the verdict?

[sandman]

I thought that I remembered them having flying arms. Clean the surface that the brakes 'fly' out against and then put the tiniest touch of oil on the spindles that the brakes rotate on.

[Nautilus]

Any particular oil? I have everything from Pixy oil to every visc of rocket fuel and whatever comes with ITO reels......does it make a difference? Faster the better or slow and smooth?

[Nautilus]

Nevermind....I decided to turn my brain back on and used the Ryobi oil....

Thank you very much for the help....I'll try it out this evening and report.

[sandman]

Probably doesn't matter. Just don't use too much. Then wipe any excess off the brakes.

[Nautilus]

Couldn't wait.....casted it in the yard and the reel was MUCH smoother but still screeched some when I casted it hard. Pulled the spool off again and just put it back on and it acted a little better. It seems that it may not be seating perfectly but there's really only one way to do it so I'm at a loss. I give it hell tonight at the lake and see what happens. I noticed that the drag is VERY rough....does this provide any more insight to the problem? If it were any other reel, I'd recognize the problem but I've never seen the internals of this reel until today.

[Nautilus]

Well, the reel works much better and I was surprized at how the oil on the brakes affected how smooth the retrieve was. The reel still has its loud moments when casting hard but it may work itself out. So what kind of bearings go in a Spectra?? It seems that one of them is permanently attached to the axle.....is this possible?

[sandman]

Cool. The brakes just may need to 'seat in'. I hope the shaft is not slightly bent. I had a Morrum IVCB that I had to smooth out the disk that the brakes ride against. I used a Scotchbrite pad on the disk and it really quieted it down. I'm not sure about the bearings on that one but the spool bearing is probably held on with a circlip.

[Boonethelunkerlander]

at least you got it on the right rod , so you also use that setup for catfish?

[Nautilus]

Thanks a bunch Sandman....can you tell me what aftermarket bearings might work best?

Boone, Nope...no catfish on this one with the exception of some pounders with punchbait....no big cat safaris though.