Does it just "sound" geary or are you actually feeling binding when you reel? If it's just noisier it's probably a lubrication thing. If it actually feels like gears are catching on each other I suggest something small happened during reassembly. If it's happening every handle turn it's probably something in your drag stack and main gear, if it's more frequently it might be related to your pinion or levelwind.

A couple small thing I've had go wrong, that plate with posts that the pinion yolk rides on can be finicky. If it's not sitting perfectly flat or was not aligned properly when you tightened those screws it can indirectly change the height and alignment of the pinion gear and cause issues. Likewise that plastic assembly that has the metal bar that goes through your thumb bar, that sits around the pinion gear and has the ramps that actually moves the pinion gear up and down when you click the thumb bar, so if that is off at all it can make things feel weird. Also those little washers in the well below your main driveshaft can sometimes get pinched when reassembling, or if you forgot them it can make things feel loose and "geary".

@FishTank Great job getting us all on the same page. In my mind I was expecting something much worse than that.

@Brycecover One more thing I want to check— did you do anything to clean/lube your anti-reverse bearing?

48 minutes ago, MassYak85 said:

Does it just "sound" geary or are you actually feeling binding when you reel? If it's just noisier it's probably a lubrication thing. If it actually feels like gears are catching on each other I suggest something small happened during reassembly. If it's happening every handle turn it's probably something in your drag stack and main gear, if it's more frequently it might be related to your pinion or levelwind.

A couple small thing I've had go wrong, that plate with posts that the pinion yolk rides on can be finicky. If it's not sitting perfectly flat or was not aligned properly when you tightened those screws it can indirectly change the height and alignment of the pinion gear and cause issues. Likewise that plastic assembly that has the metal bar that goes through your thumb bar, that sits around the pinion gear and has the ramps that actually moves the pinion gear up and down when you click the thumb bar, so if that is off at all it can make things feel weird. Also those little washers in the well below your main driveshaft can sometimes get pinched when reassembling, or if you forgot them it can make things feel loose and "geary".

I didn’t unscrew the yoke with those posts. It is a constant thing you feel and slightly hear when reeling mainly under tension or with a lure on.

1 minute ago, stk44 said:

@FishTank Great job getting us all on the same page. In my mind I was expecting something much worse than that.

@Brycecover One more thing I want to check— did you do anything to clean/lube your anti-reverse bearing?

I added a drop of oil to it

I thought of you last night. I have a new '17 Tat that I put an aftermarket cast control cap on. Screwed it in, and then cranked the handle. Grindy....must be too tight. Backed off a bit. Still grinding. I kept backing it off until it was off completely. Still grinding with no CC cap, and I didn't even open the reel. I mean...really? Loosened the sideplate screw like 1mm, and Voila! Perfectly smooth.

On 2/2/2026 at 10:26 AM, KP Duty said:

over/under , uneven torque

52 minutes ago, KP Duty said:

Loosened the sideplate screw like 1mm, and Voila! Perfectly smooth.

Missed the first comment on the first page, @KP Duty thanks for bringing this thread back up and making me go through it again. Both of you thinking of things I definitely wouldn't have

On 3/5/2026 at 12:59 PM, KP Duty said:

I thought of you last night. I have a new '17 Tat that I put an aftermarket cast control cap on. Screwed it in, and then cranked the handle. Grindy....must be too tight. Backed off a bit. Still grinding. I kept backing it off until it was off completely. Still grinding with no CC cap, and I didn't even open the reel. I mean...really? Loosened the sideplate screw like 1mm, and Voila! Perfectly smooth.

Well I sold the reel for $130 and got a silver wolf used for $200 shipped. Bait monkey wins again.

I've been there. I have ruined two reels by taking them apart, both Daiwas. Worked on a few Shimano and lews reels, with no issues. It was probably my fault as they worked well before I took them apart to clean. Not blaming Daiwa in any way. Could just be coincidence or something in their engineering that my brain just can't get. Now I don't take them apart.

The Tatula line has always been hit and miss in that category from my personal experience. I’ve owned probably 10 and only 2 stayed smooth and quiet with regular cleanings. The only one I have left is an elite and it’s loud but functions just fine. The zillions have stayed smooth and quiet after years of abuse.

This is very common with the Tatula and I believe brinelling is the culprit. The Tatula 200 and 300 are super popular where I am with salmon fishermen, those guys are notoriously hard on their gear. They're hooking 30lb+ fish that make long and powerful runs and fishing with the drag cranked down on top of it. I've never had one in the shop that didn't have a brinelled pinion. The pinion takes the lion's share of abuse in the drivetrain, and the pressure from an overly tightened drag can prematurely wear the pinion. It's fairly easy to identify. Clean your pinion and if the teeth appear to have a haze to them after, you're dealing with a warped pinion. The good news is that the reel will still function just fine. It may be smooth and crank well, but you'll have the noise to contend with. If the noise doesn't bother you, keep on fishing. If it does, get some new gears and install them.

12 hours ago, GReb said:

The Tatula line has always been hit and miss in that category from my personal experience. I’ve owned probably 10 and only 2 stayed smooth and quiet with regular cleanings. The only one I have left is an elite and it’s loud but functions just fine. The zillions have stayed smooth and quiet after years of abuse.

Yeah I am not going to take apart a reel unless necessary now.