I've had my smoke 150 now for about 6 months. I've already gone through 2 sets of drive and pinion gears. the real is butter smooth for about 2 months and then it gets really rough on the retrieve. It feels like I can feel every tooth on the gears. like I said, when I change the gear set out for new ones, it's as smooth as can be but after a few months, it's back to the really gearish sound and feel. I'm about ready to sell it. is the problem the aluminum drive gear. none of my curados or calcuttas or revos for that matter feel this way. I use this reel for traps so I'm constantly chucking and winding. quantum offers no resolve.

Wow. Sounds like something is out of alignment if you're going through gear sets that quickly. Shouldn't be happening. I've never had a Smoke apart, so I can offer no advice except to take it apart and see if you have all the parts, and that they're in the correct position / orientation.

Back when I had several Quantum reels, I had very good response from their online service division. It's something like tackleservice *. Look them up and give them a shout. Very good help in my experience.

Wow. Sounds like something is out of alignment if you're going through gear sets that quickly. Shouldn't be happening. I've never had a Smoke apart, so I can offer no advice except to take it apart and see if you have all the parts, and that they're in the correct position / orientation.

Back when I had several Quantum reels, I had very good response from their online service division. It's something like tackleservice *. Look them up and give them a shout. Very good help in my experience.

thanks ghoti, yeah I thought there was something out of alignment at first too but there isnt. it's been reassembled per schematic. when there is no tension on the spool its pretty smooth. but if you were to add some tension with either a lure or just a little tightness on the cast control knob, it gets that geary feel. it's baffling me. and Im pretty experienced with working on reels. I dunno

Take a good look at the spool shims. Sounds like maybe one of them, probably the one in the tension knob, is dented, off-center, or tilted.

thanks ghoti, yeah I thought there was something out of alignment at first too but there isnt. it's been reassembled per schematic. when there is no tension on the spool its pretty smooth. but if you were to add some tension with either a lure or just a little tightness on the cast control knob, it gets that geary feel. it's baffling me. and Im pretty experienced with working on reels. I dunno

Bearing issues? Sloppy/bad bearings could cause what you describe I suppose.

Is there a bearing, or two, supporting the pinion gear on this reel? That would be the next place I would look.

ghoti, yes there is a bearing that supports the pinion. bout to disassemble and reassemble

I take that back on the pinion bearing, there's not one. I don't think it has anything to do with bearings. this is 100% in the gear set and an incorrect meshing of the teeth. I've disassembled and reassembled 3 times in the last 40 minutes and the same thing. I think that it's the quantum curse... feels good for a couple of months and then kaplooey. me personally, I dont think that the aluminum drive gear is up to snuff. It doesn't take an engineering degree to know that 2 gears made from 2 different metals will make one wear incorrectly. on a positive note I've learned that this is the last quantum I'll ever own. my father in law's energy pt feels the same way and its hardly ever fished and never been disassembled.

gearset is also showing not available on the website. maybe there is a problem with the material being used